AncientFaces Your browser does not support JavaScript!
Please enable JavaScript to view the entire contents of this page.

Raymond Lewenthal 1923 - 1988

Raymond Lewenthal was born on August 29, 1923 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas United States, and died at age 65 years old on November 21, 1988. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Raymond Lewenthal.

Raymond Lewenthal

August 29, 1923

San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, United States

November 21, 1988

Male

Looking for someone else

Raymond Lewenthal Raymond Lewenthal (1923 - 1988)

ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM

This page exists for YOU
and everyone who remembers Raymond.

Share what you know,
even ask what you wish you knew.

Invite others to do the same,
but don't worry if you can't...

Someone, somewhere will find this page,
and we'll notify you when they do.

Raymond Lewenthal's History: 1923 - 1988

Uncover new discoveries and connections today by sharing about people & moments from yesterday.

- Discover how AncientFaces works.

Introduction

Raymond Lewenthal, a colorful and imaginative explorer of forgotten Romantic piano repertory, died of a heart attack Monday night. He was 62 years old and lived in Hudson, N.Y. Mr. Lewenthal is especially remembered for helping to revive the difficult and arcane piano music of Charles-Valentin Alkan, but his restorative efforts were also devoted to other 19th-century composers - Busoni, Reinecke, Field, Henselt, Scharwenka, Thalberg and Anton Rubinstein. The Romantic Style The pianist was known for his strong technique and grand manner - crowd-pleasing qualities he applied often to his public performances of Liszt. Harold C. Schonberg of The New York Times, wrote of a 1976 performance of Alkan's ''Funeral March for a Parrot'' that when Mr. Lewenthal, ''cadaverous, tall and saturnine, came out wearing black and a black silk topper decorated with a mourning band, and led a procession of four singers and four desperately squealing oboists . . . that was the Romantic revival.'' A critic for The Times of London considered Mr. Lewenthal's Liszt performances ''in the big Romantic manner such as we now associate with a vanished age.'' Mr. Lewenthal was born in San Antonio of Russian-French parentage and grew up in Hollywood where he was a child actor in films until the age of 15. His piano education was both bicoastal and international, including stops in New York and Paris under teachers like Alfred Cortot, Lydia Cherkassky, Olga Samaroff and Guido Agosti. Assault Interrupts Career His career was interrupted and nearly ended in 1953 when he was assaulted in Central Park and suffered broken arms and hands. He stopped playing, traveled to Europe, studied there for three years and subsequently went to South America where he lived, often hand-to-mouth, for seven years. In 1964, he returned to the United States and resumed his career. Mr. Lewenthal's last major appearances were his concerts - five in five days - with the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center in 1982. He was troubled by heart problems in later years and devoted much of his time to finishing and seeking a publisher for a large biography of his hero, Alkan. It is said to have occupied him for 25 years, and remains unpublished.
08/29

1923

Birthday

August 29, 1923

Birthdate

San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas United States

Birthplace

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Professional Career

Pianist.
11/21

1988

Death

November 21, 1988

Death date

Unknown
Cause of death

Unknown
Death location

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Obituary

R. LEWENTHAL; REVIVED ARCANE PIANO MUSIC New York Times News Service CHICAGO TRIBUNE Raymond Lewenthal, a colorful and imaginative explorer of forgotten Romantic piano repertory, has died of a heart attack at age 62. Mr. Lewenthal, who died Monday, is especially remembered for helping to revive the difficult and arcane piano music of Charles-Valentin Alkan, but his restorative efforts were also devoted to other 19th Century composers, including Busoni, Reinecke, Field, Henselt, Scharwenka, Thalberg and Anton Rubinstein. The pianist was known for his strong technique and grand manner. Harold Schonberg of the New York Times wrote of a 1976 performance of Alkan`s ''Funeral March for a Parrot'' that when Mr. Lewenthal, ''cadaverous, tall and saturnine, came out wearing black and a black silk topper decorated with a mourning band, and led a procession of four singers and four desperately squealing oboists . . . that was the Romantic revival.'' Mr. Lewenthal was born in San Antonio and grew up in Hollywood, where he was a child actor. His piano education included stops in New York and Paris under teachers such as Alfred Cortot, Lydia Cherkassky, Olga Samaroff and Guido Agosti. His career was interrupted and nearly ended in 1953 when he was assaulted in Central Park and suffered broken arms and hands. He stopped playing, traveled to Europe, studied there for three years and subsequently went to South America, where he lived, often hand-to-mouth, for seven years. In 1964, he returned to the U.S. and resumed his career. His last major appearances were his concerts with the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center in 1982. He was troubled by heart problems in later years and devoted much of his time to finishing and seeking a publisher for a large biography of his hero, Alkan. The work, said to have occupied him for 25 years, remains unpublished. There are no immediate survivors.

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Looking for more information?
share

Memories

below

Join one other
who remembers Raymond

Select options below to share special moments.

Ethnicity & Family History Nationality & Locations Early Life & Education Baptism Religious Beliefs Military Service Personal Life & Family Gravesite & Burial Add Memory Add Photo

Share what you remember.
Ask what you wish to know.
Connect to discover more.
Advertisement
Did you know?

Raymond Lewenthal lived 11 years shorter than the average family member when died at the age of 65.

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Looking for more information?
share

Memories

below