Short bio Leo Ornstein
Full biography Leo Ornstein
Leo Ornstein was a Russian-born American experimental composer and pianist of the early twentieth century. He was born in 1893 in Kremenchuk, Russia, and his family immigrated to the United States when he was just a boy. Ornstein showed promise as a pianist at a young age and went on to study at the Institute of Musical Art in New York City.
Ornstein's music was highly experimental, incorporating dissonant harmonies, atonal melodies, and unusual time signatures. He gained a reputation for his avant-garde compositions, which were often panned by critics in his early years. Despite this, Ornstein continued to compose and perform, and his music gained a following among other experimental artists and musicians.
Throughout his career, Ornstein produced a wide range of works, including solo piano pieces, chamber music, orchestral works, and even film scores. His music was characterized by its innovative approach to harmony and melody, as well as its use of unconventional instrumentation.
Despite his early success, Ornstein's music fell out of favor in the mid-twentieth century, and for many years was largely forgotten. However, in recent years, interest in his music has seen a revival, with recordings of his work being released and new performances being staged.
Ornstein lived to be 108 years old, and continued to compose and play piano in his later years. He passed away in 2002, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most innovative and forward-thinking composers of the early twentieth century.
Compositions featuring Leo Ornstein
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piano Sonata No. 7 | 17:23 min | Keyboard | 1988 |
| 2 | String Quartet No. 3 | 35:11 min | Chamber Music | 1976 |
| 3 | Morning in the Woods, for piano | 6:42 min | Keyboard | 1971 |
| 4 | A Long Remembered Sorrow, for piano | 5:43 min | Keyboard | 1964 |
| 5 | Tarantelle, for piano | 4:14 min | Keyboard | 1960 |
| 6 | Ballade, for saxophone & piano | 3:51 min | Chamber Music | 1955 |
| 7 | Preludes (6) for cello & piano | 23:08 min | Chamber Music | 1929 |
| 8 | String Quartet No. 2, Op. 99 | 32:41 min | Chamber Music | 1929 |
| 9 | Hebraic Fantasy, for violin & piano | 5:24 min | Chamber Music | 1929 |
| 10 | Piano Quintet, Op. 92 | 39:43 min | Chamber Music | 1927 |
| 11 | Seeing Russia with Teacher, for piano, 4 hands | Keyboard | 1925 | |
| 12 | Sonata for 2 pianos, Op. 89 | 36:57 min | Keyboard | 1925 |
| 13 | In the Country, S. 63 | 7:02 min | Keyboard | 1924 |
| 14 | Sonata No. 2, for cello & piano | 15:17 min | Chamber Music | 1920 |
| 15 | Sonata for piano No 4 | 19:22 min | Keyboard | 1919 |
| 16 | Scherzino for piano | 3:22 min | Keyboard | 1918 |
| 17 | A la Chinoise, for piano, Op. 39 | 4:58 min | Keyboard | 1918 |
| 18 | Arabesques (9), for piano, Op. 42 | 10:08 min | Keyboard | 1918 |
| 19 | Impressions de Notre-Dame for piano, Op. 16/2 | 5:46 min | Keyboard | 1915 |
| 20 | Miniatures (9) for piano, Op. 7 | Keyboard | 1915 | |
| 21 | Impressions de Notre-Dame for piano, Op. 16/1 | 6:12 min | Keyboard | 1915 |
| 22 | Sonata for violin & piano No. 1, Op. 26 | 18:51 min | Chamber Music | 1914 |
| 23 | Three Moods, for piano | 8:48 min | Keyboard | 1914 |
| 24 | Suite Russe, for piano, S. 58 | 11:17 min | Keyboard | 1914 |
| 25 | Wild Men's Dance (Danse sauvage) for piano, , Op. 13/2 | 3:03 min | Keyboard | 1914 |
| 26 | Pieces (2) for cello & piano, Op. 33 | 2:39 min | Chamber Music | 1914 |
| 27 | Impressions of the Thames, for piano | 7:18 min | Keyboard | 1914 |
| 28 | Suicide in an Airplane, for piano | 4:05 min | Keyboard | 1913 |
| 29 | Nocturne for piano No. 2 | 12:59 min | Keyboard | - |
| 30 | Composition 1, for cello & piano | 7:19 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 31 | Waltzes (17) for piano, S. 400-416 | 60:00 min | Keyboard | - |
| 32 | Waltz for piano No.7 | 3:51 min | Keyboard | - |
| 33 | Cossack Impressions, S. 55 | 25:09 min | Keyboard | - |
| 34 | Impressions de la Tamise, for piano, Op. 13/1 | 8:02 min | Keyboard | - |
| 35 | Impromptus (4), S. 300a | 17:00 min | Keyboard | - |
| 36 | Poems of 1917, for piano, Op. 41 | 16:58 min | Keyboard | - |
| 37 | Nocturne, for clarinet & piano | 4:33 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 38 | Sonata for violin & piano, Op 31 | 16:12 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 39 | Piano Sonata No. 4, S. 360 | 22:14 min | Keyboard | - |
| 40 | Sonata for violin & piano [No. 3], Op. Posth. | 12:22 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 41 | Piano Sonata No. 8 | 30:10 min | Keyboard | - |
| 42 | Sonata for cello, Op 52 | 27:26 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 43 | Pieces (3) for flute & piano | 18:02 min | Chamber Music | - |
