Home
Business
Metro
Nation
World
Sports
Feature
Opinion
View more »Opinion Columns
Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
Time to make dog-raising regulations bite
Community canteens fill an important gap in lives of the elderly
Sunday
- Subscribe
Related News
Pianist who lost use of hand releases recording
Source: Agencies |
March 27, 2009, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AMERICAN pianist Leon Fleisher's right hand is one of the most famous in music.
In the mid-1960s the superstar of the classical music world lost the ability to play with the hand when two fingers became immobile due to a condition called focal dystonia.
After 30 years of teaching, conducting and playing music composed for the left hand, Fleisher regained the use of his right hand after treatment involving botox injections.
The first recording since his rehabilitation came in 2004, and now the 80-year-old has released a recording of Mozart piano concertos including one where he performs with his wife.
He said the choice of music was partly dictated by physical limitations.
"I am still a dystonic, if you will," Fleisher said in a telephone interview from the United States.
"I have focal dystonia and although I take treatments that help minimize the effects of it, nothing cures it, at least not yet, so I have to pick and choose my repertoire.
"I'm not a spring chicken. I don't know what is the dystonia and what is the toll of years."
Despite the deep depression he suffered when forced to "retire" at 37, Fleisher said the experience had brought rewards.
"There are moments in my life when I think back on this whole soap opera (and) I am not so sure, if I had the chance, that I would change anything," he said. "It forced me to expand my horizons."
In the mid-1960s the superstar of the classical music world lost the ability to play with the hand when two fingers became immobile due to a condition called focal dystonia.
After 30 years of teaching, conducting and playing music composed for the left hand, Fleisher regained the use of his right hand after treatment involving botox injections.
The first recording since his rehabilitation came in 2004, and now the 80-year-old has released a recording of Mozart piano concertos including one where he performs with his wife.
He said the choice of music was partly dictated by physical limitations.
"I am still a dystonic, if you will," Fleisher said in a telephone interview from the United States.
"I have focal dystonia and although I take treatments that help minimize the effects of it, nothing cures it, at least not yet, so I have to pick and choose my repertoire.
"I'm not a spring chicken. I don't know what is the dystonia and what is the toll of years."
Despite the deep depression he suffered when forced to "retire" at 37, Fleisher said the experience had brought rewards.
"There are moments in my life when I think back on this whole soap opera (and) I am not so sure, if I had the chance, that I would change anything," he said. "It forced me to expand my horizons."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
