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.)

Purchase the entire album here: http://www.amazon.com/Korngold-Milita...