Erich Wolfgang Korngold (Piano Concerto for the Left Hand)

While not an American composer in the strictest sense, Korngold made his mark on the American music scene through the numerous Hollywood film scores he composed. His concert output, however, is some of the richest and consistently mature music available to the classical music aficionado.

Take this splendid piano concerto, for example. Korngold created the piece in 1922 for the pianist Paul Wittgenstein, who found himself without a right arm after action in World War I.

The result was a one-movement work with several clear sub-sections. It bears the stamp and seal of a committed tonalist living during the early twentieth century, and despite the composer's lack of interest in the contemporary musical experiments of the day, he still managed to produce harmonies of great originality and force.

Performed by Howard Shelley (piano) and the BBC Philharmonic, conducted by Matthias Bamert
(Sorry, the album cover image at the end of the video is for a different recording and different performers.)

[MichaelConwayBaker]

A wonderful concerto full of beautiful themes and rich harmonies unique to Korngold. A great performance by solo pianist and orchestra.

[fireatheart]

One of my all-time favorite. Masterpiece.

[pierrebonnechere]

Ravel's concerto for the left hand was written for the same pianist a bit later... Ravel's concerto is often played, not Korgold's. Another weird destiny!

[boneeatingsilicate]

Forget it..his main title to Kings Row is his masterpiece..this composition reeks of it!

[kmrerk]

After a 50 yr career as a symphony musician, I recall Korngold as 2 performances, separated by several years, of his violin concerto,
one performance of the "Seahawk" film music, for a "pops" movie music concert, but dozens of concerts of ugly "beep, toot, squawk"
contemporary crap. Why do we allow critics and pedants decide what we listen to? Korngold is just one unjustly neglected composer.

[EunYi-db]

좋은 칼럼으로 흔치
않은 곡 접해 너무 좋습니다. 보통 음악잡지 그 이상으로 전문성이 있으세여. 비전성남 독자인데 큐알 코드 찍고 바로 들으니 너무 편해요

[elgar]

Once more great music ignored by musical elite

[jean-jacquessimon]

Quand on pense que le pianiste virtuose à qui les concertos pour la main gauche ont été dédiés n'a pas seulement apprécié le plus connu, celui de Ravel !

[juliandavies]

"While not an American composer in the strictest sense"? Korngold became an American citizen in 1943. Therefore, in the strictest sense, from that point on he was an American composer.

[antonio_rioseco]

“Available to classic music aficionado”?? What do you meant by that? In spanish the word “aficionado”means amateur like…
Korngold genius is for mankind I think…

[michael]

Maybe if the work was rethought for two hands it might have more performers wanting to play it. The novelty of left hand only works wore off decades ago.

[harryandruschak]

One wonders if Wittgenstein ever played this. At bottom, he was a mediocre pianist.