Paul Wittgenstein (May 11, 1887 – March 3, 1961) was an Austrian-born pianist. He became an American citizen in 1946. He lost his right arm in World War I, but continued to give concerts playing with only his left arm, and commissioned several works from prominent composers. May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... Pianist Glenn Gould, Toronto, 1974 A pianist is a person who plays the piano. ... Combatants Allied Powers: British Empire France Italy Russia United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Germany Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First World War, also known as... A composer is a person who writes music. ...

Biography

Wittgenstein was born in Vienna to the industrialist Karl Wittgenstein. Two years later, his brother, the future philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein was born. The household was frequently visited by prominent cultural figures, amongst them the composers Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss, with whom the young Paul played duets. Vienna (German: Wien ; Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian: Beč, Czech: Vídeň, Hungarian: Bécs, Greek: Βιέννη, Romanian: Viena, Romani: Bech or Vidnya, Russian: Вена, Slovak: Viedeň, Slovenian: Dunaj) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A philosopher is a person who thinks deeply regarding people, society, the world, and/or the universe. ... Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein (IPA: ) (April 26, 1889 – April 29, 1951) was an Austrian philosopher who contributed several ground-breaking works to contemporary philosophy, primarily on the foundations of logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of language, and the philosophy of mind. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... Johannes Brahms. ... Gustav Mahler in 1909 Gustav Mahler (July 7, 1860–May 18, 1911) was a Bohemian-Austrian composer and conductor. ... Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864 – September 8, 1949) was a German composer of the late Romantic era, particularly noted for his tone poems and operas. ...

Paul Wittgenstein studied with Malvine Bree and later with a much better known figure, the Polish virtuoso Theodor Leschetizky. He made his public debut in 1913 and some favourable reviews were written about him. The following year, however, World War I broke out, and he was called up for military service. He was wounded and captured by Russia during an assault on Poland, and his right arm had to be amputated. During his recovery, he resolved to continue his piano playing career using only his left hand. Theodor Leschetizky Teodor Leszetycki (sometimes also referred to by a germanised name Theodor Leschetizky, June 22, 1830 - November 14, 1915) was a Polish pianist, teacher and composer. ...

Following the end of the war, Wittgenstein put this plan into action, studying intensely, arranging pieces for the left hand alone and learning new pieces composed for him by his old teacher Josef Labor (who was himself blind). Once again he began to give concerts, and became well known and loved. He then approached more famous composers, asking them to write works for him to perform. Benjamin Britten, Paul Hindemith, Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Richard Strauss all produced pieces for him. Maurice Ravel wrote his Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, which became more famous than any of the other compositions that Wittgenstein inspired. Sergei Prokofiev also wrote a concerto for him, his fourth; but Wittgenstein did not like the piece, and never played it publicly. Josef Labor (1842 - 1924) was an organ player and composer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Edward Benjamin Britten, (Baron Britten of Aldeburgh), OM (November 22, 1913 – December 4, 1976) was a British composer, conductor and pianist. ... Paul Hindemith (November 16, 1895 – December 28, 1963) was a German composer, violist, teacher, theorist and conductor. ... Erich Wolfgang Korngold (May 29, 1897 – November 29, 1957) was a composer. ... Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864 – September 8, 1949) was a German composer of the late Romantic era, particularly noted for his tone poems and operas. ... Joseph-Maurice Ravel (March 7, 1875 – December 28, 1937) was a French composer and pianist, known especially for the subtlety, richness, and poignancy of his music and generally considered to be one of the major composers of the 20th century. ... Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D major (Concerto pour la main gauche en ré majeur) was composed by Maurice Ravel between 1929 and 1930. ... Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Russian: , Sergej Sergejevič Prokofev, 15/April 271, 1891–March 5, 1953) was a Ukrainian-born Russian composer who mastered numerous musical genres and came to be admired as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. ... A piano concerto is a concerto for solo piano and orchestra. ... // Overview Sergey Prokofievs fourth piano concerto was commissioned by the one-armed pianist Paul Wittgenstein and completed in 1931. ...

Many of the pieces which Wittgenstein commissioned are still frequently performed today by two-armed pianists. They have also been played by other pianists who for one reason or another have lost the use of their right hand, such as Leon Fleisher and João Carlos Martins. Leon Fleisher Leon Fleisher (born July 23, 1928) is an American pianist and conductor. ... João Carlos Martins (born 1940) is a Brazilian classical pianist. ...

The Wittgenstein family had converted to Christianity three generations beforehand on the paternal side and two generations beforehand on the maternal side; nonetheless they were of mainly Jewish descent, and under the Nuremberg laws they were classed as Jews. Following the rise of the Nazi Party and the annexation of Austria, Paul tried to persuade his sisters Helene and Hermine to leave Vienna, but they demurred: they were attached to their homes there, and could not believe such a distinguished family as theirs was in real danger. Ludwig had already been living in England for some years, and Margarete (Gretl) was married to an American. Paul himself, who was no longer permitted to perform in public concerts under the Nazis, departed for the United States in 1938. From there he and Gretl, with some assistance from Ludwig (who acquired British nationality in 1939), managed to use family finances (mostly held abroad) and legal connections to attain non-Jewish status for their sisters. The Nazi swastika symbol The National Socialist German Workers Party ( German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), better known as the NSDAP or the Nazi Party was a political party that was led to power in Germany by Adolf Hitler in 1933. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Paul became an American citizen in 1946, and spent the rest of his life in the United States, where he did a good deal of teaching as well as playing. He died in New York City in 1961. Flag Seal Nickname: Big Apple Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,214. ...

Other

John Barchilon wrote a novel based on Wittgenstein's life called The Crown Prince. Daniel Defoes Robinson Crusoe; title page of 1719 newspaper edition A novel (from French nouvelle Italian novella, new) is an extended fictional narrative in prose. ...

An episode of the longrunning seriocomic series M*A*S*H, "Morale Victory", featured James Stephens as a drafted concert pianist who loses the use of his right hand in combat. Charles Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) provides him with the sheet music for Ravel's Concerto for the Left Hand, tells him Wittgenstein's story, and encourages him not to abandon his musical gift. M*A*S*H was an American medical drama/black comedy produced by 20th Century Fox for CBS. M*A*S*H was created by Larry Gelbart, inspired by the 1961 novel Catch 22, the 1970 film MASH, and the 1968 Richard Hooker novel of the same name. ... David Ogden Stiers in his most famous role, as Charles Emerson Winchester III David Ogden Stiers (b. ...