Paul Wittgenstein, the older brother of Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, was an accomplished pianist before WWI interrupted his concert career. During the war, Wittgenstein was shot in the elbow and his arm had to be amputated. Despite this significant injury, and against all the nay-sayers, he determined to continue to perform as a pianist. He worked extensively to strengthen his left hand and develop techniques that would allow him to play more complex music. Following the war, he began approaching composers to write works for only the left hand; and many significant European composers did! Korngold, Hindemith, Stravinsky, and Richard Strauss all wrote pieces that Wittgenstein commissioned. read more…

July 11, 2015

A few weeks ago we talked about the start of this year’s Tchaikovsky Competition taking place in Moscow and St Petersburg. The competition has now concluded, the winners and audience favourites have been announced, the final performances have been enjoyed, and the flowers have been presented. Life has, on the surface, returned to normal.

But what happens to the competitors, those who invested innumerable hours and energy into these few days of performances? How do they begin to process the experiences – the joys and disappointments – of the past few weeks? For the winners, the intensity of the schedule and the pressure of performance will intensify as they sign recording and concert contracts. For the others, it’s a return to the routines of life. read more…