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Theodore Lettvin

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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

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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

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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

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  1. ^ Bullamore, Tim (September 22, 2003). "Theodore Lettvin: Pianist with an interactive approach to performance". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-07. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  2. ^ Sherlock, Barbara (August 26, 2003). "Theodore Lettvin, 76 – Pianist made his debut with CSO at 12". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  3. ^ Parmenter, Ross (August 21, 1955). "National Music League Expanding Its Activities to Include Four Countries". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  4. ^ Cahalan, Sarah (July 2016). "Classical Music to Enjoy This July". New Hampshire. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  5. ^ From IPAM (International Piano Archive at University of Maryland)
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