Leon Fleisher in performance with the Syracuse Symphony

Object Details

Exhibition Label: Born San Francisco, California; Leon Fleisher carved out a brilliant concert and recording career before his right hand became disabled in 1965. Thereafter, he concentrated on the left-hand repertory and also established a successful conducting career. He has also excelled as a teacher. Fleisher joined the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory of Music in 1959 and later held the Andrew W. Mellon Chair in piano. In 1985 he became artistic director of the Tanglewood Music Center. In 1995, Fleisher regained the use of his right hand and now plays a limited repertoire of bimanual works and continues to perform works for the left hand. His portraitist, Paul Wyse, is also a classically trained concert pianist. In 2009, Wyse observed Fleisher conducting the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra of New York in rehearsal while sitting amid the orchestra; the resulting sketches formed the basis for this painting.
Provenance: The artist; gift 2011 to NPG

Credit Line: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the artist

2009

Medium: Oil on linen
Dimensions: Stretcher: 53.3 x 121.9 x 2.2cm (21 x 48 x 7/8"); Frame: 53.3 x 121.9 x 1.9cm (21 x 48 x 3/4")

National Portrait Gallery

Topic: Music\Musical instrument\Piano; Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses; Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Beard; Interior\Performing Arts\Concert hall; Human Figures\Musician\Orchestra; Leon Fleisher: Male; Leon Fleisher: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Pianist; Leon Fleisher: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Conductor; Leon Fleisher: Society and Social Change\Physically disabled; Portrait

GUID (Link to Original Record): http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm44332cd4a-58d7-44b3-952d-b048da674c45