ANIA DORFMANN (1899-1984)
Russian-born American pianist

Ania Dorfmann was a great pianist.  I guess she had to be in that man's world to have been the first woman pianist to be engaged by Arturo Toscanini as a soloist.  She went on to play all of the Beethoven piano concerti, starting with the Choral Fantasy (the only time Toscanini performed it), and eventually recorded the first concerto with him.

in 1916 she went to Paris Conservatory where she studied for a year with Isidor Philipp.  Her intention was to return to Russia, but the revolution had begun.  She went back to France and established a successful career performing throughout Europe, performing with conductors of the caliber of Willem Mengelberg, Sir Thomas Beecham and Sir Henry Wood.

She came to the United States in 1936.  In addition to Toscanini, she often performed with Serge Koussevitzky.  from 1956, she taught at the Juilliard School

Ania Dorfmann plays with an elan rarely encountered in this music. Her's are among the finest performances of the Grieg and Mendelssohn piano concerti I know.  (Sadly, the Mendelssohn has been removed due to copyright issues, though why anyone would want to deprice the world of this treasure for no apparent gain is beyond me.)  And what, based on the one number from his Op 12, wouldn't I give to hear more of her Schumann.  The Beethoven C major concerto is amazing.  The piece by Tchaikovsky is incredibly beautifully played.  In short, Ania Dorfmann was an extraordinary pianist of the highest order.

Beethoven  Piano Concerto 1 in C major, Op 15
Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra

recorded live in 1945

i Allegro con brio (beginning)