Wittgenstein, Paul

(b Vienna, 5 Nov 1887; dManhasset, NY, 3 March 1961). American pianist of Austrian birth. He studied the piano with Malvine Bree and Leschetizky and theory with Joseph Labor. Wounded in World War I, he lost his right arm, but despite this pursued a concert career, devoting himself to playing with the left hand. He acquired an amazing virtuosity which enabled him to overcome difficulties formidable even for a two-handed pianist and had great success throughout Europe, becoming widely known playing pieces that he adapted for one hand. Many composers wrote works for him including Strauss (Parergon zur Symphonia domestica and Panathenaenzug), Ravel (Concerto for the Left Hand), Britten (Diversions), and Prokofiev (Concerto no.4). His North American debut, playing Ravel's Concerto, was in Montreal in 1934; shortly thereafter he performed the same work in Boston and New York, both with the Boston SO. In 1938 Wittgenstein settled in New York, where he taught privately (1938--60), at the Ralph Wolfe Conservatory in New Rochelle (1938--43) and at Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart (1940--45). In 1946 he became an American citizen, and in 1958 he was awarded an honorary DMus by the Philadelphia Musical Academy. He published School for the Left Hand (London, 1957). John Barchilon's historical novel The Crown Prince (1984) is based on Wittgenstein's life.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
T. Harvey: 'Paul Wittgenstein', Gramophone, xxxix (1961--2), 2 only
E.F. Flindell: 'Paul Wittgenstein (1887--1961): Patron and Pianist', MR, xxxii (1971), 107--27
 

RONALD KINLOCH ANDERSON/KATHERINE K. PRESTON