Kurt LEIMER (1920-1972)
Piano Concerto No.2 (Music for Piano and Orchestra) (1944-48) [20:14] ¹
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, Op.30 (1909) [35:57]
Prelude in G minor, Op.23 No.5 (1901) [3:52]
Kurt Leimer (piano)
Orchestra della Radio della Svizzera Italiana/Leopold Stokowski ¹
Nuremburg Symphony Orchestra/Zsolt Deaky
rec. 1961, Nuremburg (Rachmaninov Concerto); 1960s (Prelude); August 1968,
Lugano (Leimer)
COLOSSEUM CLASSICS COL 9205.2 [60:14]
Increasing familiarity with pianist and composer Kurt Leimer should lead one
to expect the unexpected, not least from Colosseum Classics, the label that
has assiduously promoted his recordings on CD. Its latest disc couples two
concertos in a conjunction that tells us much, and often humorously, about
Leimer’s stylistic affiliations. To add spice, Leimer’s Piano Concerto No.2,
played by the composer, is conducted by none other than Leopold Stokowski.
If only he had done the honours for Leimer in Rachmaninov’s Third Concerto.
Leimer’s concerto is, indeed, as the notes suggest, a homage to the works
of the composers he performed as a soloist. Stern critics might anticipate
pastiche, or worse. In fact Leimer cannily manages to avoid this trap and
clearly Stokowski must have been attracted by the work, and presumably also
Leimer’s personality, so readily to have agreed to perform it in Lugano in
1968. I can’t find much evidence of how they met, and the extent of their
collaboration, but it’s certainly one of Stokowski’s more interesting excursions
in the last decade or so of his life.
Leimer had something of a bravura cheek. The references to Rachmaninov are
pretty blatant, but fortunately his themes have the life and lift to support
them. Orchestration is not outlandish, and not too lush. Ghostly late Romanticism
floods the central movement, and so does a hint or two of Prokofiev, amidst
a ghostly waltz section. The finale again hints at Prokofiev as well as Leimer’s
beloved Gershwin: pyrotechnics with a degree of pastiche Weimar here. The
Rachmaninovian affiliations get more and more striking as the finale develops
and Stokowski, one of the elite conductors of that repertoire, must have enjoyed
them heartily.
To cement these affiliations Leimer plays the Prelude in G minor, one of his
concert warhorses and then launches into the Third Concerto accompanied by
the Nuremburg Symphony Orchestra under Zsolt Deáky. This was the same orchestra
that recorded Elly Ney’s last concerto recordings for Colosseum a few years
later. Deáky was a Hungarian conductor who was doing a lot of concerto accompanying
on disc for smaller labels at this time. Leimer certainly shows both assured
technique and real affinity for Rachmaninov’s musical language, as one might
have anticipated. The orchestra is subdued in the balance and lacks alluring
tone but the main focus of interest is on the pianist, who performs the cut-down
version of the concerto.
I don’t know what sort of reception a disc like this will receive. Stokowski
collectors will be intrigued by the Leimer Concerto. The scrawny recording
of the Rachmaninov rather rules it out of any popularity stakes. Certainly
admirers of this intriguing pianist-composer will be delighted to make its
acquaintance.
Jonathan Woolf
We have learned from Edward Johnson that this CD release was in fact the soundtrack
of a Swiss-Italian Television studio concert and is now available
on Youtube.
Support us financially by purchasing this disc from |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|