Piano for left hand

Press, 2 June 1981, Page 19

Piano for left hand

A surprising amount of piano music has been written by composers for the left hand, though no-one has ever solved the problem of a lefthanded violinist in the midst of the front row of a symphony orchestra! The Concert Programme (tonight at 8.00) begins this week a series of nine programmes featuring piano music written or arranged for left hand only. In the first programme Rudolf Serkin is soloist in the Prokofiev Concerto No. 4 for piano (left hand) and orchestra. Eugene Ormandy conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra. Strangers

Norman Davis, professor of English at Merton and secret agent, is the eminent New Zealander living in London who talks to James McNeish tips week in the

Concert Programme series. “Intimate Strangers.” Norman Davis says in the interview; “I was sentenced to death for my part in the Dimitrov affair ... The worst bit was at the frontier. I have never been so anxious in all my life.” Life after life This is an enquiry into reincarnation and includes a report on a man who claims to have experienced it. Edward Ryall is the son of a labourer and grew up in the east of England. With no education to speak of, and never having visited the west of the country, he has puzzled experts with his claim to be the reincarnation of John Fletcher, a Somerset yeoman who lived and died in the 17th Century. The historical accuracy of the details of his story amazes

critics. In this programme on National at 7.30 p.m. Leslie Smith takes Edward to Somerset — and leaves listeners to judge between true or false.

Listening