Added: Jul 17, 2008

From: stephenTGV

Duration: 9:21

BACH- Prelude Fugue in A Minor - Agi Jambor, pianoBefore Glenn Gould and Angela Hewitt, there was Agi Jambor.Agi was brought back to Baltimore to start a new life by one of her admirers also a Bach pianist and Harpsichordist, the psychiatrist Joseph Stephens.He found her living under stressful conditions, with 30 cats in the outskirts of Philadelphia.And yet, Agi a Hungarian, had been a famous pianist in Europe, who immigrated to the US after the war.She had played Bach, and other composers with Mengelberg, Ormandy, and many other famous conductors. She refused to play under the baton of Alfred Cortot after the war, because she considered him as being anti-Semitic.She turned down von Dohnanyi, who offered to become her teacher at the Budapest Conservatory.On her 16th birthday, Albert Einstein came to her house and brought his violin. How did he play? I asked her once.She smiled and said politely: 'Not too well. The harder the piece, the worse it got'.After the passing of her first husband, she met an fell in love with the famous actor Claude Rains, and became Mrs. Rains.The marriage did not last long, because Claude was a severe alcoholic.When she arrived back in Baltimore (she had taught at the Peabody before going to Philadelphia) Joe rented for her an apartment in Bolton Hill, very close to his own home.She brought with her her old dilapidated Steinway, and her marimba. (She was also a marimba virtuoso, and played Bach Concertos on it.Her piano was in bad shape, and she was frail, so I suggested to Joe to get her an electronic piano, with a weighted touch. It would be even and easier to play.By miracle, she started playing, and in no time she started sounding like the great Agi Jambor of the 50s.Joe and I also bought electronic pianos, that she loved playing, coming to my house or Joe's on Sunday, and for 8 or so years we had a great pianist in our midst.Meanwhile Juan Bastos a superb painter helped taking care of her, and from a neglected old lonely lady, she blossomed back into the princess of the keyboard, that she really was.Dedicated to another superb Bach pianist Angela Hewitt, and to the memory of the great Glenn Gould.

Channel: Music

Tags: agi  angela  bach  fugue  glenn  gould  hewitt  in  jambor  joseph  minor  piano  prelude  stephens 

Rating: 4.20 (5 ratings)    Views: 282' favoriteCount='3    Comments: 5

pachmann Says:

Jul 18, 2008 - She's superb.When was this recorded? Was this released?How old was she here?Thank you very very much.

stephenTGV Says:

Jul 18, 2008 - The recordings date from the 50s. She was around 45 years old. We lost her in 1997, when she died at the age of 87. This photo was taken in the 90s.Agi had an immence repertory, about 27 piano concertos in her hands ready to perform them at a moment's notice, including all the well known Concertos, all all the Bach Concertos and piano literature. She could transpose any piece in a different key at will.

stephenTGV Says:

Jul 18, 2008 - continued They played the Rachmaninoff suites for 2 pianos together, as well as other pieces for 2 pianos. It was Camelot for lovers of classical music, which alas has come to an end with the passing of Joseph Stephens. I will put more Bach with Agi, and some with Joe on the harpsichord.She was a giant in music, a small woman with small hands, almost 5 feet tall.

veseli601 Says:

Jul 19, 2008 - High class pianist and personality!

stephenTGV Says:

Jul 19, 2008 - Agi told me that she recorded all her Bach recordings in two sessions in Philadelphia, in 2 days, without the need for retakes.

ammurphy5 Says:

Jul 20, 2008 - I played the bach italian concerto many years ago because i heard a recording of miss jambor through a friend at the peabody conservatory in balto. md. it inspired me to want to play it which i did.....and do....still....anyway i guess glen gould's recording was a later thrill but HERS was my first experience...you know...that stuff and all that that incurrs (sp)....maurice murphy

swizzlestickit Says:

Jul 23, 2008 - She's brilliant. First time I've heard her. Thank you so much.

hashirimedes Says:

Jul 25, 2008 - She is pretty and pretty Bach.