Irene Scharrer

Irene Scharrer (2 February 188811 January 1971) was an English classical pianist. Early life and education Irene Scharrer was born in London, the daughter of Herbert Tobias Scharrer and Ida Henrietta Samuel Scharrer. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Tobias Matthay. Scharrer is sometimes erroneously described as pianist Myra Hess's cousin. She was distantly related to another woman pianist, Harriet Cohen, the two sharing a great-great-grandfather. Career Scharrer made her London début at the age of 16, and gave concerts regularly until June 1958, where she appeared for the last time, playing Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos with Myra Hess. They often performed four-handed compositions together. "Her playing is virile, yet withal delicate and poetic," explained a 1912 reviewer, "a lovely touch and poetic style combined with warmth of tone, but pervading all delicacy and refinement." She was especially known for playing the works of Chopin. Other collaborators included Arthur Nikisch in Berlin, Hungarian violinist Louis Pecskai, and Landon Ronald in London. She visited Sir Edward Elgar in 1918 and was promised the first performance of his piano concerto, then being sketched. Scharrer gave her first American concerts in 1926, in Boston and New York. She gave a radio concert in 1929.