Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich was a Russian cellist and conductor, bor… Read Full Bio ↴Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich was a Russian cellist and conductor, born March 27, 1927, in Baku USSR. He is considered one of the greatest cellists ever.
First concerts
Rostropovich gave his first cello concert in 1942. From 1943 to 1948, he studied at the Moscow Conservatory, where he became professor of cello in 1956. He won first prize at the international Music Awards of Prague and Budapest in 1947, 1949 and 1950. In 1950, at the age of 23 he was awarded the Stalin Prize, then considered the highest distinction in the Soviet Union. At that time, Rostropovich was already well known in his country and while actively pursuing his solo career, he taught at the Leningrad Conservatory (now Saint-Petersburg) and the Moscow Conservatory. In 1955, he married Galina Vishnevskaya, soprano at the Bolshoi Theatre.
His international career started in 1964 in the then West Germany. As of this date, he went on several tours in the western Europe and met several composers, including Benjamin Britten. In 1967, he conducted Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin at the Bolshoi, thus letting forth his passion for both the role of conductor and the opera.
Exile
Rostropovich fought for art without borders, freedom of speech and democratic values, resulting in a reprimand from the Soviet regime. His friendship with Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and his support for dissidents led to official disgrace in the early 1970s. He was banned from several musical ensembles and his Soviet citizenship was revoked in 1978 because of his public opposition to the USSR's restriction of cultural freedom. Rostropovich left the USSR in 1974 with his wife and children and settled in the United States.
Further career
His talent inspired compositions from numerous composers such as Shostakovich, Khachaturian, Prokofiev, Britten, Dutilleux, Bernstein and Penderecki. He and fellow Soviet composer Dmitri Kabalevsky completed Prokofiev's Cello Concertino after the composer's death. Rostropovich gave the first performances of both Shostakovich's cello concertos. Rostropovich introduced Shostakovich's First Concerto to London and began an association with Benjamin Britten. Britten wrote the Cello Sonata, 3 Solo Suites and the Cello Symphony with Rostropovich in mind.
From 1977 until 1994, he was musical director and conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington, DC. He is also the director and founder of many music festivals (Aldeburgh, Rostropovitch Festival), while still performing with some of the most famous musicians such as Sviatoslav Richter and Vladimir Horowitz.
His impromptu performance during the Fall of the Berlin Wall as events unfolded earned him international fame and was shown on television throughout the world.
His Russian citizenship was restored in 1990, although he and his family had already become American citizens.
Rostropovich received many international awards, including the French Legion of Honor, and honorary doctorates from the most prestigious international universities. He was an activist, fighting for freedom of expression in art and politics. An ambassador for the UNESCO, he supported many educational and cultural projects. Rostropovich and his wife, Galina Vishnevskaya, started a foundation to stimulate social projects and activities. Rostropovich Home Museum opened on March 4, 2002, in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Rostropovich died in Moscow on April 27th, 2007.
Rostropovich's instrument was the 1711 Duport Stradivarius, considered to be one of the greatest instruments ever made.
First concerts
Rostropovich gave his first cello concert in 1942. From 1943 to 1948, he studied at the Moscow Conservatory, where he became professor of cello in 1956. He won first prize at the international Music Awards of Prague and Budapest in 1947, 1949 and 1950. In 1950, at the age of 23 he was awarded the Stalin Prize, then considered the highest distinction in the Soviet Union. At that time, Rostropovich was already well known in his country and while actively pursuing his solo career, he taught at the Leningrad Conservatory (now Saint-Petersburg) and the Moscow Conservatory. In 1955, he married Galina Vishnevskaya, soprano at the Bolshoi Theatre.
His international career started in 1964 in the then West Germany. As of this date, he went on several tours in the western Europe and met several composers, including Benjamin Britten. In 1967, he conducted Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin at the Bolshoi, thus letting forth his passion for both the role of conductor and the opera.
Exile
Rostropovich fought for art without borders, freedom of speech and democratic values, resulting in a reprimand from the Soviet regime. His friendship with Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and his support for dissidents led to official disgrace in the early 1970s. He was banned from several musical ensembles and his Soviet citizenship was revoked in 1978 because of his public opposition to the USSR's restriction of cultural freedom. Rostropovich left the USSR in 1974 with his wife and children and settled in the United States.
Further career
His talent inspired compositions from numerous composers such as Shostakovich, Khachaturian, Prokofiev, Britten, Dutilleux, Bernstein and Penderecki. He and fellow Soviet composer Dmitri Kabalevsky completed Prokofiev's Cello Concertino after the composer's death. Rostropovich gave the first performances of both Shostakovich's cello concertos. Rostropovich introduced Shostakovich's First Concerto to London and began an association with Benjamin Britten. Britten wrote the Cello Sonata, 3 Solo Suites and the Cello Symphony with Rostropovich in mind.
From 1977 until 1994, he was musical director and conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington, DC. He is also the director and founder of many music festivals (Aldeburgh, Rostropovitch Festival), while still performing with some of the most famous musicians such as Sviatoslav Richter and Vladimir Horowitz.
