LEONARDO LE SAN: The Classic Romantic

Leonardo Le San

The Classic Romantic

© 2006 Ionian Productions, Inc. (837101229487)

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Fabulous piano works of Beethoven, Scriabin, Prokofiev and Liszt performed by the renowned international concert pianist Leonardo Le San.

notes

The classical music community is always on the look-out for a rising sensation, and with the release of his latest CD, "The Classic Romantic", concert pianist/composer Leonardo Le San provides selections of Beethoven, Scriabin, Prokofiev and Liszt that are indicative of this emergence.

Leonardo Le San has a wide range of performance experience throughout the music world and has gone on tour performing solo piano in South America through the fall of 2006, sponsored by Export Corporations. During 2005 after the artist had finished his University studies, Mr. Le San was asked to give a piano recital at the Delaware Theater as the opening performer for acclaimed violinist and GRAMMY® Nominated Artist, Regina Carter. And, recently during the Christie Awards 2006 the executive directors distinguished Mr. Le San as "the future of the arts," before a very enthusiastic audience.

While performing a piano recital last year the artist was discovered by Chopin authority, concert pianist, composer and theorist, Dr. Orlando Otey. Dr. Otey selected Leonardo as the pianist with the right "flair" to take on the Chopin heritage. Mr. Le San has tremendous passion for recording and performing, and has had experiences collaborating in work-shops taught by prominent musicians such as Sony-Classical producer and 2000 GRAMMY® Winner Andreas Mayer. Mr. Le San also recorded works by Bach, Debussy and Prokofiev as final projects for Mr. Mayer's pupils.

Mr. Le San has written two works for strings, flute and piano, one orchestral piece for Soprano and Orchestra, some of his piano works are titled Noctazia, Conversation, Incomprehensible, and Nocturne in E minor. He has also written two compositions featuring Alto Saxophone accompanied by a large Jazz ensemble. Mr. Le San has also performed live the first movement of the Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 3, works by Beethoven, Liszt and many other great classical and romantic composers.

The artist has recorded two works with an ensemble as vocalist and composer with the legendary Producer Louis Garcia who has done more than a thousand productions for Sony, BMG and other record labels. These two works were given air-play in different radio stations in the US, and Mr. Le San also performed on TV Channel 6 (ABC) in a 1999 broadcast.

The artist is currently dedicated to the performance and production of classical works in partnership with the record company Ionian Productions, Inc.

"The Classic Romantic" CD is a collection of wonderful piano music that spans more than two eras of musical styles. Leonardo Le San, the classic romantic artist, will delight and entertain you as you listen to his brilliant interpretation of this fabulous music.

reviews

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  • Leonardo plays the Mephisto Waltz.
    author: Oleksandr Vladimir Chugay, Julliard Graduate 03.

    I listened to this album and loved The Mephisto Waltz by Franz Liszt. Awesome! Oleksandr Chugay, Concert Pianist, Julliard Graduate and Ukraine 2nd Prize Winner of the Vth Horowitz Competition.

  • Excellent playing on this album.
    author: Luis Biava, Conductor in Residence Emeritus for The Philadelphia

    Leonardo's interpretation of all the works in the album "The Classic Romantic", show great versatility yet honorable musicality. The repertoire selected for this album works well as it is certainly full of variety. Excellent playing by the pianist on this CD. Luis Biava, renowened Conductor for his work with Symphony Orchestras around the globe including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Washington Symphony,the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, Temple Symphony Orchestra,the University Orchestra in Bloomington, Indiana and many more. Guest at various Music Festivals in Japan, the Vermont's Mozart Festival and others. Graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, studied also at the Bogota Conservatory in Colombia, and at the Accademia de St. Cecilia in Rome, Italy. Named the 2000 Comcast Newsmaker of the year, has been given the Order of Merit from Italy, a citation from the city of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Orchestra Hartman Kuhn Award and the Medal of San Carlos from the President of the Republic of Colombia.

