# Leon Fleisher RIP



## DavidA

The universally admired, effortlessly influential pianist Leon Fleisher has died at the age of 92.


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## Rogerx

Roll of Honour


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## Triplets

I heard a long radio interview with him several months ago. Fascinating stories about the famous recordings with Szell. R.I.P.


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## JAS

I just heard this on the radio today. Very sad, although there is no shame in reaching the age of 92, and with his accomplishments. I addition to his remarkable career, his long struggles with the problems with his right hand were admirable.

Edit: My mother reminds me that we attended the opening concert for the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where Fleisher played the Franck Variations, newly using both hands. (By the time I had originally become interested in classical music, he had already suffered the loss of control over his left hand. I knew of him from his older recordings, and often as a conductor.)


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## Guest

I'm very sorry to learn about this wonderful musician dying. I've long been an admirer of his. This always moved me in particular:






Farewell Maestro, and thank you for the music.


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## Strange Magic

His recordings of the two Brahms concertos were a pride of my LP collection. A wonderful pianist.


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## Itullian

Thank you for the music sir.
R I P


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## JAS

Strange Magic said:


> His recordings of the two Brahms concertos were a pride of my LP collection. A wonderful pianist.


I have that on CD, which I think I will put on this afternoon.

They played a recorded interview with him, from a year or so ago I think, and he said that the only two that he thought he got right were the Mozart K. 503 and the Rachmaninov Variations on a Theme by Paganini.


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## vincula

I'm playing this right now. He's in good company here. A great album.

R I P









Regards,

Vincula


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## millionrainbows

Farewell to a master pianist who "overcame."


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## DaveM

The issues with the right hands of pianists Gary Graffman and Leon Fleisher directed attention to bad playing habits of developing players that might lead to the various repetitive motion disorders that affect the right hand that in piano works is often far more active than the left. 

Generally, young pianists should be learning to play without curled fingers (flatter is better ala Horowitz), without dropping the wrist and without twisting the wrist (aka ulnar-radial deviation). Fleisher showed great courage in battling depression and overcoming some of the limitations of the disorder that mainly affected his right 4th and 5th fingers. In the 90s, he did return to playing two-handed works, but on a limited, infrequent basis.


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## Guest

DaveM said:


> The issues with the right hands of pianists Gary Graffman and Leon Fleisher directed attention to bad playing habits of developing players that might lead to the various repetitive motion disorders that affect the right hand that in piano works is often far more active than the left.
> 
> Generally, young pianists should be learning to play without curled fingers (flatter is better ala Horowitz), without dropping the wrist and without twisting the wrist (aka ulnar-radial deviation). Fleisher showed great courage in battling depression and overcoming some of the limitations of the disorder that mainly affected his right 4th and 5th fingers. In the 90s, he did return to playing two-handed works, but on a limited, infrequent basis.


Thank you for that insight as it makes a lot of sense. I can relate to tension in the arms and hands from poor piano technique which became limiting and I put this down to bad teaching. Naturally, not at the level of the musicians you've mentioned - by a long measure!!


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## JAS

Fleisher has also said that he drove himself too hard, playing demanding works far with far too great a frequency. (The temptation to accept every offer to play is a great one, but one with a hidden downside.) He also noted that Horowitz had his piano specially adjusted. Too many piano students tried to play like Horowitz on inferior pianos, and that was a serous strain.


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## Guest

JAS said:


> Fleisher has also said that he drove himself too hard, playing demanding works far with far too great a frequency. (The temptation to accept every offer to play is a great one, but one with a hidden downside.) He also noted that Horowitz had his piano specially adjusted. Too many piano students tried to play like Horowitz on inferior pianos, and that was a serous strain.


It's a gruelling profession, though, don't you think?


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## Allegro Con Brio

DaveM said:


> The issues with the right hands of pianists Gary Graffman and Leon Fleisher directed attention to bad playing habits of developing players that might lead to the various repetitive motion disorders that affect the right hand that in piano works is often far more active than the left.
> 
> Generally, young pianists should be learning to play without curled fingers (flatter is better ala Horowitz), without dropping the wrist and without twisting the wrist (aka ulnar-radial deviation). Fleisher showed great courage in battling depression and overcoming some of the limitations of the disorder that mainly affected his right 4th and 5th fingers. In the 90s, he did return to playing two-handed works, but on a limited, infrequent basis.


I do agree with that assessment of piano technique even though it is quite contrary to what most piano method books teach nowadays. All students have heard it at some point - "act like you're holding an apple in your hand." I personally think a more "fingers first" than "wrist first" approach works better at least for me, with less stiffness after I play, and now that I'm free from the bondage of teachers I can do it however I want


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