Piano Concerto in D, for the Left Hand, by Maurice
Ravel. Also Piano Concerto No 4 (For the Left Hand), Op 53, by
Sergei Prokofiev.
Both were written for Paul Wittgenstein, a pianist who lost an arm
(guess which one) at World War I. Wittgenstein rejected Prokofiev's
concerto as too difficult. He first played Ravel's concerto at Vienna on
November 27, 1931, but they disagreed on the interpretation until they
settled their differences a few months later. Ravel's concerto is now
considered as a masterpiece.
Paul Wittgenstein (1887-1961) was the brother of Ludwig, the philosopher. In spite of his handicap, he pursued
a successful musical career in Europe and America. Several of
the best composers of his time wrote for him, including:
- Maurice Ravel: Piano Concerto in D, for the Left Hand (Concerto pour la main gauche, 1931).
- Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No 4 (For the Left Hand), Op
53.
- Benjamin Britten: Diversions for Piano left hand and Orchestra,
Op. 21
- Richard Strauss: Parergon for Piano left hand and Orchestra, Op. 73 -
Panathenäenzug Symphonic study for Piano left hand and Orchestra, Op. 74
- Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Suite for Two Violins, Cello, and Piano Left
Hand (1930)
- Franz Schmidt: Quintet for Two Violins, Viola, Cello, and Piano Left
Hand (1926) - Concertante Variations on a Theme of Beethoven, or
Concerto n.1 (1934) - Toccata
- Reger: Four studies for the left hand