His impromptu performance during the Fall of the Berlin Wall as events unfolded earned him international fame and was shown on television throughout the world.
His Russian citizenship was restored in 1990, although he and his family had already become American citizens.
Rostropovich received many international awards, including the French Legion of Honor, and honorary doctorates from the most prestigious international universities. He was an activist, fighting for freedom of expression in art and politics. An ambassador for the UNESCO, he supported many educational and cultural projects. Rostropovich and his wife, Galina Vishnevskaya, started a foundation to stimulate social projects and activities. Rostropovich Home Museum opened on March 4, 2002, in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Rostropovich died in Moscow on April 27th, 2007.
Rostropovich's instrument was the 1711 Duport Stradivarius, considered to be one of the greatest instruments ever made.
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01Dvorák: Cello Concerto In B Minor, Op.104, B. 191 - 1. AllegroBerliner Philharmoniker & Mstislav Rostropovich & Herbert von Karajan
02Dvorák: Cello Concerto In B Minor, Op.104, B. 191 - 2. Adagio ma non troppoHerbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker & Mstislav Rostropovich
03Dvorák: Cello Concerto In B Minor, Op.104, B. 191 - 3. Finale (Allegro moderato)Mstislav Rostropovich & Berliner Philharmoniker & Herbert von Karajan
04Tchaikovsky: Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Moderato assai quasi andanteBerliner Philharmoniker & Mstislav Rostropovich & Herbert von Karajan
05Tchaikovsky: Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Tema: Moderato sempliceMstislav Rostropovich & Berliner Philharmoniker & Herbert von Karajan
06Tchaikovsky: Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Variazione I: Tempo del TemaBerliner Philharmoniker and Herbert von Karajan and Mstislav Rostropovich
07Tchaikovsky: Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Variazione II: Tempo del TemaBerliner Philharmoniker and Herbert von Karajan and Mstislav Rostropovich
08Tchaikovsky: Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Variazione III: Andante sostenutoHerbert von Karajan & Mstislav Rostropovich & Berliner Philharmoniker
09Tchaikovsky: Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Variazione IV: Andante graziosoHerbert von Karajan & Mstislav Rostropovich & Berliner Philharmoniker
10Tchaikovsky: Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Variazione V: Allegro moderatoMstislav Rostropovich & Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker
11Tchaikovsky: Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Variazione VI: AndanteHerbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker & Mstislav Rostropovich
12Tchaikovsky: Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Variazione VII e Coda: Allegro vivoHerbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker & Mstislav Rostropovich
13Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No.1 In A Minor, Op.33 - 1. Allegro non troppoGregory Stolyarov & Symphony Orchestra of the All Union Radio & Mstislav Rostropovich
14Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No.1 In A Minor, Op.33 - 2. Allegretto con motoGregory Stolyarov & Symphony Orchestra of the All Union Radio & Mstislav Rostropovich
15Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No.1 In A Minor, Op.33 - 3. Tempo I - Un peu moins viteSymphony Orchestra of the All Union Radio & Mstislav Rostropovich & Gregory Stolyarov
16Chopin: Cello Sonata In G Minor, Op.65 - 1. Allegro moderatoMartha Argerich and Mstislav Rostropovich
17Chopin: Cello Sonata In G Minor, Op.65 - 2. Scherzo (Allegro con brio)Martha Argerich and Mstislav Rostropovich
19Chopin: Cello Sonata in G minor, Op.65 - 4. Finale (Allegro)Mstislav Rostropovich & Martha Argerich
20Brahms: Sonata for Cello and Piano No.1 in E minor, Op.38 - 1. Allegro non troppoMstislav Rostropovich, Rudolf Serkin
21Brahms: Sonata For Cello And Piano No.1 In E Minor, Op.38 - 2. Allegretto quasi minuettoRudolf Serkin & Mstislav Rostropovich
22Brahms: Sonata for Cello and Piano No.1 in E minor, Op.38 - 3. Allegro - Più prestoMstislav Rostropovich, Rudolf Serkin
23Glazunov: Chant du Ménestrel, Op.71Boston Symphony Orchestra and Mstislav Rostropovich and Seiji Ozawa
24Tchaikovsky: String Quartet No.1 In D Major, Op.11, TH.111 - Orchestral Version - 2. Andante cantabile6:33Mstislav Rostropovich & Members of Berliner Philharmoniker
25Chopin: Introduction And Polonaise, Op.3 - Introduction. Lento - Alla Polacca. AllegroMartha Argerich and Mstislav Rostropovich
26Schumann: Adagio And Allegro In A Flat, Op.70 - Arr. Friedrich Grützmacher - Langsam, mit innigem Ausdruck - Rasch und feurig - Etwas ruhiger - Im ersten Tempo - SchnellerMstislav Rostropovich & Martha Argerich
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Slava! The Art Of Rostropovich
Berliner Philharmoniker & Mstislav Rostropovich & Herbert von Karajan Lyrics
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