One Hand

Paul Wittgenstein is one cool dude. I'm going to let you link to his story and the story behind the concerto for the left hand. Joe picked me up from work and told me that he'd heard the concerto on the radio and filled me in a little bit on the story behind the music. I loved the idea that Wittgenstein, while in a prisoner of war camp in Siberia decides that he's going to continue his career as a pianist by simply playing with one hand.

Really.

In a POW camp.

In Siberia, no less.

Recovering from the loss of an arm.

This guy decides, "I'll just play with one hand."

And then does it. You can read the story for yourself and I managed to find a YouTube clip of him playing the concerto that became the most famous.

I love the idea of this guy.

Really.

I do.

I don't write this as 'inspirational porn' ... we all know how demeaning that can be. But I love, sometimes, stumbling across someone from disability history, someone from the disability community, who just did what he did because he wanted to do it. I love the idea that at a time, much different, yet not so different, he'd get up in public, with his sleeve folded up - so out of the closet, and play.

And in doing so he made it about the music.

I want to give this guy an ovation - and you'll finally hear the sound of one hand clapping.