This video does not show a great pianist at her best. With that in mind, I nevertheless decided to post it for several reasons. First, it is as much about a great human being, Dr. Joseph Stephens, as it is about a great pianist, Agi Jambor. Secondly, despite the obvious difficulties in this amateur recording of a private recital in 1992, Agi still shows moments of the great musicality and sensitivity that made her one of the great Bach performers of the century. Finally, to hear Agi at her best, some of the studio recordings she made in the 1950s have already been posted and are well worth listening to.
Agi Jambor won fifth prize in the third Chopin competition in 1937. She had a huge repertoire, and played with many of the great orchestras of the world. She emigrated to the United States in 1947, taught at Peadbody and Bryn Mawr, played repeatedly with the Philadephia Symphony under Eugene Ormandy and was a favorite of Bruno Walter. Agis life could have been the subject of a Hollywood movie. In fact, it was tragically similar to that of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. After playing with great orchestras, escaping the Nazis, playing for a President, having universally spectacular reviews which she modestly ignored, surviving a brief failed marriage to Claude Rains and a bout of a mysterious encephalitis, Agi turned her back on her career and became a lonely eccentric recluse. She lived alone, semi debilitated, with her cats and no human contact, for many years, until, in 1987, the Baltimore psychiatrist and musician, Joseph Stephens, stumbled upon one of her recordings, remembered her from her brief stint at Peabody, tracked her down, and brought her back into the world of the living. Just before her 80th birthday he arranged for her to move to Baltimores Bolton Hill, where her life began again. Joe would walk over to Agis new apartment every day without fail and either listen to her miraculously play pieces from memory that she had not played in 50 or so years, or play with her the orchestra parts of other pieces, or music for two pianos. Joe enlisted the help of his large network of patients and friends (often there was no distinction between the two) to ensure that Agi was almost never alone.
At the time of this recital, Agi was already showing some of the deterioration in memory and concentration that marked her final years. She was basically sight reading, helped along by Joes accompaniment. Until her return to Baltimore, she had not touched the piano in years. The piano on which she is playing, and which is now in my home, is an 1899 Model B Steinway which had dead notes, heavy uneven action, and was at the time in need of a complete rebuilding. The ensemble playing is rough at first, the tempi are at times uneven, there are wrong notes. But as she played, Agi showed us moments of the incredible sensitivity and the wonderful technique, warmth and charm that made her great.
As a footnote, Joe Stephens and I were with Agi the day she died in 1997. She told us that thanks to Joe she had been the happiest woman in the world for the last eight years. Joe died last May.
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Agi Jambor and Joseph Stephens play Bach, part 4by aerobat3158 views
This is a brilliant movie, I viewed it for free here: VIEWFILMSFREE |.| COM
demetriaballow 2 years ago
This is a very moving tribute to a great pianist whom I hadn't heard before today, and to the immense kindness of Dr. Stephens. Heart-warming...thank you for posting it.
Geferi7 2 years ago
A very precious document, taken at Agi's apartment. It brings back wonderful memories. I did not even know that such a video existed. I am afraid I was not present at that recital. Thank you very much for posting.
stephenjoeagi 3 years ago