Pianist Leon Fleisher Death | Passed Away | Obituary
Leon Fleisher Death – Dead: A great loss was made known to InsideEko. Leon Fleisher was an American Great pianist, professor, and conductor. He was one of the most iconic piano figures of the 50 s and 60 s until in 1964 a focal dystonia paralyzed his right hand. Still, he continued as a specialized left-hand interpreter. He passed away on August 2nd at the age of 92.
Friends and families of the deceased are mourning the passing of their loved and cherished Leon Fleisher.
I unfortunately never met the great Leon Fleisher, who has died age 92. But his LPs of the Brahms Concertos were among the most precious in my record collection when I was a teenager. He was also on the jury of the Toronto Bach Competition in 1985 (along with Messiaen and Loriod) when I won the prize that launched my career–so I was always extremely grateful to him for presumably voting for me. A word of warning to all pianists: never practise to the point of ruining your arms or hands. Practise intelligently. You don’t need to play full out the whole time. You can do a lot in your head, or just playing lightly, especially if you’re memorising something. If you have a piano that is particularly exhausting (I am so glad I didn’t practise all my life on American pianos of a certain brand which I am still wary of), you have to be extra careful. And stretch your arms and hands often! Especially as you get older. Look after the body and it will allow you to play for many many years. There’s a very fine masterclass on Beethoven Op. 109 with Fleisher on youtube…at least there used to be. Maybe it’s still there. You can look it up.
You never know the impact you might have on somebody. As a young student at Peabody Conservatory I used to play in the Annapolis Sym. Leon Fleisher, the world-renowned pianist, was the conductor. You may know of his health issues that only allowed him to play with one hand at that time, thus his detour (and my good fortune, into conducting). Anyway, he would speak to the string players about how to interpret a line, phrase, how it related to the meaning of the piece and to life in general. This young percussionist was mesmerized by his wisdom about music and the world. Rest well Maestro!!
Deeply saddened to hear about the passing away of Leon Fleisher. I had the great privilege and fortune of working with him three times before I came to London. His insight, axiomatic wisdom, generosity, and sense of humor guide me to this day in whatever repertoire I happen to be working on. The one time I heard him in concert playing Brahms’s F minor quintet, and all the times I heard him give examples on the piano during lessons, either with one hand or with two, are some of my most cherished musical memories.
In the photo below he was talking about one of his very favorite subjects, music in space. In this case, it was in the context of the Arietta from Beethoven’s Op. 111 sonata.
I am so sad to share this news. I worked with Leon on his memoir, “My Nine Lives,” and it was a privilege to get to spend so much time with one of the titans of 20th-century music & be able to ask him anything I wanted. Condolences to the Fleisher family.
I am so sad to share this news. I worked with Leon on his memoir, “My Nine Lives,” and it was a privilege to get to spend so much time with one of the titans of 20th-century music & be able to ask him anything I wanted. Condolences to the Fleisher family. https://t.co/fJJSZwL7cQ
— Anne Midgette (@classicalbeat) August 3, 2020
RIP one of our greatest pianists. His 1992 Schubert album was one of my introductions to classical piano; his 2014 “All the Things You Are” remains a go-to for uplift and consolation; and I got to see him play here in his town, Baltimore, just last year.
RIP one of our greatest pianists. His 1992 Schubert album was one of my introductions to classical piano; his 2014 “All the Things You Are” remains a go-to for uplift and consolation; and I got to see him play here in his town, Baltimore, just last year. https://t.co/gkFC8e2rtw
— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) August 3, 2020
Leon Fleiser, the ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ of the piano who played with one hand diesThe American pianist of Jewish origin Leon Fleisher, who for decades played only with his left hand because of a serious injury, has died in a Baltimore hospital at age 92.
Leon Fleiser, the ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ of the piano who played with one hand dies
The American pianist of Jewish origin Leon Fleisher, who for decades played only with his left hand because of a serious injury, has died in a Baltimore hospital at age 92. pic.twitter.com/LmRfuMnTet
— Moises Lopez (@chapoisat) August 3, 2020
Sad to hear about the death of the remarkable pianist, conductor and educator #LeonFleisher age 92. I sat in on his master classes + met him 5 years ago. Generous, courageous. For our convo: Wachtel On The Arts – Leon Fleisher
Sad to hear about the death of the remarkable pianist, conductor and educator #LeonFleisher age 92. I sat in on his master classes + met him 5 years ago. Generous, courageous. For our convo: Wachtel On The Arts – Leon Fleisher https://t.co/PQ2Dr4FtOh
— Eleanor Wachtel (@EleanorWachtel) August 3, 2020
Having heard about this great loss, the family of this individual is passing through pains, mourning the unexpected passing of their beloved.
This departure was confirmed through social media posts made by Twitter users who pour out tributes, and condolences to the family of the deceased.
We are still working on getting more details about the death, as family statement on the death is yet to be released.