A few measures of haunting staccato followed by a gliding, melding, rhythmic pulse was one of the moments of magnanimity shared by listeners this weekend. Memorable performances occur on campus frequently, but few performers come with such a repertoire as Leon Fleisher, acclaimed classical pianist, who performed for a mature audience at the Memorial Union Theater Saturday.
Fleisher’s opening solo performances displayed the skillful mastery he has over his instrument, organizing the pieces in neat, chronological order and entrancing the audience packed into the theater. Starting with Franz Schubert, the legendary pianist elicited a tour of human emotion ranging from exuberance to foreboding with Schubert’s “Laendler.”
The master’s hands flowed over the keys, guiding his melodies through the piano with both precision and grace. Fleisher is best-known for his performances of Beethoven and Brahms, and the classical standards were played in an opulent tapestry of melodic elegance and rhythmic dynamism that captivated the audience.
As Fleisher’s wife, Katherine Jacobson Fleisher, turned the pages, Maurice Ravel’s “Valses Nobles et Sentimentales” followed and received thunderous applause long after the performer had walked offstage, imploring him to return once more for a gracious bow to the receptive audience of handsomely dressed Madison well-to-do’s.
Fleisher’s skillful performance displayed a systematic and methodical approach to the keys coupled with a lightness that shined like the sunlight of this very weekend in the gentler, lullaby-like movements. The intense, powerful gestures used in “La Valses” fully developed into transmissions of beauteous glee, reverberating through the theater and echoing in the audience’s ears long after the final key was struck.
After a brief intermission, Jacobson Fleisher took her husband’s side for “Slavonic Dances,” and “La Valse,” another composition by Ravel. Jacobson Fleisher’s accompaniment complemented the performance well, especially in the last piece, another Ravel composition that developed into a fuller, robust sound relative to the pre-intermission performance.
Fleisher and his wife form a team in tune with each other’s needs, supplementing each other while giving strength and solidarity in powerful movements and still managing to caress the melodies without sacrificing precision over the softer movements.
Fleisher’s story is a testament not only to the power of determination and perseverance, but also to the indelibility of music and its influence. Excelling in performance from an early age, Fleisher studied under Artur Schnabel and Pierre Monteux while playing with the New York Philharmonic before turning 17. Fleisher continued performing and recording significant works before being diagnosed with focal dystonia, a neurological disorder that left him without the use of his right hand.
Adapting to his limitations, Fleisher focused on developing skill with his left hand, teaching and conducting until recent procedures enabled him to regain full dexterity. He released his first recording using both hands in 2004, titled “Two Hands,” which received unsurprising critical acclaim.
Fleisher’s story continues to amaze everyone he encounters, especially those who are lucky enough to witness a performance like Saturday’s.
