Undated Brochure [mid 1920s]
Allan Bier
Pianist and Teacher
Native San Franciscan, Allan Bier early revealed his pianistic talent to that remarkable musical personality, Oscar Weil and stimulated by Weil's encouragement he went abroad to study.
Josef Lhevinne was his teacher for two years in Berlin and the same period of time was spent with Harold Bauer in Paris.
His association with that elfin pianist, Vladimir de Pachman, began in Paris and developed in New York into that unique master-disciple relationship which has strengthened as the years go on. Pachman in his naïve manner, publicly proclaimed Allan Bier the inheritor of his great tradition and the possessor of a touch second only to his own in beauty.
On his return to America, the young musician acted as music critic on the San Francisco Bulletin 1919-20. Appointed director of the Oahu College in Honolulu, he taught and concertized there during 1920-21.
He resumed his residence in San Francisco in 1922. Since this period he has devoted his entire efforts to teaching, concert performances an original compositions. His four Epilogues and his superb interpretation of such moderns as Debussy, Franck and Ernest Bloch, reveal his peculiarly modern spirit.
Yet, that Allan Bier has bone beyond pure subjectivity in his artistry is apparent when he plays Bach. As one critic has said: "he communes with him, and he does it so devoutly that the listener communes too, if he is worthy.
It is a far cry from concert pianist to teacher. Yet Allan Bier, disciple of de Pachman, has breached the gap between these temperamentally opposite poles.
As an artist, he belongs in the choir of the few by legitimate right of his original lyric poesy, his rare refinement of conception, his Pachman-inherited touch.
As a teacher, he has the singular gift which enables shim to analyze his own accomplishments to the point of bringing them within easy reach of a pupil's understanding.