Sebastian Peschko

Sebastian Peschko
Born	(1909-10-30)30 October 1909 Berlin, Germany
Died	29 September 1987(1987-09-29) (aged 77) Celle, Germany
Alma mater	Berlin University of the Arts
Occupation	Classical pianist
Years active	1949–1998
Children	5

Sebastian Peschko (30 October 1909 – 29 September 1987) was a German classical pianist renowned for his skill in performing lieder. He served as an accompanist to some of the most prominent lyrical singers of the 20th century.

Life and career

Peschko was born on October 30, 1909, in Berlin, Germany. His father, Paul Peschko, was an organist and private lecturer. Peschko pursued his musical studies at the Hochschule für Musik (now known as the Berlin University of the Arts) from 1927 to 1933. In 1930 he was awarded a Bechstein scholarship, which supported his education. During that period he studied under renowned pianist, Edwin Fischer. In 1933 Peschko won the Mendelssohn-Award. Following this he played alongside Germany's foremost lyric baritone singer, Heinrich Schlusnus, touring globally from 1934 until 1950.

Peschko is remembered as the piano partner of a number of notable singers, including Theo Altmeyer, Erna Berger, Walter Berry, Rudolf Bockelmann, Grace Bumbry, Franz Crass, Lisa Della Casa, Karl Erb, Nicolai Gedda, Agnes Giebel, Ernst Haefliger, Ilse Hollweg, Werner Hollweg, Heinz Hoppe, Christa Ludwig, Maria Müller, Hermann Prey, Ruth-Margret Pütz, Walther Pützstück, Erna Sack, Hanna Schwarz, Franz Völker, Bernd Weikl, and Marcel Wittrisch.

Peschko also played chamber music. His known examples of this were projects with violinist Georg Kulenkampff and cellists Enrico Mainardi and Hans Adomeit.

From 1953 to 1958 Peschko was responsible for lieder, choir, and church music at Radio Bremen. In 1958 Rolf Liebermann created a lieder department at Norddeutscher Rundfunk, selecting Peschko because of his knowledge and significant work in lieder music. He went on to work there for multiple decades. In addition to working as a producer, creative artist and journalist, he also invented the format Meister des Liedes (Masters of lieder).

Peschko performed as tutor for lieder interpretations at the Mozarteum in Salzburg in the early 1970s.

Peschko composed the musical arrangements for four poems by Christian Morgenstern, which were performed by singer Helen Donath and pianist Klaus Donath globally.

In 1974 Peschko was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit for his contributions to lieder interpretation and his impactful work as a music producer.

He played an early role in supporting baritone Thomas Quasthoff.

Peschko died at the age of 77 in Celle, Germany, on September 29, 1987. He had three daughters, Franziska, Johanna and Julia, and two sons, Peter and Pedro, the latter of whom was adopted.

Dancer and choreographer Susanne Linke is the niece of Sebastian Peschko.

Partial discography

• 1975: Heinrich Schlusnus sings lieder by Franz Schubert accompanied by Peschko (TELDEC)
• 1977: Heinrich Schlusnus sings lieder by Robert Schumann accompanied by Peschko (Deutsche Grammophon)
• 1994: Lisa Della Casa sings lieder by Richard Strauss accompanied by Peschko (Sbt)
• 1999: Heinrich Schlusnus sings lieder accompanied by Peschko (Preiser)
• 2002: Erna Berger sings lieder accompanied by Peschko (Orfeo d'Or)
• 2002: Lisa Della Casa, Lieder and Arias, accompanied by Peschko (EMI/Electrola)
• 2004: Grace Bumbry – early recordings, accompanied by Peschko (Deutsche Grammophon)

External links

External audio
"Nimmersatte Liebe" by Hugo Wolf; Pescho and Walther Ludwig in 1939

• Media related to Sebastian Peschko at Wikimedia Commons
• Sound carrier of Sebastian Peschko in the German National Library catalogue
• "Der Soldat", Op. 40, no. 3 on YouTube, Robert Schumann; Heinrich Schlusnus, Peschko
• "Ständchen" on YouTube, Franz Schubert; Heinrich Schlusnus, Peschko