  • Beethoven with contrast as played by Leonardo Le San
    author: Peter Merio, Graduate of the Sibelius Conservatory in Finland

    BEETHOVEN WITH CONTRAST Sonata No 13 in Eb major, Opus 27 No 1 As played by Leonardo Le San (Ionian Productions, 2006). Critique by Peter Merio. Beethoven piano sonatas belong to the standard curriculum of all major conservatories. They are heard in auditions, tests, concerts and competitions. This has brought a disturbing trend to parrot performances that are considered accepted standards of expression.. Pianists are by far not the only ones affected, violinists and singers face a similar problem. The first sonata of Opus 27 is not immune to this trend, although it is heard less often than its companion, that much later acquired the name “Moonlight Sonata.” This performance is not one of these standard renditions. Beethoven was not an “ordinary” musician or person any more than virtually all of the composers on this CD, but neither is Leonardo Le San. Opus 27, No. 1 is a work of contrasts, and our pianist Le San stretches them to the uttermost. In the Baroque music or even typical Vienna Classicism this approach would be out of place but in this case I believe it is the key that unlocks the true nature of the music. These heightened contrasts appear in Leonardo’s playing as large fluctuations in dynamics and tempo. The pianist is able to switch instantly from one mood to another. Furthermore, he is able to maintain two contrasting moods to the point where the accents by the left hand in the “Allegro Molto Vivace” seem to come from a different world, as if played by another person. Leonardo has a strong left hand, possibly aided by the involvement with guitar early in his life and, provided with a decent sound system, a listener is in for truly thunderous bass notes. Contrasts in tempo mean, of course, a slower “Andante” and all of the “Vivace” in a challenging tempo. “Adagio con expressione,” however, is usually played slower, but Leonardo’s choice is a wise one because of the piano’s limited ability to sustain notes. This is still “Young Beethoven “(the composers do not usually age as fast as movie stars) played by a young composer. (At the time of the recording the pianist was within a year of the same age as Beethoven writing this work.) Opus 27 sonatas were written in 1800 or 1801 during a very productive period between the two first symphonies. The shadows of approaching deafness were not yet very deep. Beethoven had decided to learn the Vienna Classical Style thoroughly, but began soon rebelling against the restrictions in form. I believe Opus 27, 1 is the first clear indication of this tendency. The composer titled both sonatas as “quasi una fantasia,” and the form certainly points to it: Fast section inserted to a slow first movement, and the opposite done in the last movement. Furthermore, although the tonic-dominant polarity is still important, it does not become the defining dramatic element. Rather, the identity of and development of motives gain focus, and Leonardo understands and emphasizes this trend. Opus 27 is a sign of things to come, for Beethoven and for music in general through, and I would claim even more, past the Romantic Era. As Stravinsky said it, "Beethoven is eternally contemporary".. Thus he is not the least bit out of place with the rest of the composers on this CD. The extremes of tempo tend to test limits of playability. I sense moments of impatience in the Rondo, which cause me to hold my breath a couple of times. But Leonardo lands unto his feet unto the calm of the “Adagio.” After all, the last movement is by nature very impetuous. Performing music has a reckless element and those who wish to play it safe may find success elusive. Leonardo Le San has the instinct of a practical musician familiar with many kinds of musical expressions to understand intuitively how music actually works. Being a composer helps, but composers do not always share this understanding. It is this intuition rather than mathematical and metronomic precision that will bring the listeners back to hear more. Peter Merio is a graduate of the Sibelius Academy of Music in Choral and Orchestral Conducting.. He has a Master’s degree from the University of Helsinki with a dual major in Political Science and Musicology. Merio has worked as conductor and organist in Finland Europe and United States.

  • "Intense, inspiring, intricately mastered, intelligent playing!"
    author: Jerry Foote, Master of Music from SMU in Dallas, TX

    How thrilling it is to hear a fresh and original interpretaion of these classics! The Beethoven Sonata was powerfully rendered--passionate, yet with the distinct classical style that early Beethoven requires. The Scriabin pieces were my favorites. I even heard a little jazz in them--and the mystic chords were beautifully rendered. The Russian romanticism of the Prokofiev was powerfully interpreted, and yet I especially enjoy Le San's sharing of his (and Prokofiev's as well) sense of humor in some passages. The Liszt was spectaculor! Yet the technical intricacy was always subordinate to the musicality. I liked that!! I look forward to hearing more from this talented young artist. --Jerry Foote, Masters in Music with majors in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX

  • Passionate
    author: Jarrad, Tenor, Speech Pathologist

    Finally someone is playing Beethoven with the passion it deserves. Whether Leonardo is playing at pianissimo or fortissimo, he captures the romaticism that defined Beethoven's ability to change the world of music. Leonardo's emotional intensity is an even better match for the lush, Russian melodies and harmonies of Prokofiev and his virtuosity infuses Liszt's "Mephisto Waltz No.1" with unparalleled energy and charisma.