Albums featuring Leo Ornstein
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Copland, Mason, MacDowell, Grant Still, Farwell, Ornstein, Cecile Licad – Anthology Of American Piano Music Vol. 3: American Landscapes(CD, Album) | 2018 | Danacord |
| 2 |  |
Leo Ornstein - Francesco Parrino, Stefano Parrino, Maud Renier – Complete Violin Sonatas(CD, ) | 2017 | Brilliant Classics |
| 3 |  |
Ornstein / Marc-André Hamelin, Pacifica Quartet – Piano Quintet, String Quartet No. 2(CD, Album) | 2015 | Hyperion |
| 4 |  |
Leo Ornstein, Arsentiy Kharitonov – Piano Music Volume Two(CD, Album) | 2013 | Toccata Classics |
| 5 |  |
Leo Ornstein - Arsentiy Kharitonov – Piano Music Volume One(CD, Album) | 2012 | Toccata Classics |
| 6 |  |
Leo Ornstein, Sarah Cahill – Fantasy and Metaphor(CD, Album, Stereo) | 2008 | New Albion |
| 7 |  |
Leo Ornstein - Joshua Gordon, Randall Hodgkinson – Complete Works for Cello and Piano(CD, Album) | 2007 | New World Records |
| 8 |  |
Leo Ornstein, Janice Weber – Piano Sonatas No. 4 (1924) & No. 7 (1988) | 2002 | Naxos |
| 9 |  |
Leo Ornstein, Marc-André Hamelin – Suicide In An Airplane, Danse Sauvage, Sonata 8 And Other Piano Music | 2002 | Hyperion |
| 10 |  |
Leo Ornstein - Lydian String Quartet, Janice Weber – Piano Quintet - String Quartet No. 3(CD, ) | 1997 | New World Records |
| 11 |  |
Gregory Fulkerson, Philip Glass, Leo Ornstein, Aaron Copland, Richard Wernick – Cadenzas And Variations(CD, Reissue) | 1995 | New World Records |
| 12 |  |
Arthur Vincent Lourie, Leo Ornstein, George Antheil - Daniele Lombardi – Futurpiano | 1995 | Nuova Era |
| 13 |  |
George Antheil, Henry Cowell, Leo Ornstein - Steffen Schleiermacher – The Bad Boys!(CD, Album) | 1994 | hat ART |
| 14 |  |
Samuel Barber, Lukas Foss, Leo Ornstein | Yehuda Hanani, Michelle Levin – Foss / Barber / Ornstein(CD, ) | 1993 | Koch International Classics |
| 15 |  |
Marthanne Verbit / Antheil, Scott, Ornstein, Diercks, Gershwin, Fennimore – Valentines(CD, Compilation, Remastered) | 1992 | Albany Records |
| 16 |  |
Marthanne Verbit, Ornstein, Scott – Past Futurists(CD, Compilation, Remastered) | 1992 | Albany Records |
| 17 |  |
Leo Ornstein, The New Boston Quartet – String Quartet No. 3(LP, Album) | 1980 | Serenus |
| 18 |  |
Doris Hays - Henry Cowell, Morton Feldman, Ilhan Mimaroglu, Leo Ornstein, Russell Peck – Adoration Of The Clash(2×LP, Album) | 1979 | Finnadar Records |
| 19 |  |
Leo Ornstein - Michael Sellers (2) – A Biography In Sonata Form(LP, Stereo) | 1977 | Orion |
| 20 |  |
Leo Ornstein - Bonnie Hampton, Nathan Schwartz – Sonata For Cello & Piano / 3 Preludes(LP, Album, Stereo) | 1976 | Orion |
| 21 |  |
Leo Ornstein - Martha Anne Verbit – Piano Works(LP) | 1976 | Genesis |
| 22 |  |
Michael Sellers (2) - Leo Ornstein – Danse Sauvage: Early Piano Music Of Leo Ornstein(LP) | 1975 | Orion |
| 23 |  |
Quintette For Piano And Strings, Op. 92 / Three Moods(LP) | 1975 | Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI) |
| 24 |  |
Leo Ornstein / Alexei Haieff, Gold And Fizdale – Gnomes Suite (Suite Des Gnomes) / Sonata For Two Pianos(LP, Album) | - | Serenus |
| 25 |  |
Leo Ornstein, Erik Lundborg, Michael Dellaira, Jeffrey Levine, Marilyn J. Ziffrin – Nocturne For Clarinet And Piano / Ghost Sonatine / Maud / Tapestry / Sono(CD, ) | - | Opus One |
| 26 |  |
Leo Ornstein / Alexei Haieff – Six Preludes For Violoncello And Piano / Sonata For Violoncello And Piano(LP) | - | Serenus |
Videos featuring Leo Ornstein
Sonata No. 1 For Cello And Piano, Op. 52: II. Andante Sostenuto
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Sonata No. 1 For Cello And Piano, Op. 52: II. Andante Sostenuto · Leo Ornstein · Joshua Gordon · Randall Hodgkinson
Leo Ornstein: Complete Works For Cello And Piano
℗ 2007 Anthology of Recorded Music,
New World Records 80203-2
http://www.newworldrecords.org/album.cgi?rm=view&album_id=80203
www.newworldrecords.org
©2014 Anthology of Recorded Music, Inc. All Ri
">Henry Cowell: Piano Piece (Paris, 1924)
Henry Cowell: Piano Piece (Paris, 1924)
Robert Miller, piano
from "Sound Forms for Piano"
New World Records 80203-2
http://www.newworldrecords.org/album.cgi?rm=view&album_id=80203
www.newworldrecords.org
©2014 Anthology of Recorded Music, Inc. All Ri
Leo Ornstein - Piano Sonata No. 5, "In The Form of a Biography"
I am uploading this epic work because it has to my knowledge not been uploaded to youtube before, and despite the generally poor audio quality and mediocre performance that has a entire movement cut for time in order to fit onto an LP, this is still an ex
Quintette for Piano and Strings, Op. 92: I. Allegro barbaro
