Piano virtuoso Misha Dichter performs for Philharmonic opener

Virtuoso pianist Misha Dichter is guest soloist of the National Philharmonic for its all-Beethoven opening program. Along with his performance of the “Piano Concerto No. 2,” the evening will consist of the composer’s “Symphony No. 1” and his “Choral Fantasy” featuring the National Philharmonic Chorale and six guest soloists. “Each of the Beethoven concertos is its own wondrous world,” Dichter says. “I’ve played all of them and I think the second is tuneful, optimistic and springlike. It’s as tricky and perhaps the thorniest of any.”

Dichter has long championed the works of Beethoven in concert and recordings and is regarded as a supreme interpreter of his compositions. He is equally admired for his visionary approach to the music of the Russian Romantic and German Classical styles. His discography spans two centuries of works by such significant composers as Brahms, Mozart, Liszt, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky and Gershwin.

In 2005, Dichter and his wife, Cipa, his piano duo partner, released their three-CD album of Mozart’s complete piano works. Music Web International named it the Record of the Year. A highlight of the following season was their performance of the world premiere of the first movement of Shostakovich’s two-piano version of his stirring and somber “Symphony No. 13” (Babi Yar) at New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage.

But by then, Dichter realized his right hand was not functioning the way he liked. The problem was Dupuytren’s contracture of the small finger. Over a period of time, the fibers of the hand begin to contract down. This inherited condition is especially devastating to musicians, artists and anyone whose career depends on unrestricted use of the hands.

“About six years ago, I began to notice a slow, incremental curling up of my finger,” he says. “My father had the same thing in the ’50s and they botched the repair. At first I began wondering how I could rearrange everything for nine fingers. It all came to a head when I was performing Tchaikovsky’s ‘Symphony No. 4’ at Chicago, and realized I couldn’t play it as I would have liked.

“Until then, I’d rationalized like crazy, but that told me I must do something about the problem. The first doctor I contacted said to wait and see what happened, so I dropped him. The next one said he could help me. The first time I called him, it was like a bad movie script. The receptionist answered, put me on hold, and left me listening to Muzak playing Tchaikovsky’s ‘Symphony No. 4.’ A friend said that was a sign.”

Seven weeks after the surgery and undergoing a period of therapy, Dichter was playing normally. Two years later, he is plunging into a busy season of solo and duo appearances with Cipa. He especially looks forward to learning and performing many works that have evaded him during his busy career. One recent addition to his repertoire is Leonard Bernstein’s demanding “Age of Anxiety” which he’ll perform in June with the Seattle Symphony.

“Bernstein and I were neighbors 40 years ago and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t learn it when he was around,” he says.