  • Brilliant, fiery, sensitive, delicate, versatile, expressive, passionate, presen
    author: Dr. Robert A. Partridge

    Brilliant, fiery, sensitive, delicate, versatile, expressive, passionate, presented lovingly and with the highest degree of professionalism. After listening to the free downloads of several pieces, I decided immediately to buy this wonderous gift of an artist to a music lover. For I heard a new and important voice in classical music! I have been practicing psychiatry and working with musicians and music for 48 years. During our four years of extensive training after medical school, we receive a precious gift. It is called “listening with the third ear.” We are taught how to listen to each person at the deepest level possible and truly hear their soul and deepest feelings, thoughts and emotions speak through layers of societal expectations or their public face. One is lifted by the music of Beethoven, Scriabin, Prokofiev and Liszt. One feels an important fellow human has been met and our souls are touched sometimes in places where they never have been awakened, touched, or affirmed. As I listened to Mr. Le San, the image of the wondrously expressive Alicia de Larrocha playing “Nights in the Gardens of Spain,” sprang to mind, as well as listening, watching and feeling the Artistry of the great Arthur Rubinstein, sitting in the special stage audience section just a few yards away from Mr. Rubinstein. Now I hear a wonderful new musical voice, a voice who bravely exposes himself and provides us with new, exciting and inspirational interpretations of these works. This is the sign of greatness; one who does not live in the box of the past or mere tradition, but takes us with him a step outside our own boxes to a new appreciation of the composer as well as of ourselves. I was touched deeply by emotions and beliefs in love, tenderness, angst, anger, fear and sensed a brave artist whose self and talent has exploded onto the music scene, and will continue to expand in brilliance and virtuosity. As a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania, I have worked professionally with many musicians and always include music in my work with the thousands of students and audiences I have taught in the arenas of wellness, optimum well-being, public health and preventive medicine, stress management, and peak performance. Often, it is the only avenue to reach an audience, athlete, executive, and/or person seeking optimum self-understanding and potential, peak performance and transformation. I have 48 years of experience using and performing music including having served as Director, Psychiatry for Students, Univ. of Penn Student Health Service (including working with the music department); teacher; coach; counselor; mentor; professor; lecturer; consultant, and distinguished leader of creative problem solving at the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, SUNY at Buffalo, Univ. of Wisconsin, St. Thomas University, University of the West Indies, Her Majesties Department of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, United Kingdom, Swarthmore College, and Drexel University. Many times for a depressed client, I have pulled out my prescription pad and written: Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s 9th symphony or Louie Armstrong. Take once a day and repeat as often as necessary and see me in one week. More often than one would expect, the client is much improved or back to normal. Today, I strongly advise everyone to try a dose of Leonardo Le San’s “The Classic Romantic,” and “call me in the morning.” Robert A. Partridge, M.D. Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology Captain, U.S. Public Health Service, Inact. Resv. CEO, Medical Director, Peak Performance International Named recently as one of the internationally 700 most influential teachers of creativity and creative thinking.

  • Leo's articulation and dynamics are flawless, Bravo!
    author: Randy Pendleton, professional musician & teacher

    In my years as a performer and instructor of music of all styles,it is great to hear a "fresh" interpretation of Beethoven,Scriabin,Prokofiev and List. Leonardo does not take away from the the "Masters" notation but uses his melodic and technical skills to bring new life to these compositions. His use of dynamics and tempo's express his mastery of the instrument and how he brings these works to life. A "must have" in anyone's collection of fine artists of today!

