RIP Jörg Demus (1928-2019)

schnittkease · April 24, 2019, 05:57:30 AM

Demus was the accompanist with Fischer-Dieskau in one of my favorite recordings of Winterreise. His solo career was successful as well, Schumann being a highlight.

Gurn Blanston · April 24, 2019, 03:11:45 PM

Thanks for this information, no matter how sad. Demus was also one of the earliest of early keyboard performers, a good friend of Paul Badura-Skoda and a very fine player. I'm delighted to have one of his last recordings, from when he and PBS were both pushing old-age hard, yet still playing Mozart with all the style and flair of young players. RIP, Jörg...

SimonNZ · April 24, 2019, 04:34:11 PM

So many great/essential albums...I used to grab anything I could find with his name on it, back when I was collecting vinyl.

I particularly love the Schubert he recorded with Elly Ameling - especially those where he accompanied on fortepiano (he was an early advocate and collector):

And the Haydn songs with Ameling, the Winterreise with DFD (which I prefer over those with Moore)...

RIP

milk · April 24, 2019, 05:13:07 PM

One of the best concerts I've ever seen. He played Bach'a WTC and it was transcendent.

springrite · April 24, 2019, 05:43:03 PM

Maybe because of his many trips to China, he is perhaps more popular in China than in the west where he is mostly known for being an accompanist. His passing has generated so much response from the music-loving circle here.
A great artist and a wonderful human being as well.
Rest in Peace.

milk · April 24, 2019, 09:45:24 PM

Quote from: springrite on April 24, 2019, 05:43:03 PM
Maybe because of his many trips to China, he is perhaps more popular in China than in the west where he is mostly known for being an accompanist. His passing has generated so much response from the music-loving circle here.
A great artist and a wonderful human being as well.
Rest in Peace.

Yes. He has many students here in Japan who are very devoted to him. He seems to have spent a lot of time teaching in Asia.

Jo498 · April 24, 2019, 11:47:38 PM

His WTK was never? on CD and got voted as the best recording by Piano Quarterly or a similar publication ca. 20 years ago.
Nowadays, Demus seems well represented mainly as an accompanist (and his collaborations with e.g. Fischer-Dieskau or Ameling are deservedly well-known) but he did much more, but quite a bit of this has never been on CD. For some reason most of the chamber music (as well as some Mozart concerti) with the Collegium Aureum never appeared on CD (or only almost 30 years ago and never again)

Irons · April 24, 2019, 11:51:57 PM

A brilliant and versatile pianist. His Goldberg Variations was the first I owned and a recording I still play.

Florestan · April 25, 2019, 12:08:23 AM

I love his complete Schumann solo piano set. Actually, I think I'm going to spin some of it these days.

May God rest him in peace.

SimonNZ · April 25, 2019, 03:21:03 AM

Quote from: Jo498 on April 24, 2019, 11:47:38 PM
His WTK was never? on CD and got voted as the best recording by Piano Quarterly or a similar publication ca. 20 years ago.
Nowadays, Demus seems well represented mainly as an accompanist (and his collaborations with e.g. Fischer-Dieskau or Ameling are deservedly well-known) but he did much more, but quite a bit of this has never been on CD. For some reason most of the chamber music (as well as some Mozart concerti) with the Collegium Aureum never appeared on CD (or only almost 30 years ago and never again)

It looks like at some point it was available as this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Well-Tempered-Clavier-Book/dp/B00000DWJV

XB-70 Valkyrie · April 25, 2019, 11:53:59 PM

As an LP collector for nearly 30 years, I have seen his records frequently, but never paid much attention. I am now listening to his recordings of the BACH WTC on YouTube, and will pick this up soon--a very beautifully played recording. I am always looking for interesting WTC recordings, and am happy to have discovered this one.

One of his earliest recordings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HidOaXgcI-U