LEON FLEISHER: MILESTONES OF A PIANO LEGEND (10 CDS)

Leon Fleisher, born in San Francisco in 1928 as to a father who emigrated from Russia and a Polish mother, was one of the greatest hopes of the American concert scene. His critics were impressed by his Schubert recordings and Brahms' Handel Variations, and the collaboration with George Szell and his Cleveland Orchestra brought awards and bestsellers. Fleisher's meteoric rise was a source of enthusiasm even for his listeners in the US, as accustomed as they were to superlatives. But in the end the pianist paid a high price for this: a gradually increasing paralysis of the right hand forced him to abandon his concert activities. As a conductor, university lecturer and specialist for piano music for the left hand, Fleisher fought back and, after surgery, repeatedly appeared before a concert audience from 1982 on. The number of recordings from the few years of his early triumphs is understandably quite small. All the more valuable is the encounter with this exceptional pianist on the 10 CDs of this collection.

DISC 1
1. Robert Schumann - Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54: I Allegro affettuoso -
2. II Intermezzo: Andantino grazioso, III Allegro vivace 

George Szell, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra

3. Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.16

I Allegro molto moderato 
II Adagio  III Allegro moderato molto e marcato

George Szell, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra

DISC 2
1. Brahms - Piano Concerto No 1 in D minor, Op. 15: I Maestoso 
2. Brahms - Piano Concerto No 1 in D minor, Op. 15: II Adagio 
3. Brahms - Piano Concerto No 1 in D minor, Op. 15: III Rondo: Allegro non troppo

George Szell, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra

DISC 3
1. Brahms - Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op.83: I Allegro non troppo 
2. Brahms - Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op.83: II Allegro appassionato 
3. Brahms - Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op.83: III Andante 
4. Brahms - Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op.83: IV Allegretto grazioso 

George Szell, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra

DISC 4
1. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Aria 
2. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation I 
3. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation II 
4. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation III 
5. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation IV: Risoluto 
6. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation V: Espressivo 
7. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation VI 
8. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation VII: Con vacità 
9. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation VIII 
10. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation IX: Poco sostenuto 
11. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation X 
12. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XI 
13. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XII 
14. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XIII
15. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XIV 
16. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XV 
17. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XVI 
18. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XVII
19. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XVIII 
20. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XIX
21. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XX 
22. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XXI 
23. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XXII 
24. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XXIII 
25. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XXIV 
26. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Variation XXV 
27. Brahms - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel, Op.24: Fuga 

28. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 1 in B major 
29. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 2 in E major 
30. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 3 in G sharp minor 
31. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : Nr 4 in E minor 
32. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : Nr 5 in E major 
33. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 6 in C sharp major 
34. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 7 in C sharp minor 
35. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 8 in B flat major 
36. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 9 in D minor 
37. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 10 in G major 
38. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 11 in B minor 
39. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 12 in E major 
40. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 13 in C major 
41. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 14 in A minor 
42. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 15 in A major 
43. Brahms - Waltzes, Op. 39 : No 16 in D minor 

DISC 5
1. Schubert - Piano Sonata in B flat major, D 960: I Molto moderato 
2. Schubert - Piano Sonata in B flat major, D 960: II Andante sostenuto 
3. Schubert - Piano Sonata in B flat major, D 960: III Allegro vivace con delicatezza 
4. Schubert - Piano Sonata in B flat major, D 960: IV Allegro ma non troppo 

5. Schubert - German Dances, D. 790 : Dance No 1 
6. Schubert - German Dances, D. 790 : Dance No 3 
7. Schubert - German Dances, D. 790 : Dance No 4 
8. Schubert - German Dances, D. 790 : Dance No 5 
9. Schubert - German Dances, D. 790 : Dance No 6 
10. Schubert - German Dances, D. 790 : Dance No 7 

DISC 6
1. Mozart - Piano Concerto No 12 in A major, K 414: I Allegro 
2. Mozart - Piano Concerto No 12 in A major, K 414: II Andante 
3. Mozart - Piano Concerto No 12 in A major, K 414: III Rondo: Allegretto 

4. Mozart - Piano Concerto No 25 in C major, K 503: I Allegro maestoso (Cadenza: Eugene Istomin) 
5. Mozart - Piano Concerto No 25 in C major, K 503: II Andante 
6. Mozart - Piano Concerto No 25 in C major, K 503: III Allegretto 

George Szell, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra

11. Schubert - German Dances, D. 790 : Dance No 8 
12. Schubert - German Dances, D. 790 : Dance No 11 

DISC 7
1. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 1 in C major, Op.15: I Allegro con brio 
2. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 1 in C major, Op.15: II Largo 
3. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 1 in C major, Op.15: III Rondo: Allegro scherzando 

George Szell, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra

4. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 1 in C major, Op.15: I Allegro con brio 
5. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 1 in C major, Op.15: II Largo 
6. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 1 in C major, Op.15: III Rondo: Allegro scherzando 

Live Performance (1960)

Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester

Andre Cluytens, conductor

13. Franck - Variations Symphoniques pour Piano et Orchestre 

George Szell, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra

DISC 8
1. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op; 19: I Allegro con brio 
2. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op; 19: II Adagio 
3. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op. 19: III Rondo: Molto allegro 

George Szell, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra

4. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op. 58: I Allegro moderato 
5. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op. 58: II Andante con moto 
6. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op. 58: III Rondo: vivace 

George Szell, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra

DISC 9
1. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor, Op. 37: I Allegro con brio 
2. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor, Op. 37: II Largo 
3. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor, Op. 37: III Rondo: Allegro 

George Szell, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra

4. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 5 in E flat major, Op. 73, "Emperor": I Allegro 
5. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 5 in E flat major, Op. 73, "Emperor": II Adagio un poco moto 
6. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 5 in E flat major, Op. 73, "Emperor": III Rondo: Allegro 

George Szell, conductor

Cleveland Orchestra

DISC 10
1. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op.19: I Allegro con brio 
2. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op; 19: II Adagio 
3. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op; 19: III Rondo: Molto allegro 

LIVE PERFORMANCE, (1957)

Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester

Hans Rosbaud, conductor

4. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op.58: I Allegro moderato 
5. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op.58: II Andante con moto 
6. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op.58: III Rondo: vivace 

LIVE PERFORMANCE (1956)

Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester

Otto Klemperer, conductor