Fleisher On the Record

border=”0″ /> Stories of musical triumph over adversity don’t come much more dramatic than that of Leon Fleisher’s. A child prodigy, he was performing with the New York Philharmonic by age 16. But after completing a masterful series of recordings with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, Fleisher lost the use of his right hand due to focal dystonia - a neurologic disorder causing muscles to twist and contract. Over the following decades, he sought out treatment while maintaining a busy musical career performing one-handed repertoire and taking up conducting. Recently, through the miracles of modern medicine, Fleisher is back performing two-handed repertoire and arrives in Phoenix this weekend to perform Beethoven’s mighty “Emperor” concerto. Arizona Republic music critic, Richard Nilsen, had a chance to talk with Fleisher about his amazing musical career and story: