Marian Filar (pianist)
Marian Filar (December 17, 1917 – July 10, 2012) was a Polish concert pianist and virtuoso composer living in the United States.
Early life
Filar was born in
Warsaw Conservatory with whom he studied until the outbreak of the Second World War
.
Second World War
Filar was imprisoned during
Majdanek, he almost died from malnutrition and infection. He escaped being sent to the gas chambers despite his legs being so swollen from malnutrition that he was barely able to stand. After being liberated by the Polish Army he returned to the piano although he did consider studying medicine.[citation needed
]
Subsequent career
While playing recitals in
Wiesbaden, Germany where he sought advice from the renowned German pianist, Walter Gieseking who told him not to quit piano. Filar studied with Gieseking for five years and toured all over Europe playing recitals and concerts. During this period (1945–50) he also performed very frequently on German and other European radio programs.[citation needed
]
He arrived in the
Chopin's Sonata in B Minor, for the now-defunct Colosseum Record Co. in New York City. He made a second recording of 4 preludes by Karol Szymanowski and Etude No 3 in B flat Minor Opus 3[citation needed
], as well as Franciszek Brzezinski's Theme with Variations.
He debuted in
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra once again.[citation needed
]
In 2002, he co-authored a book about his life during and after World War II entitled From Buchenwald to Carnegie Hall.[1]
Death
Filar died in Wyncote, Pennsylvania on July 10, 2012, aged 94.[2]
Publications
- From Buchenwald to Carnegie Hall (co-author with ISBN 978-1-57806-419-9
Composer | Piece | Orchestra | Conductor |
---|---|---|---|
Chopin | Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor | Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra | Erik Tuxsen |
Chopin | Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor | Bavarian Symphony Orchestra | Rafael Kubelik
|
Tchaikovsky | Piano Concerto in B flat Major{fact} | Washington National Symphony Orchestra | Emerson Meyers |
Schumann | Piano Concerto in A Minor | Orchestra Sinfonica, São Paulo, Brasil | |
Chopin | Prelude in D Minor Op. 28 No. 24 | ||
Chopin | Mazurka in F sharp Minor Op. 6 No 1 | ||
Tauriello | Toccata | ||
Chopin | Nocturne: E flat Major Op.9 no.2 | ||
Chopin | Nocturne: C sharp Minor Op. 27 No. 1 | ||
Chopin | Nocturne: D flat Major Op. 27 No 2 | ||
Chopin | Nocturne: E flat Major Op. 55 No. 2 | ||
Chopin | Nocturne: E flat Minor Op. 72 No. 1 | ||
Chopin | Nocturne: C sharp Minor Lento con gran espressione (posthumous) | ||
Chopin | Polonaise in C flat Minor No. 1
|
||
Chopin | Nocturne in C flat Minor Op. 27 No. 1[citation needed] | ||
Chopin | Ballade No. 1 | ||
Chopin | Etude in E Major Op. 10 No.3 | ||
Chopin | Barcarolle Op. 60 | ||
Chopin | Scherzo in B-flat minor Op. 31 No.2 | ||
Chopin | Mazurka in C sharp Minor Op. 63 No. 3 | ||
Chopin | Polonaise in A flat Major No. 6 | ||
Chopin | Fantasie in F Minor Op. 49 |
References
- ^ "From Buchenwald to Carnegie Hall". University Press of Mississippi. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
- ^ Naedele, Walter. "Pianist, concentration camp survivor Marian Filar". Philly.com. Retrieved 14 July 2012.