When it was first issued on LP the Fischer/Furtwangler Emperor Concerto attracted only moderate praise. This may have been due to the quality of early pressings, where the sound was so dull as to reduce the impact of the performance. EMI's current LP edition shows a great improvement (RLS290001-3 8/84), as does the References LP (2900021, 3/86) and the excellent new CD release. Even if the 1951 recording has inherent limitations there is now sufficient clarity and tonal depth to serve one of the most rewarding performances of the concerto ever recorded; the result of a unique rapport between two superlative artists who enjoyed a close spiritual relationship for many years.
As RO suggested when he reviewed the LP set in 1984 there is the feeling of a live performance in the playing. Furtwangler's weighty, intense conducting of the opening orchestral tutti, with the Philharmonia at full stretch, sets the scene for a special occasion, and then Fischer and Furtwangler inspire each other to greater and greater heights. Fischer was not a commanding virtuoso, but his masterly response to the concerto's extraordinary energy and vision grips the attention, as does his constant illumination of detail and phrase. In the slow movement Fischer and Furtwangler distil a sense of time almost standing still such is their concentration and depth of feeling.
The sonata was recorded in May 1954 at Fischer's last solo session. Here the piano sound is very good, and Fischer responds to the early work with beautifully fresh, vital playing. It makes a good contrast to the concerto on a disc which offers excellent value in every respect. On LP the References series has suffered from flowery and uninformative sleeve-notes, and one such example survives in the French text for this disc, but fortunately there is a new and excellent note in English by Denis Matthews.'