Leon Fleisher (born July 23, 1928) is an American pianist and conductor. He is particularly well known for his interpretations of the piano concerti of Brahms and Beethoven, which he recorded with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. They also recorded Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25, the Grieg and Schumann piano concertos, Franck’s Symphonic Variations, and Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. In 2004, Vanguard Classics released Leon Fleisher’s first “two-handed” recording since the 1960s, to critical acclaim his losted use of his right hand by focal dystonia and regained the use through a combination of Rolfing and botox injections. He is described as “a consummate musician whose career is a moving testament to the life-affirming power of art.”
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In a certain sense, the present complete collection of Fleisher’s recordings for Sony Classical and its predecessors (Epic and Columbia Masterworks) demarcates the personal and musical twists and turns of his career journey. We hear Fleisher soon after his Brussels victory, followed by his now iconic Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Schumann and Grieg concerto collaborations with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, along with highly acclaimed solo recordings. Two discs represent Fleisher at the peak of his later career playing concertos and recitals for the left hand. Lastly, Fleisher’s formidable gifts as a Mozart player as revealed in his C major K 503 concerto recording yielded further bounty with his two-handed return a half-century later in the K 242, K 414 and K 488 concertos featured on the collection’s most recent release.
In a certain sense, the present complete collection of Fleisher’s recordings for Sony Classical and its predecessors (Epic and Columbia Masterworks) demarcates the personal and musical twists and turns of his career journey. We hear Fleisher soon after his Brussels victory, followed by his now iconic Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Schumann and Grieg concerto collaborations with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, along with highly acclaimed solo recordings. Two discs represent Fleisher at the peak of his later career playing concertos and recitals for the left hand. Lastly, Fleisher’s formidable gifts as a Mozart player as revealed in his C major K 503 concerto recording yielded further bounty with his two-handed return a half-century later in the K 242, K 414 and K 488 concertos featured on the collection’s most recent release.