Franz Schmidt: Beethoven Variations; Piano Concerto (2010)

After tragically losing his right arm in World War I, pianist Paul Wittgenstein sought out works for the left-hand that would save his career. Thanks to his family's considerable wealth, he was able to commission pieces from the major composers of his day, including Richard Strauss, Maurice Ravel, Sergey Prokofiev, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Paul Hindemith, and Benjamin Britten. Yet of all who wrote concertos and chamber works for him, Wittgenstein preferred Franz Schmidt above all others, and still expressed his admiration ... Read More

After tragically losing his right arm in World War I, pianist Paul Wittgenstein sought out works for the left-hand that would save his career. Thanks to his family's considerable wealth, he was able to commission pieces from the major composers of his day, including Richard Strauss, Maurice Ravel, Sergey Prokofiev, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Paul Hindemith, and Benjamin Britten. Yet of all who wrote concertos and chamber works for him, Wittgenstein preferred Franz Schmidt above all others, and still expressed his admiration for him years later, when the composer was dead and forgotten. The Concertante Variations on a Theme of Beethoven for piano, left-hand, and orchestra is based on a melody taken from the Scherzo of the Violin Sonata No. 5, "Spring." Schmidt deploys every conceivable trick and mood to vary this quirky, syncopated tune, and maintains remarkably clear textures and a light, playful tone throughout. The Concerto in E flat major for piano, left-hand, and orchestra is altogether different in... Read Less