Theodore Lettvin
Theodore Lettvin c. 1952
Theodore Lettvin (October 29, 1926 – August 24, 2003) was an American concert pianist and conductor. He was one of the four children of Solomon and Fannie Lettvin, two Jewish-Ukrainian immigrants who settled in Chicago.[ 1] Neurophysiologist and MIT professor Jerome Lettvin was his eldest brother.
Biography
Lettvin's first concert was at the age of five at the Lyon & Healy in Chicago . On March 15, 1939, he appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under conductor Frederick Stock , performing the first movement of Mendelssohn 's Piano Concerto no. 1 .[ 2] As a teenager, he was accepted as a scholarship student of Rudolf Serkin and Mieczysław Horszowski at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia . In his twenties, he won the Michaels Memorial Award, First Prize in the Queen Elisabeth of Belgium International Piano Competition. He made his European debut touring France with violinist Sidney Harth in 1951-1952 in a concert series organized by the National Music League and the Jeunesses Musicales International .[ 3] He also toured South Africa in 1974 in a series of concerts under the auspices of the Johannesburg Musical Society.
Lettvin performed with the New York Philharmonic , and the symphony orchestras of Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Washington, Atlanta, Vienna, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo. He also participated in the summer festivals at Tanglewood, Ravina, Saratoga, Sarasota, Salzburg and Interlochen.
Prior to his appointment as Professor Emeritus by Rutgers University and the University of Michigan , Lettvin was a Distinguished Professor in their music departments where he directed their Doctor of Musical Arts and Artist Diploma programs. Before joining these universities, Lettvin was on the faculty of the New England Conservatory of Music , the Cleveland Music School Settlement, and Artist in Residence at the University of Colorado Boulder .
He died in August 2003. A concert series in Bradford, New Hampshire is named in his honour.[ 4]
Discography
Index to performances by Theodore Lettvin on compact disc[ 5]
Composer
Work
Performance Date
CD number
BACH
English Suite No. 3
March 28, 1962
1
BACH
English Suite No. 3 excerpt
(unspecified date)
4
BACH-BUSONI
Rejoice, Beloved Christians
April 16, 1975
13A
BACH-BUSONI
Rejoice, Beloved Christians
July 1977
14
BARTOK
Scherzo for Piano & Orchestra
December 20, 1964
6
BARTOK
Two Romanian Dances
March 28, 1962
1A
BEETHOVEN
Cello Sonata No. 1 (Olefsky)
unspecified
11
BEETHOVEN
Cello Sonata No. 3 (Olefsky)
unspecified
11
BEETHOVEN
Cello Sonata No. 4 (Olefsky)
unspecified
11
BEETHOVEN
Cello Sonata No. 5 (Olefsky)
unspecified
12
BEETHOVEN
Concerto No. 2, Op. 19
July 9, 1965
4
BEETHOVEN
Concerto No. 2, Op. 19
unspecified
6
BEETHOVEN
Concerto No. 3, Op. 37
August 4, 1967
15
BEETHOVEN
Rondo, Op. 51 No. 1
April 16, 1975
13
BEETHOVEN
Rondo, Op. 51 No. 1
unspecified
19
BEETHOVEN
Rondo a capriccio, Op. 129
unspecified
19
BEETHOVEN
Sonata No. 3, Op. 2 No. 3
April 16, 1975
13
BEETHOVEN
Sonata, Op. 2 No. 3 (1st mvt)
April 16, 1975
13A
BEETHOVEN
Sonata No. 3, Op. 2 No. 3
July 1977
8
BEETHOVEN
Sonata No. 26, Op. 81a
