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Leon Fleisher's passion for piano not diminished by neurological condition

Leon Fleisher's passion for piano not diminished by neurological condition
By John von Rhein
Chicago Tribune
April 2, 2009

Since regaining the use of his right hand after a neurological condition truncated his brilliant career for 30 years, pianist Leon Fleisher has been living one of the great comebacks in classical music.

With a busy performing and teaching schedule that belies his 80 years, he plays a select number of concerts, picking and choosing the repertory that feels comfortable at this stage of his life.

"Sometimes I can't tell whether it's because of the [focal] dystonia or the normal aging process that I can't play the Rachmaninov Third or Tchaikovsky concertos," he recently said. "Actually I'm quite grateful I can no longer play them!"

One composer whose music continues to flow gracefully from his 10 fully functioning fingers is Mozart. Sony has just released a Fleisher album containing three Mozart concertos, including No. 12 in A Major (K.414) that marked his return to two-handed piano playing in 1995; the musicmaking is a marvel.

Fortunately Fleisher still can play J.S. Bach beautifully, too, as an all-Bach recital he gave Tuesday at the University of Chicago proved. His technique may be less reliable than before, but there were enough flashes of the old Fleisher to suggest his magisterial musical vision remains unimpaired.

The Botox injections he takes every four months alleviate some of the symptoms of his dystonia but have not eliminated the condition, Fleisher says.

So one of the great American pianists soldiers on, taking special pleasure in passing along his musical wisdom to students at Baltimore's Peabody Conservatory, where he has taught since 1959.

A Ravinia mainstay, Fleisher will return to the festival to lead a master class on June 30 and perform chamber music with violinist Miriam Fried and cellist Frans Helmerson July 2.

"Surprisingly enough, despite all the sadness and depression that came with my dystonia," Fleisher reflects, "I'm not sure that if I had the chance again that I would change a thing."