  • Is Leonardo Le San a classic romantic?
    author: Oscar

    Is Le San a classic example of the romantic artist? A proper answer to the question will partly depend on our notion of romanticism, and this is certainly one with a thousand meanings. However, beyond concepts—and beyond historical and geographical constraints—some overarching themes seem to permeate the movement and ultimately (and by assumption) reside in the psyche of the romantic man: (i) a fervent and perpetual desire for experiencing the feeling of “desiring” in itself. The romantic in order to satisfy his internal drive must surrender to that very feeling, and although he may not be able to define or grasp the root of that desire, his efforts will be directed towards cultivating the feeling. His final satisfaction will come from experiencing his internal forces consciously and with authority in his everlasting search. The root of such a desire is usually identified with the impossibility to grasp (ii) “the infinite.” The romantic mind can strive towards the infinite—intuitively and tentatively—but can never engulf it. This impossibility is what underlies the romantic drama: The romantic wants infinite, but infinite can only be experienced from afar, and as if it where an imperfect reflection of something truly magnificent and captivating. Moreover, what we call “the infinite” may have a religious connotation or not, but it is certainly something that we can feel in our inner self, and which affects us in a very direct (although elusive) way. Indeed, (iii) for the romantic man, nature is the house of the infinite, and since we are pieces of nature, the infinite is already within us; all finite beings depend on the infinite, and our desires for understanding that ethereal entity is in a way, the clumsy attempt at understanding ourselves. The work of art is the point of communion between finite and infinite: Art is the means by which a fragment of a different kind of reality can be captured and presented to the world of the senses. The romantic artist is someone who feels the presence of a reality which may be beyond his or her understanding, but which is common to all of us. This reality is probably the essence of our human self, and the function of the artist is to make us aware of our own humanity by revealing the infinite that dwells inside of us. Returning to our question, is Mr. Le San a romantic par excellence? Consider his technique in pieces such as Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 2 (perhaps the highest point of the entire album) or Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No 1: Le San’s precision and strength shines throughout each of them, but what really sets him apart from his peers—and what brings the heart of each piece to the foreground—is his sense of rhythm. Le San understands that music and musicians belong to specific cultures and traditions, with idiosyncratic accents and dynamics that extend way beyond the academic cannon, reaching out to the folkloric heritage of the homeland. For the romantic musician, technique is the means to express the inexpressible in the best possible way. Technique is never an end in itself. Le san is aware of this, and I believe that he succeeds in revealing an aspect of the cultures that gave life to these pieces, fulfilling his mission as an interpreter of the human spirit. In my view, this is even more evident in his rendition of Scriabin’s Prelude for the Left Hand, and Etude in C# minor. I find these two pieces (specially the second one) to be paradigmatic examples of the romantic spirit. Consider Etude in C# minor: here melancholy is reflective but never contemplative; the ever present tension suggests an active questioning and exploration of the feeling in display; an attempt to dissect the feeling without minimizing its intensity. The etude ends in a mischievous note; it seems to point in the direction of a simultaneous acceptance of the feeling and perpetual wonder about its powers to affect us. Is this what we call Irony? In any case, this is only a possible interpretation; the point to note is that Le San succeeds in awaking such impressions as well as reflections about those impressions in the listener. In this way, the listener is closer to humanity (the infinite?) once again. So Is Le San a romantic? I believe that he deserves that towering title, and even more: I believe that he has the power to make romantics out of his listeners.

  • Exquisite
    author: Carmel Bogle

    Wonderful CD with a variety of the Classical Romantic genre. Displays the wonderful gift of a fantastic pianist!

  • A wonderful album that brings the performance right into your room!
    author: Susana Jacobson

    This is a terrific set of performances that are well recorded. The sound brings Mr. Le San and his piano in the room as if he were performing for you personally. The sound is rich and clean and the playing passionate and clear. I highly recommend it especially if you are a fan of Prokofiev and List!

  • The next generation is alive and well.
    author: Revman (Rev. Bill Stewart)

    The people who have helped Leonardo reach the level of musical skill demonstrated on his new CD, "The Classic Romantic", must be bursting with pride as they realize what their efforts have produced. As I listened to him perform the intricate score, "Mephisto Waltz No. 1", my mind scaned all the recordings I have heard by his peers, and I could only feel that he is entering a league of his own. It will not surprize me if he achieves world renouned recognition. Being given the honor of having my jazz ensemble play for his wedding, I will someday be able to share with my family, yeah, I know that dude personally who's playing the major concert circuit. With the Lord at his side, Leonardo will continue to prepare for the greatest concert of all, which will take place personally before his Master, Jesus Christ.

  • Recommended listening
    author: Dave

    Sor far, I've found this CD to be a pleasing listen. The organization of the content is interesting, starting off with the fairly traditional Romantic era sound of the Beethoven sonata. It then transitions through a slower, more relaxing period with the Scriabin before plunging into the somewhat tumultuous Prokofiev and ending with a flair on Liszt's Mephisto Waltz. The album in general, and especially the closing Mephisto Waltz, contains a fair amount of technical complexity, which Le San handles well. Thoughout the album, his playing sounds self assured, with a good level of emotion. The musical selection on the album is well suited for a rising young musician to showcase his skills, and Leonardo shows he's up to the task.

  • Leo was able to capture the attention of Christina Cultural Arts Center's Early
    author: Raye Jones Avery

    Leo approaches the performance of classical music with a such tender passion old and new listeners fall in love with these timeless compositions again and again.

  • A truly inspiring work of art!
    author: Sheila Williams

    When I heard Leonardo Le San perform for the first time last year I was amazed at his virtuosity. This CD is really a treasure to have and a truly inspiring work of art. I wish Mr. Le San a long successful career!!

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