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Quintette for Piano and Strings, Op. 92: I. Allegro barbaro · Leo Ornstein · William Westney · Daniel Stepner · Michael Strauss · John Sacco · Thomas Mansbacher
Music of Leo Ornstein
℗ 2010 Antholo
Leo Ornstein: Suicide in airplane (1916)
Leo Ornstein (1893-2002): Suicide in airplane (1916).
Yvar Mikhashoff, pianoforte.
Cover image: painting by André Lothe.
***
The music published in our channel is exclusively dedicated to divulgation purposes and not commercial. This within a program
Leo Ornstein - Piano Sonata No. 4 (1918)
Composer: Leo Ornstein (December 2, 1893 – February 24, 2002)
Pianist: Janice Weber
00:02 Movement I - Moderato con moto
04:49 Movement II - Semplice
09:58 Movement III - Lento
13:36 Movement IV - Vivo
I must admit that I find that none of the recordi
Sonata No. 2 For Cello And Piano
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Sonata No. 2 For Cello And Piano · Philip Corner · Randall Hodgkinson · Joshua Gordon
Leo Ornstein: Complete Works For Cello And Piano
℗ 2007 Anthology of Recorded Music, Inc.
Released on: 2007-01-01
Three Moods: I. Anger
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Three Moods: I. Anger · Leo Ornstein · William Westney
Music of Leo Ornstein
℗ 2010 Anthology of Recorded Music, Inc.
Released on: 2010-11-15
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Morton Feldman - Vertical Thoughts 4
Morton Feldman: Vertical Thoughts 4 (1963) for piano
Morton Feldman (January 12, 1926 – September 3, 1987) was an American composer, born in New York City. A major figure in 20th century music, Feldman was a pioneer of indeterminate music, a developme
Leo Ornstein ‒ A Long Remembered Sorrow, SO 102a
Leo Ornstien (1893 - 2002), A Long Remembered Sorrow, SO 102a (1964)
Performed by Janice Weber (2002)
When Leo Ornstein died in February 2002, the musical world lost a fascinating composer, quite possibly the oldest of all time (the year of his birth i
Composition 1 For Cello And Piano
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Composition 1 For Cello And Piano · Leo Ornstein · Randall Hodgkinson · Joshua Gordon
Leo Ornstein: Complete Works For Cello And Piano
℗ 2007 Anthology of Recorded Music, Inc.
Released on: 2007-01-01
Danse Sauvage (Wild Men's Dance)
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Danse Sauvage (Wild Men's Dance) · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Three Moods: III. Joy
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Three Moods: III. Joy · Leo Ornstein · William Westney
Music of Leo Ornstein
℗ 2010 Anthology of Recorded Music, Inc.
Released on: 2010-11-15
Auto-generated by YouTube.
A Long Remembered Sorrow
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
A Long Remembered Sorrow · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Three Moods: II. Grief
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Three Moods: II. Grief · Leo Ornstein · William Westney
Music of Leo Ornstein
℗ 2010 Anthology of Recorded Music, Inc.
Released on: 2010-11-15
Auto-generated by YouTube.
A Morning in the Woods
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
A Morning in the Woods · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Andante
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Andante · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Lento
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Lento · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Suicide in an Airplane
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Suicide in an Airplane · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Tarantelle
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Tarantelle · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Impressions of the Thames
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Impressions of the Thames · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Allegro
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Allegro · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Moderato con moto
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Moderato con moto · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Semplice
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Semplice · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Vivo
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Vivo · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Molto con moto
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Molto con moto · Janice Weber
Ornstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 and 7
℗ 2002 Naxos
Released on: 2002-07-14
Artist: Janice Weber
Composer: Leo Ornstein
Auto-generated by YouTube.
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