Hugo Steurer was a German pianist and teacher. After extensive studied with leading German teachers, he made his debut in 1934. The results of this and other concerts led to sensasional successes throughout Europe. He was generally considered as one of Germany’s leading interpreters of L.v. Beethoven.
In the 1950’s Hugo Steurer taught at the Hochschule für Musik in Leipzig (1953-1958). Later he moved to Munich, where he taught at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater. He led master-classes for many years and had many great pupils whho became famous pianists and musicians. Among them were Klaus Bäßler, Homero Francesch, Wolfram Heicking, Sigrid Lehmstedt, Angelika Merkle, Gerhard Oppitz (1974), Heinz Rögner, Klaus Schilde , Annerose Schmidt, and Yaara Tal (1978-1981). Karl-Heinz Kämmerling worked as his assistant. During the mid 1980’s he resided in Essex, Suffolk, England. He had later lived in Bad Wörishofen, Bavaria, Germany, after his house in England had caught a fire.
Hugo Steurer was supported by Wilhelm Furtwängler once, after he had played Robert Schumann’s Fantasy for him. Wilhelm Furtwängler's comment was about like this: "not everything is the same way I would imagine, but this is indeed very good. But one thing you have to keep in mind. Once you are on stage every protection ends." Another conductor he worked with was Franz Konwitschny, in one case L.v. Beethoven C minor Concerto. In the late 1950’s he co-operated with the Belgian violinisdt Jean Laurent. Steurer recorded works of W.A. Mozart (sonatas, concertos), L.v. Beethoven (sonatas, concertos), F. Schubert (Trout Quintet with Caspar-da-Salò Quartet, piano works, Lieder with Rudolf Knoll), Max Reger, Paul Hindemith, etc.
Hugo Steurer edited for piano several J.S. Bach’s works (chiefly selections from the Notebook of Anna Magadalena Bach, the Klavierbüchlein for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, the short preludes, and the French suites), and piano works of L.v. Beethoven. |