Irwin Leroy Fischer (July 5, 1903 – May 7, 1977) was an American composer and organist. He was a long-standing Dean of Faculty of the

American Conservatory of Music The American Conservatory of Music (ACM) was a major American school of music founded in Chicago in 1886 by John James Hattstaedt (1851–1931). The conservatory was incorporated as an Illinois non-profit corporation. It developed the Conservat ...

and organist for the

Chicago Symphony Orchestra The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891, the ensemble has been based in the Symphony Center since 1904 and plays a summer season at the Ravinia F ...

for 22 years. Fischer was also a recording artist, radio performer and author.

Career and works

He received his MMus from

in 1930 and his BA from the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

in 1924. After being appointed to teach at the

in 1928, Fischer also studied with Boulanger in Paris in 1931 and with Kodály in Budapest in 1936. In the 1930s he invented a new polytonal technical he termed "biplanal." His compositions showed a wide variety of techniques and styles, often showing a mixture of French and German influences. His works were received "entirely enthusiastic" critic reviews, which described him as "modernistic, but not cacophony." His compositions received less attention following World War II (causing him to turn to conducting and work as an organist, radio, and recording artist), but received renewed serious study in universities beginning in the 1980s. His works were favorable reviewed by notable critics such as the Chicago Tribune's "fearsome" Claudia Cassidy. Fischer's papers can be found in the archive collections of The Newberry in Chicago.

Personal life

Fischer was married with two children at the time of his death. He frequently volunteered his professional skills as a conductor, composer, and organist to local charities. For example, he composed one of his works "Orchestral Adventures of a Little Tune" for the CSO's 1974–75 Petites Promenades Concert Series for Young People, conducted by

Henry Mazer Henry Simon Mazer ( – ), was an American and later Taiwanese conductor, recording artist and music educator who was the founding principal conductor and music director of Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra from 1985 until suffering a stroke in F ...

Selected publications

* Roberts, Stella and Fischer, Irwin (1967), "Handbook of Modal Counterpoint". Free Press; 1st edition, 160 pages. . * Fischer, Irwin Leroy (1950). "Harmony." * Hundreds of published musical scores.

Selected discography

* Thor Johnson, The Peninsula Festival Orchestra – Irwin Fischer / Robert Nagel / Chou Wen-chung / John Lessard – Hungarian Set / Trumpet Concerto / Landscapes / Concerto For Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon And Strings (LP, Mono) * Coffee House Music

References

External links