Ahlgrimm, Isolde
Ahlgrimm, Isolde
Ahlgrimm, Isolde, eminent Austrian fortepianist, harpsichordist, and pedagogue; b. Vienna, July 31, 1914. In 1921 she entered the Vienna Academy of Music, graduating in 1932 in the piano class of Viktor Eben-stein; completed her studies in the master classes there of Emil von Sauer and Franz Schmidt (1932–34). In 1935 she attracted notice at the Hamburg International Music Festival. After making her recital debut as a fortepianist in 1937, she taught herself to play the harpsichord and subsequently concentrated on both instruments. From 1937 to 1956 she was active with the Concerte fur Kenner und Liebhaber in Vienna; was also first prof. of harpsichord at the Vienna Academy of Music (1945^9). After teaching at the Salzburg Mozarteum (1958–62), she made her first visit to the U.S. in 1962 at the Oberlin (Ohio) Coll. Cons, of Music; then was a prof. at the Vienna Hochschule für Musik (1964–84). Ahlgrimm did much to further the cause of period instrument performances of music from the Baroque and Classical eras.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire