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In October of 1983, Leonard Pennario played the Coronation Concerto with the Mostly Mozart Orchestra, David Miller conducting. In 2005 we were able to get the CBC to make us a CD from the master tape. This CD now has a treasured place in our collection since there are no other examples of Leonard playing any Mozart concerto.
Here is a brief sample from the second movement.
In August of 2004, we learned that many many years ago, Leonard had completed the recording of several pieces of Bach-Busoni for Capitol records. The studio work had all been done, but the material was never released. Through some friends we were able to contact Capitol and they generously gave us a CD of these pieces made direct from the master tape. There are no other examples of Leonard playing Bach in existence that we are aware of.
Busoni was a pianist who was very well known for his virtuoso transcriptions and adaptations. His transcriptions of Bach, make full use of the resources of the piano.
The pieces we have recordings of are:
C major Toccata and Fugue (16:27)
D minor Toccata and Fugue (8:54)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (3:29)
Here is a sample from the last track.
Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing this animated film as a child has loved it. In 1987, the film was redone, with Leonard Pennario playing the piano parts, and Lalo Schifrin conducting the Paris Philharmonic Orchestra. Luminaries such as Tony Curtis, Vincent Price, and Cloris Leachman did the voices. It has been released in both video tape and DVD formats.
Leonard also played the piano parts for this movie about a star concert pianist (Joan Fontaine) and an American business man (Joseph Cotton). Sadly for Pennario fans, the sound track takes a back seat to the demands of the story, and there are few occasions to hear the music unblemished by dialog and background noise.
Leonard and Joseph Cotton became lifelong friends.