American composer Benjamin Lees is a known quantity among many reputable virtuosi, in music education as a pedagogue and among truly expert aficionados of twentieth century classical music. Lees has never followed any discernable trends, soaks in influences until they are barely visible, and has forged a personal style that is distinctive and unique. This goal every composer strikes out to achieve, to attain it so early in one's career as Lees did, and to produce music of consistent quality artistically and technically as ...
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American composer Benjamin Lees is a known quantity among many reputable virtuosi, in music education as a pedagogue and among truly expert aficionados of twentieth century classical music. Lees has never followed any discernable trends, soaks in influences until they are barely visible, and has forged a personal style that is distinctive and unique. This goal every composer strikes out to achieve, to attain it so early in one's career as Lees did, and to produce music of consistent quality artistically and technically as Lees remains highly admirable. However, such a career path can also get you ignored; it is not sufficient, it seems, to find a workable personal style, stick to it, and grow within it at a pace where one is comfortable. At this stage of Lees' career -- late as it is -- it is most useful to have a career summary of some kind. Toccata Classics' Benjamin Lees: Piano Music 1947-2005 handsomely fits the bill; a survey of what has been a 60-year odyssey in the realm of the keyboard, played...
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