ABSTRACT
The year 1956 marked the beginning of a new freedom for Ahlgrimm both as an artist and as an individual, representing a major turning point in her life and career. Although her husband, Erich Fiala, had provided her with inspiration and financial support, the price that Ahlgrimm had had to pay was a heavy one and she felt the burden keenly. During the final recording sessions for the Bach harpsichord concertos, Ahlgrimm made up her mind to file for divorce, and entered a period of great upheaval, leading to freedom and new opportunities. The major endeavours of Ahlgrimm's career so far, including the 74 programmes of the Concerte fur Kenner und Liebhaber and the recordings of Bach's harpsichord music for Philips, were now completed. Ahlgrimm's increasingly active career in the USA was covered extensively in the pages of The Diapason. Isolde Ahlgrimm left a number of loyal and devoted students throughout Europe and North America.
