The eminent Swiss pianist writes in German to an unidentified professor, relaying with disappointment that he does not consider myself the right person to lead your Berlin section of the Int. P. S. The main reason: I am almost never here. It goes without saying that I would be happy to volunteer my services if I can be of use to you as a lecturer. However, the organization needs to be managed by someone who is here and can handle the day-to-day business. I regret very much that my traveling life does not allow me to take on such tasks.

Edwin Fischer was one of the great intellectual pianists of the twentieth century, regarded as a skilled interpreter of Bach and Mozart in particular. In 1932, the year after declining the offer detailed in this letter, he formed his own chamber orchestra and became one of the first proponents of historically informed performance. He also seems to have had a change of heart about Berlin: later that same year, Fischer moved there to accept Artur Schnabel's vacated position at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik. He did not return to Switzerland until 1942.