Paul Wittgenstein: de man, zijn linkerhand en zijn muziek

The Wittgenstein Project revolves around two pianists who lost their right arm in the midst of their successful career, and who made the immensely courageous decision to continue their musicianship despite their major loss. Viennese pianist Paul Wittgenstein lost his right arm on the battle field in 1914, and Dutch pianist Folke Nauta recently lost the use of his right hand due to a neurological malfunction. In The Wittgenstein Project concert series, Folke dives into the works that were written especially for Paul Wittgenstein after he could only play the piano with one arm.

It is 1914; pianist Paul Wittgenstein has just made his debut in the Golden Hall of the Wiener Musikverein when the war breaks out. Without thinking twice, he plunges into battle on the Eastern Front and already loses his right arm in the first days of the war. Wittgenstein continues his career as a concert pianist by sheer willpower. He uses his inexhaustible family fortune to commission works for piano left hand from the best composers of his time . Most notable example: the Concerto pour la main gauche by Maurice Ravel.

The Wittgenstein Project presents the musical legacy that emerged from this tragic and courageous story. Chamber music from Wittgenstein's library is played, and the mythical story of his misfortune, struggle and creative triumph are told. In this edition we will hear three works that have not been heard since the premiere by Wittgenstein himself. They only recently resurfaced from his library, which was closed until 2001. It is about time to give this European heritage the revenge it deserves!

The blind Austrian organist and composer Josef Labor was a personal friend of the family. Ludwig Wittgenstein, philosopher and younger brother of Paul, called him "The True Successor" of Johannes Brahms. In the musical turmoil of the 20th century he has fallen into oblivion. He had already finished his sonata for violin and piano left hand when Wittgenstein returned from the war.

Like Wittgenstein, Hans Gál was born in Vienna, went to war in WWI and fled Austria after the Anschluss. Gál continued his work in England and was a founding member of the Edinburgh International Festival. Wittgenstein appreciated his romantic character, his Schubertian melody and his clear style and commissioned this playful quartet for string trio and piano left hand.

Ernest Walker, an English composer of Indian descent, wrote three works for Wittgenstein, including the charming Variations.

The Wittgenstein Project:
Folke Nauta - piano left hand
Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer - clarinet
Prisma String Trio:
Janneke van Prooijen - violin
Elisabeth Smalt - viola
Michiel Weidner - cello

Member concert
Splendor can only be the independent and free hub that it is, thanks to the members who support us. We pay them back with our specialty: music. Every year, all Splendor musicians play one concert that's free for this crucial group to whom Splendor owes its everyday existence. Combined with many other events, this means that our members have free entrance to about 80 concerts a year for €9,99 p/m (and €4,99 p/m for minima and students!) – and receive a discount for all other concerts. Pretty good deal, right?

The members enable Splendor to remain independent from government subsidies, which is the only way to secure real freedom in programming, experimentation, risk-taking and the promotion of young, upcoming artists. If you can think of another place without a central programming, where last-minute concerts can be planned any moment, where there is no backstage and artists and audience are constantly mingling and hanging out at the bar, where mysterious creative outbursts can be presented that are often labeled 'too risky' elsewhere, and that still guarantees high quality by unleashing the best of The Netherlands' music scene in this creative playground – you get a free membership!

Would you rather just visit this concert without becoming a member? Feel free to buy a ticket below, and you're still more than welcome in the club house!