The privilege of being a student at Fischer-Dieskau

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau placed a high value on punctuality. Whenever I arrived at his home near Munich at 10:25 a.m., he was already waiting for me at the door, smiling beneath the carved letters "DFD." His bright, mischievous eyes gave him a youthful air, even in his old age. Depending on how he was feeling, he would offer me his hand or his elbow—a gesture he maintained throughout his life to protect himself from infection. Then we would begin work.

Being a student of “FiDi,” as his friends and colleagues affectionately called him, has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. He redefined the German Lied after 1945, taking it around the world and helping to rebuild cultural bridges. Leonard Bernstein called him “the most important singer of the 20th century.” Even in the film The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), the Schubert recordings the protagonist carries were his.

At the age of twelve, I was captivated by 'Winterreise' for its extraordinary balance between language and music, intellect and emotion, sentimentality and precision.

I first heard her voice at age twelve, on a recording of Winterreise . I was immediately captivated. Years later, I learned to put into words why: its extraordinary balance of language and music, intellect and emotion, sentimentality and precision.

We met in 2009 during a masterclass in Austria. Although I'd heard he was demanding, he welcomed me kindly and later offered to continue working with me privately. Over the years, we explored almost my entire repertoire. In that intimate setting, he revealed a much more personal side—sensitive, affectionate, and at times deeply melancholic. More than the specific instructions, what impressed me most was the atmosphere of trust and concentration.

Although Winterreise became synonymous with his legacy, it was Brahms's Vier ernste Gesänge that touched him most deeply. He sang them as a teenager, recorded them on his first album, and returned to them after being released as a prisoner of war. The third song, "O Tod, wie bitter bist du," took on even more meaning after the death of his first wife Irmel in 1964. We revisited those songs many times. Sometimes, singing them together, I felt he knew it might be the last time.

The last time I visited him, weeks before his death in 2012, I found him resting in an armchair in front of the piano. We played Schubert songs about death and rebellion against fate. His eyes filled with tears as he reflected on the meaning of his life. Despite his immense success, personal losses continued to weigh heavily on him.

Recently, reviewing his letters, scores, and notes, many memories returned, along with new insights into his complex inner world. In honor of his centenary, on May 28, 2025, I have created a special concert program that seeks to reflect his life in music and words—the artist and the man who often hid behind the music.

This experience also shaped my album To Dieter: The Past and the Future , which traces key moments in his career. It includes songs by Schubert, Brahms, and Wolf, works composed for him by Britten and Barber, and intimate pieces from his family circle. A companion book offers a more personal portrait of this extraordinary figure.

His voice helped restore the beauty of German culture after its darkest period. He was the first German artist to perform in Tel Aviv after the war.

Fischer-Dieskau continues to inspire generations of singers and pianists. His voice helped restore the beauty of German culture after its darkest period. He was the first German artist to perform in Tel Aviv after the war and brought the Lied to audiences in New York, London, and beyond. His artistry helped rebuild trust and understanding: his legacy is not only musical, but also one of reconciliation.

It is no exaggeration to say that without Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, the history of music would be different.

Benjamin Appl, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's last student, pays tribute to his teacher with a special program on his upcoming Spanish tour, which will include concerts in Seville, Oviedo, Bilbao, and at the Palau de la Música on November 13. His new CD-book, To Dieter: The Past and the Future, is now available from Alpha Classics.