# Pianist Jörg Demus dead



## Boludo

Jörg Demus has died. Chiefly known as an accompanist, particularly with Schwarzkopf and Ameling, he also recorded all of Schumann's solo piano music, which was released in a fine box.


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## MarkW

I heard him with Ameling several times (she's long retired), and miss both of them desperately


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## flamencosketches

I only really know him from his incredible recording of Winterreise with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Still, rough news  Him and Ms. Heather Harper in one day. Rest in peace. 

I'll have to look into his Schumann.


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## Mandryka

Demus was accompanist in a Winterreise I really like, with Julius Patzak singing. 

I also enjoy a lovely recording of Mozart duets he made with Norman Shelter, on Mozart’s piano. He was interested in authentic pianos for C19 music, I think he built up an important collection of them. The Beethoven sonatas he recorded at Beethoven’s house in Bonn are very much inspired by the colours of the instruments, as was the Humoreske and Symphonic Etudes he recorded on correct pianos.


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## jenspen

flamencosketches said:


> I only really know him from his incredible recording of Winterreise with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Still, rough news  Him and Ms. Heather Harper in one day. Rest in peace.
> 
> I'll have to look into his Schumann.


Thank you. I feel a warm glow just thinking of that great recording. DFD said that, when he was "paralyzed with grief" after the death of his wife, it was Demus who taught him to "tolerate music once more."

Here's another example of their partnership:


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## philoctetes

RIP. I saw Jorg Demus at the garden in Salzburg on the same day I visited Mozart's tavern. His show was one of the low-priced not-sold-out options for us who just popped into town with no advance planning. I'll never forget the program because it was the last sonatas by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. His recordings of lieder with Fi-Di are primo.


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## fluteman

He was a great pianist and frequent performer at my alma mater, Amherst College, which awarded him an honorary degree. Like many of you, I particularly remember him for his work with Ameling and Fischer-Dieskau, but he was a great soloist too.


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## Josquin13

I am saddened by the news of Jorg Demus's death. His set of the complete solo piano works by Robert Schumann served as my introduction to a good number of obscure and rarely recorded piano works (at the time) by Schumann, a favorite composer of mine, which must have included some premieres. The only other 'complete' set of that era was by Reine Gianoli, and hers was harder to find in those days (& still is...). So I am grateful to Mr. Demus for his pioneering survey.

6 Studies in Canon Form, Op. 56: 



Geistervariationen, Op. posthumous: 




He also made some excellent recordings of Mozart and Schubert music for two pianos and four hands with Paul Badura-Skoda, which are worth hearing (most recently on the Gramola label in 2011, with the two playing on historical Walter fortepianos: https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Works...da+mozart&qid=1556039699&s=music&sr=1-1-fkmr0).










But, like others, I will most remember Mr. Demus as a superb accompanist for some of the finest singers of his generation--and particularly with one of my favorites, soprano Elly Ameling, but also with baritone Dietrich-Fischer Dieskau in Schubert & Schumann, and tenor Peter Schreier in Mozart. Most of all, I've long treasured Mr. Demus's recordings of Schubert with Ameling, and would consider their 1960s recording of Schubert's late song, "Der Hirt auf dem Felsen", or "The Shepherd on the Rock"--with the young Ameling in radiant voice--to be one of the finest recordings of that song ever put to disc: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=jorg+demus+mozart+ameling&i=popular&ref=nb_sb_noss






I've also treasured their recordings of Mozart, Haydn, and Schumann lieder, & especially their Mozart:

Mozart Lieder:














Haydn Lieder:










Schubert Lieder:


















Schumann Lieder:









Both Ameling and Badura-Skoda must be deeply sad today, & grieving. May they be comforted.

By the way, Jorg Demus also played Bach well: 




May he rest in peace.


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## Littlephrase

Demus also composed. On the streaming service IDAGIO, I see a Sonata for Violin and Piano, along with some works for Cello and Piano.


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## hoodjem

Sad to hear. 

His set of the Beethoven Cello Sonatas on Vanguard with Antonio Janigro is incomparable.


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