Rose and Ottilie Sutro

Rose and Ottilie Sutro were American sisters who gained recognition as a pioneering duo-piano team. Although they are sometimes credited as the first such team, they were actually preceded by Willi and Louis Thern, who had established themselves nearly three decades earlier. The Sutro sisters nonetheless made a name for themselves in the music world, performing together as a duo.

However, their musical careers were also marked by controversy. The sisters took advantage of the trusting nature of German composer Max Bruch, deceiving him on multiple occasions. They made unauthorized changes to his Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in A-flat minor and published the altered version. Furthermore, they stole the autograph copy of his Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, eventually selling it in 1949. This aspect of their lives has tarnished their reputation, highlighting a lesser-known and troubling side to their story.