Emil von Sauer was a German and Austrian pianist, composer, and music teacher. He was born in Hamburg on October 8, 1862. He first studied music with his mother, then with Ludwig Deppe. In 1879 he entered the Moscow Conservatory, where he studied with Nikolai Rubinstein. After Rubinstein's death in 1881, Sauer tried to begin a solo career, but continued his studies after receiving a reserved response from audiences.
From 1884 to 1885, Sauer studied with Franz Liszt in Weimar. He then made a successful Berlin debut, performing Beethoven's Fifth Piano Concerto and Henselt's Piano Concerto, and gained a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. He toured widely in European cities, including Russia in 1896. From 1901 to 1907 he taught in Vienna's advanced piano classes; after several years living and working in Dresden, he returned to the post in 1915. In 1917 he was ennobled and received the title “von.” He was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society's Gold Medal in 1910.
Sauer performed and taught until 1936, then spent the remaining years of his life in Vienna. In 1938 he served on the jury of the Ysaye Competition in Brussels and performed Schumann's Piano Concerto at a related concert. Heinrich Neuhaus praised his performance. Sauer's students included Webster Aitken, Lubka Kolessa, Elly Ney, Stefan Askenase, and Isolde Ahlgrimm. He published a memoir, My World, in 1901.
Known for his brilliant technique, temperament, and poetic interpretation, Sauer made several recordings, including two of Liszt's piano concertos. His compositions include two piano concertos, two sonatas, concert etudes, and numerous other piano pieces. His first concerto was recorded by Stephen Hough for the Romantic Piano Concertos series, and Oleg Marshev later recorded Sauer's complete piano works. Sauer also edited works by Johannes Brahms, Domenico Scarlatti, Franz Liszt, and Frédéric Chopin. He died in Vienna in April 1942.