Left turns: How a terrible war injury led to the birth of one-handed piano music

After losing his arm in the first world war, pianist Paul Wittgenstein commissioned extraordinary new works that he could perform with just his left hand. I’m aiming to keep his incredible legacy alive at this year’s PromsI love talking to people about piano music written for the left hand. It’s a corner of the repertoire that’s often seen as a mysterious niche – yet it comprises a handful of hidden gems for solo piano and a few celebrated concertos too.With most people, the conversation quickly turns to Ravel’s legendary Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (1929-30). This masterwork, a favourite among pianists, has been performed by some of the world’s greatest keyboard titans and – as a pianist born without my right hand – holds a special place in my own output. But there are a great deal more pieces for the left hand out there. Continue reading...

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