Biography
The Fischer Duo comprises cellist Norman Fischer, born in 1949 in Washington, D.C., and his wife, pianist Jeanne Kierman. Their repertory stretches across eras, from Classical works to pieces commissioned from successive waves of living composers.
Formed in 1971, the ensemble reflects Fischer’s training under Richard Kapuscinski and Bernard Greenhouse, among other mentors; he earned his diploma from the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio and later taught at both that institution and Dartmouth College before settling into an extended faculty role at Rice University. He previously appeared with the Concord String Quartet. Two tours undertaken as official Artistic Ambassadors—one across South America, the other through South Africa—stand out in the duo’s performance record, both arranged by the United States Information Agency. Their first commercial recording, Imaginées, appeared on the Northeastern label in 1989.
Commitment to new music has led the pair to solicit roughly thirty original scores, among them contributions from Augusta Read Thomas and George Rochberg. A comprehensive survey of William Bolcom’s cello music drew praise that reached listeners outside the United States. The Fischers have also focused on restoring overlooked cello-and-piano repertory by twentieth-century figures such as Ferruccio Busoni, Arthur Foote, and Nadia Boulanger. Their exploration extends into the nineteenth century, encompassing performances and a recording of the complete cello-and-piano output of Chopin and Liszt, neither of whom is primarily associated with chamber music. Another distinctive project, the 1938-born-in-America anthology, gathers works solely by composers born that year: Bolcom, John Corigliano, Ellsworth Milburn, John Harbison, Joan Tower, and Charles Wuorinen.
The duo’s discography includes releases on the Gasparo, Bridge, and Centaur imprints; the last of these issued their account of Brahms’s Cello Sonatas in 2018. They have also documented the full cycle of Beethoven’s cello-and-piano compositions, encompassing the composer’s earliest efforts in the medium. In 2022 the Fischers re-emerged on the Navona Records label with 2020 Visions, a program of newly commissioned pieces marking the ensemble’s fiftieth anniversary.
Formed in 1971, the ensemble reflects Fischer’s training under Richard Kapuscinski and Bernard Greenhouse, among other mentors; he earned his diploma from the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio and later taught at both that institution and Dartmouth College before settling into an extended faculty role at Rice University. He previously appeared with the Concord String Quartet. Two tours undertaken as official Artistic Ambassadors—one across South America, the other through South Africa—stand out in the duo’s performance record, both arranged by the United States Information Agency. Their first commercial recording, Imaginées, appeared on the Northeastern label in 1989.
Commitment to new music has led the pair to solicit roughly thirty original scores, among them contributions from Augusta Read Thomas and George Rochberg. A comprehensive survey of William Bolcom’s cello music drew praise that reached listeners outside the United States. The Fischers have also focused on restoring overlooked cello-and-piano repertory by twentieth-century figures such as Ferruccio Busoni, Arthur Foote, and Nadia Boulanger. Their exploration extends into the nineteenth century, encompassing performances and a recording of the complete cello-and-piano output of Chopin and Liszt, neither of whom is primarily associated with chamber music. Another distinctive project, the 1938-born-in-America anthology, gathers works solely by composers born that year: Bolcom, John Corigliano, Ellsworth Milburn, John Harbison, Joan Tower, and Charles Wuorinen.
The duo’s discography includes releases on the Gasparo, Bridge, and Centaur imprints; the last of these issued their account of Brahms’s Cello Sonatas in 2018. They have also documented the full cycle of Beethoven’s cello-and-piano compositions, encompassing the composer’s earliest efforts in the medium. In 2022 the Fischers re-emerged on the Navona Records label with 2020 Visions, a program of newly commissioned pieces marking the ensemble’s fiftieth anniversary.
Albums
