Peter Maag (1919-2001) was born in Switzerland to a musical family. After studies in theology and philosophy and an early career as a pianist, he was encouraged to conduct. In that field, his mentors included Ernest Ansermet and, above all, Wilhelm Furtwängler. His success as a conductor grew throughout the late 1940s and 50s, and […]

Ferdinando Paer (1 July 1771 – 3 May 1839) was an Italian composer of Austrian descent known for his operas and oratorios. Using the same subject matter as Beethoven did for his ‘Fidelio’, Paer’s opera is called ‘Leonora’ and received its world premiere recording under Peter Maag for Decca with a star-studded cast that included […]