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Zichy, Wittgenstein and Me

Pianist Nicholas McCarthy, born without his right hand, explores the treasures of left-hand piano music and their stories.

Presented by Nicholas McCarthy

The pianist Nicholas McCarthy, who was born without his right hand, explores the treasures of the left-hand piano repertoire and tells the intriguing stories behind their composition. Whilst Geza Zichy and Paul Wittgenstein, both concert pianists who lost their right arms, are the key figures in the composition and expansion of left-hand music, there are also stories of Godowsky's pedagogical left-hand transcriptions of the Chopin etudes, intended to strengthen his pupils' 'weaker' left hand technique, and the touching romance behind Brahms's transcription of the Bach Chaconne for Clara Schumann when she injured her right hand in an accident.

Nicholas McCarthy see himself as the next one-handed pianist to follow directly in Zichy and Wittgenstein's footsteps and talks of his hopes for the future expansion of the repertoire. He talks about Stephen Hough's writing for left-hand piano and finds out what it is that makes this repertoire unique, demonstrating specific techniques at the piano.

LISZT / GEZA ZICHY
Liebestraum No.3 in A flat major
Nicholas McCarthy (piano)

FELIX BLUMENFELD
Etude for the Left Hand, Op.36
Simon Barere (piano)

RAVEL
Piano Concerto for the Left Hand – Part 1 (extract)
Paul Wittgenstein (piano)
Concertgebouw Orchestra
Bruno Walter (conductor)

BENJAMIN BRITTEN
Diversions for Piano Left Hand and Orchestra, Op.21 (extracts)
Peter Donohoe (piano)
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Simon Rattle (conductor)

STEPHEN HOUGH
II. Allegretto placido (Im Legendenton), from Sonata for cello and piano left hand 'Les adieux'
Stephen Isserlis (cello)
Stephen Hough (piano)

BACH / BRAHMS
Chaconne in D minor, from Violin Partita No.2, BWV.1004
Igor Levit (piano)

ERIC KORNGOLD
Waltz, from Suite, Op.23 for 2 violins, cello and piano left hand
Leon Fleisher (piano)
Yo-Yo Ma (cello)
Jaime Laredo (violin)
Joseph Silverstein (violin)

CHOPIN / GODOWSKY
Studies on Chopin’s Etudes No.6 in C sharp minor, after the Op.10 No.4
Marc Andre-Hamelin (piano)

59 minutes

Last on

Sun 6 Jun 2021 23:00

Music Played

  • Franz Liszt

    Liebestraum No.3 in A flat major

    Performer: Nicholas McCarthy.
  • Felix Mikhailovich Blumenfeld

    Etude for the Left Hand, Op.36

    Performer: ĐĄĐžĐŒĐŸĐœ БарДр.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Piano Concerto for the Left Hand - Part 1

    Performer: Paul Wittgenstein. Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Bruno Walter.
  • Benjamin Britten

    Diversions for Piano Left Hand and Orchestra, Op.21

    Performer: Peter Donohoe. Performer: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
  • Sir Stephen Hough

    Sonata (Les Adieux) For Cello And Piano, Left Hand

    Performer: Steven Isserlis. Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Chaconne in D Minor from Violin Partita No.2, BWV.1004

    Performer: Igor Levit.
  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold

    Waltz (Suite, Op.23 for 2 violins, cello and Piano left hand)

    Performer: Leon Fleisher. Performer: Yo‐Yo Ma. Performer: Joseph Silverstein. Conductor: Jaime Laredo.
  • Paul Hindemith

    Klaviermusik mit Orchester, O.29

    Performer: Leon Fleisher. Performer: Christoph Eschenbach. Performer: Symphony Orchestra of the Curtis Institute.
  • FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin

    Study In C Sharp Minor Op.10`4 For Piano, Arr. Godowsky

    Performer: Marc-André Hamelin.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 8 Nov 2020 23:00
  • Sun 6 Jun 2021 23:00