Looks overcrowded and underwatered. Clear away the stuff around it. Mulch it. Water it. Don't remove the dying leaves. The plant will jettison them when it's ready.

Planted .......early this spring.

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looks like very minor damage.. related to the transplant .. especially if it was leafed out at planting ... i really dont see anything worth reacting to ... [also.. if leafed out.. there may have been a hardening off to sun issue... but again.. it was minor.. imo ...]

where are you .. can you rule out any cold event since planting ..

it will APPEAR more red.. if and when it fills out a LOT ... part of the color issue.. is the sun shining right thru the whole plant.. once it grows to some size ... you will probably be surprised how different the color.. APPEARS ... in other words.. the problem might be a camera.. or eyeball trick .. more than a plant issue .... at this size ...

its stressed.. fert is not a response ... focus on newest growth ... for an indication of its current status.. rather than worrying about stress from planting.. back in time ...

ken

I shall take the advice of both of you, thanks. NOTE- It was shipped from the state of Georgia to Pittsburgh zone 6- my mistake NOT spring but January. I found notes in my garden diary- https://www.pinterest.com/pin/229965124710391120/

It seems to be having to battle it out with the bamboo which has crept out of its enclosure.

Yes there are Sasa Palmata roots trying to spread. But before the mulch came there was just grass there, so bamboo did not dominate that area when I planted it. But yeah, it might be now.

But I'm really starting to wonder if I was sent a Red Majestic instead of a Red Dragon and the problem with the brown dying leaves actually is Eastern Filbert Blight.

I read here https://www.torontogardens.com/2011/03/warning-eastern-filbert-blig.html/ "There is a EFB-resistant contorted hazelnut with purple leaves now available. It is called ‘Red Dragon’. It is a great plant. ‘Red Majestic’ is another purple contorted variety available, although it is highly susceptible to EFB like the original contorta."