March 28, 1962
1
BEETHOVEN
Sonata No. 26, Op. 81a
May 13, 1966
3
BEETHOVEN
Triple Concerto
unspecified
18
BEETHOVEN
Variations on "God Save the King" excerpt
(unspecified)
4
BEETHOVEN
Variations on "Rule Brittania"
May 17, 1967
2
BEETHOVEN
Variations for Cello and Piano (Olefsky):
7 Variations from "The Magic Flute"
unspecified
12
12 Variations from "The Magic Flute"
unspecified
12
6 Variations from "Judas Maccabeas"
unspecified
12
BRAHMS
Concerto No. 2, Op. 83
June 20, 1980
7
BRAHMS
Rhapsody, Op. 79 No. 2
May 13, 1966
3
BRAHMS
Rhapsody, Op. 119 No. 4
May 13, 1966
3
BRAHMS
Handel Variations, Op. 24
December 1, 1976
9A
CHOPIN
Ballades 1, 2, 3
July 1977
8A
CHOPIN
Ballade No. 1, Op. 23
May 13, 1966
3
CHOPIN
Ballade No. 1, Op. 23
excerpt (unspecified)
4
CHOPIN
Ballade No. 4, Op. 52
May 17, 1967
2A
CHOPIN
Ballade No. 4, Op. 52
July 1977
14
CHOPIN
Berceuse excerpt
(unspecified)
4
CHOPIN
Fantasy, Op. 49
May 17, 1967
2A
CHOPIN
Fantasy-Impromptu, Op. 66
May 17, 1967
2A
CHOPIN
Fantasy-Impromptu, Op. 66
July 1977
8A
CHOPIN
Impromptu No. 1, Op. 29
May 17, 1967
2A
CHOPIN
Impromptu No. 1, Op. 29
July 1977
8
CHOPIN
Impromptu No. 2, Op. 36
May 17, 1967
2A
CHOPIN
Impromptu No. 2, Op. 36
July 1977
8
CHOPIN
Impromptu No. 3, Op. 51
May 17, 1967
2A
CHOPIN
Impromptu No. 3, Op. 51
July 1977
8A
CHOPIN
Nocturne, Op. 27 No. 2
May 13, 1966
3
CHOPIN
Prelude No. 24
May 13, 1966
3
CHOPIN
Prelude No. 24
December 1, 1976
9A
CHOPIN
Prelude No. 24 excerpt
(unspecified)
4
GERSHWIN
Concerto in F
unspecified
16
HANDEL
Keyboard Suite in B-flat
December 1, 1976
9A
HAYDN
Andante & Variations in F Minor
May 17, 1967
2A
HAYDN
Andante & Variations in F Minor
December 1, 1976
9
HAYDN
Concerto in G
May 3, 1970
5
HUMMEL
Concerto, Op. 89
unspecified
18
Interview with Martin Perlich (WCLV)
unspecified
16
LISZT
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
unspecified
14
LITOLFF
Scherzo
unspecified
18
MENDELSSOHN
Concerto No. 1
unspecified
16
MENDELSSOHN
Scherzo a capriccio
excerpt (unspecified)
4
MENDELSSOHN-LISZT
Wedding March
unspecified
17
MOZART
Concerto No. 24, K. 491
May 3, 1970
5
MOZART
Fantasy, K. 397
March 28, 1962
1
MOZART
Fantasy, K. 397
May 13, 1966
3
MOZART
Rondo, K. 485
May 13, 1966
3
PROKOFIEV
Sonata No. 3, Op. 28
April 16, 1975
13
PROKOFIEV
Toccata, Op. 11
March 28, 1962
1A
PROKOFIEV
Toccata, Op. 11
May 13, 1966
3
PROKOFIEV
Toccata, Op. 11
April 16, 1975
13
RACHMANINOFF
Paganini Rhapsody
unspecified
18
SAINT-SAENS
Wedding Cake, Op. 76
unspecified
17
SCHUBERT
Four Impromptus, Op. 142
March 28, 1962
1A
SCHUBERT
Four Impromptus, Op. 142
April 16, 1975
13A
SCHUBERT
Four Impromptus, Op. 142
December 1, 1976
9
SCHUBERT
Four Impromptus, Op. 142
July 1977
8
SCHUBERT
Impromptus Op. 142, Nos. 3 & 4
May 13, 1966
3
SCHUBERT
Moment Musical No. 3
May 13, 1966
3
SCHUBERT
Moment Musical No. 3
April 16, 1975
13A
SCHUBERT
Sonata, Op.143
unspecified
14
SCHUMANN
Sonata, Op. 22
May 17, 1967
2
SOLER
Two Sonatas in C Minor
unspecified
17
TCHAIKOVSKY
Concerto No. 1
1969
15
TCHAIKOVSKY
Concerto No. 1 excerpt
(unspecified)
4
TCHAIKOVSKY
Concerto No. 1
unspecified
10
WHITTAKER
Piano Sonata
unspecified
14
YARDUMIAN
Chromatic Sonata
May 17, 1967
2
References
External links
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