Career
His teaching methods were largely based on those of Theodor Leschetizky and his pupils he met during the time he taught in LwóWest Kurz is known for his reworking of the solo part of Antonín Dvořák"s Piano Concerto in G minor, Operation 33, which was originally composed in 1876.
Foreign more than a decade after the concerto"s first performance, it suffered from neglect and critical disdain.
A common remark for many years was that the piano part was written "as if for two right hands."
While he was in his 20s, Kurz undertook a revision of the solo part, and it is this version that he frequently performed. Since that time, the original and the Kurz versions have been printed together in Otakar Šourek"s critical edition of the score, one beneath the other, so that the soloist can choose which version to perform.
The Kurz version has become a part of the standard piano repertoire. Dvořák"s original orchestral material is not affected by the soloist"s choice.
In 1919 Ilona Kurzová played first performance the Kurz version of this Dvořák"s piano in G minor concert conducted by Václav Talich.
This revision was later adopted and recorded by Rudolf Firkusny, who in the 50"s also introduced a few cuts to first and third movements. In the 70"s he abandoned all revisions in favour of the original version by Dvořák. Supraphon, the Czechoslovakian recording company, issued a compact disc on which Ivan Moravec plays the Kurz version, with the Czechoslovakian Philharmonic conducted by Jiří Bělohlávek, while Radoslav Kvapil plays the composer"s original score, with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra under František Jílek.