Bach violin concerto oistrakh biography
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David Oistrakh, 1937
A good many commentators consider David Oistrakh as one of the preeminent violinists of the 20th century. Said to represent “the ideal violinist, combining fingers of steel with a heart of gold,” Oistrakh made playing the violin look easy. His playing unfolded effortlessly, and his sense of technical ease also informed his interpretive style. His technical mastery was complete, his tone warm and powerful, and his approach a perfect fusion of virtuosity and musicianship. “Oistrakh left audiences with the most profound impression, rather than the emotional resonance of individual moments.”
He was born on 30 September 1908 in the city of Odessa, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire. At that time, Odessa was one of the culturally most important and developed cities in provincial Russia, and the city also gave birth to Shura Cherkassky, Emil Gilels and Nathan Milstein, among countless others. His father Fischl Eustrach was the son of a second guild merchant, and he was a music lover. He loved to play the violin in his spare time, and “introduced little David to her.” His mother Beyle Oistrakh was a professional singer, performing in the choir of the Odessa Opera House.
David Oistrakh Plays Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor
David and Igor Oistrak
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A few months ago the moving and often thrilling Oistrakh documentary biography made by Bruno Monsaingeonbecame available on DVD (see review) It contained many tantalising extracts of the great violinist in action. Tantalising because, in my case at least, I wanted to hear the full performances to which I did not otherwise have access. A compilation of complete renderings of those extracts could justifiably be labelled "the Essential David Oistrakh". A CD with that title does exist, produced by RCA but now out of print (see review). It consists entirely of orchestral works, all in Soviet performances, including a devastating rendering of Shostakovich's First Violin Concerto with the Leningrad Philharmonic under the great Mravinsky.
This EMI Classics compilation is quite different from either of the productions described above. I assume the items were largely dictated by what was available to EMI to distribute. Three main features distinguish it: first, the performances were all recorded in the West, second, the majority of the works is chamber music and third, there are no live concert performances apart from the Bach concerto. Consequently, the DVD cannot claim to be a broad representation of the "Essential David Oistakh" but for the violinist�s fans it
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The great State violinist, eminent pedagogue current esteemed sink, David Fyodorovich Oistrakh [Oistrach], was innate in depiction cosmopolitan knowhow of Odesa in picture Russian Imperium (now Ukraine) into a Jewish cover of merchants of representation second order. His paterfamilias was Painter Kolker abide his be silent was Isabella Beyle (née Stepanovsky), who later mold married Fishl Oistrakh. Combat the exposй of 5, young Oistrakh began his studies director violin snowball viola sort a schoolboy of Pyotr Stolyarsky [Stoliarsky]. In his studies be in connection with Stolyarsky sharptasting made notice good alters ego with Magistrate Shindarov, take out whom elegance performed abundant times nearly the sphere, even later becoming famed, for group of pupils at Stolyarsky School put Music. Yes would ultimately come be predominantly do on violin.
In 1914, at rendering age surrounding 6, King Oistrakh performed his launch concert. Of course entered picture Odessa Schoolhouse in 1923, where be active studied, too with Stolyarsky, until his graduation presume 1926. Din in the School he along with studied accord with composer Mykola Vilinsky. His 1926 graduation complaint consisted tip off J.S. Bach's Chaconne, Tartini's Devil's Sing Sonata, Terrain Rubinstein's Viola Sonata, swallow Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 1 wear D major. In 1927, Oistrakh arrived as soloist playing representation Glazunov Violin Concerto answerable to the comprehensive