Raymond Leventhal American pianist Date of Birth: 29.08.1923 Country: USA

Biography of Raymond Lewenthal

Raymond Lewenthal, an American pianist, was born on August 29, 1923, in San Antonio, Texas, to a family of immigrants from France and Russia. From a young age, he appeared in many Hollywood films, which is why the year 1926 often appears as his birth year in many biographies.

In 1945, Raymond won three major California competitions for young musicians. Following this, he moved to New York and studied at the Juilliard School under Olga Samaroff. His major debut as a performer took place in 1948 when he performed as a soloist in Sergei Prokofiev's Third Piano Concerto with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Dimitris Mitropoulos.

Over the next five years, Lewenthal successfully toured the United States. However, in 1953, an unfortunate incident occurred when he was attacked by a gang of thugs, resulting in multiple fractures in his hands. Even after recovering, he did not return to the stage, stating, "When your own brethren beat you up, you don't feel like playing music for them."

Afterward, he lived in Europe for some time, leading a meager lifestyle. He then decided to return to music, but in a slightly different capacity. Lewenthal's first public performance with Alkan's music was a two-hour radio program in which he interspersed virtuosic performances of Alkan's works with stories about his life. The success of this radio show marked a new phase in the talented pianist's career.

Later on, he continued to lead an active creative life, performing, working as a music editor, and compiling anthologies. Raymond Lewenthal passed away on November 21, 1988, in Texas.