Beginning in 1958 he suffered from a debilitating condition that particularly affected his right hand, eventually forcing him to give up piano playing; in 1965 it was diagnosed as poliomyelitis.
Od 1958. patio je od pogoršanja zdravlja koje je najviše zahvatilo njegovu desnu ruku, zbog čega je morao odustati od sviranja klavira: 1956. mu je dijagnosticiran poliomijelitis.