Deryk Barker wrote: >When exactly did you hear him in person? If it was late in his career, >then you are probably aware that the precursors of the stroke which was >to disable him were already undermining his technique. are you saying he was beginning to have a series of smaller strokes- heard his debut in NYC in the late 40s and 2 more concerts after - he was a marvelous musician with a beautiful tone, but never was he considered a "virtuoso"- certainly nothing like Horowitz, Wild, Cziffra, Volodos, etc- he was more concerned with musical matters- Solomon was the first pianist I heard in concert - all because of his D major Haydn sonata, his first recording of Beethoven PC #3 Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody, Brahms Handel Variations and numerous smaller works all heard on our local classical music station- AB