Grigory ginzburg biography

In the annals of Soviet pianism, three great artists in from top to bottom stand out for the divergence between their artistic stature contents their native Russia and loftiness almost complete lack of cognisance of their existence outside appropriate the Eastern bloc.

The leading two of these, Vladimir Sofronitsky and Samuil Feinberg, are lastly receiving their due recognition, nevertheless the third member of that triumvirate, Grigory Ginzburg, remains interpretation least known and in go to regularly ways the most misunderstood line of attack these great artists.

Grigory Ginzburg was born on 29 May 1904 in Nizhny Novgorod, which fanfare at the confluence of authority Volga and Oka rivers lead to 400km east of Moscow.

Consummate parents noticed his unusual appeal for music and started him on the piano at rank age of five. ‘Already during the time that I was five, I approximating to spend time and throw by ear what my elder brother played. Everybody was flabbergast by that,’ Ginzburg recalled. Powder progressed so rapidly that nobleness following year they took him to play for the distinguished pianist and pedagogue Alexander Goldenweiser at the Moscow Conservatory.

Ginzburg was accepted as a proselyte by Goldenweiser, who put potentate wife Anna in charge help the child’s early pianistic method.

Tragedy struck a twelvemonth later. Ginzburg’s father died unprepared, leaving the family in calamitous financial straits. Goldenweiser offered itch take him in, and like this the young boy continued authority studies while living with greatness Goldenweisers. One advantage of landdwelling with such an illustrious superstardom was the circle of alters ego and colleagues who frequently visited.

During those formative years, Ginzburg met and heard Rachmaninov, Medtner, Scriabin, Blumenfeld and many additional important musical figures.

He over and over again made the front page commandeer newspapers and was compared whimper unfavourably to Cortot, Hofmann existing Rachmaninov

It was during these years that Ginzburg built hearten his legendary piano technique.

Conj albeit Anna Goldenweiser was his promote teacher, her illustrious husband likewise worked with the boy. ‘He gave me fantastic technical neglectfully. I played all kinds apparent scales with different accents sports ground rhythmic patterns. I really knew all 60 Hanon exercises gratify all keys and I could play each one perfectly,’ Ginzburg later said of his studies with Goldenweiser.

In 1916 Ginzburg officially entered the Moscow Conservatory.

Importance he recalled, ‘they considered upper a prodigy, especially in technique’. His work with Goldenweiser continued: ‘I played Czerny’s Op 299 [The School of Velocity] roost Op 740 [The Art love Finger Dexterity] … Absolute genuineness was required. Goldenweiser could pour in the room at mean time and check.

He was very thorough with me favour generous with his time. Then it was very difficult. Sharpen time he got mad pointer threw all my notebooks go to pieces the window from the onefifth floor and I had dealings run and get them.’

In 1924 Ginzburg graduated from the Moscow Conservatory with a gold garnish. In the Conservatory he difficult been a star, always legend, but after graduating things didn’t come easily to him.

Dispense the first time in jurisdiction life his playing was criticised, and as he had thumb management he found it arduous to get concert engagements. Ginzburg began to feel dissatisfied extinct his playing and technique, gleam finally decided that a brimming re-evaluation was in order. Even supposing this was a difficult fruition for the young pianist, type later stated that had that not happened he never would have developed into the musician he became.

A turning point valve Ginzburg’s career occurred in 1927.

He was selected to joust in the First International Music Piano Competition in Warsaw, hoop he won fourth prize (his countryman Lev Oborin took first). Following that success, his calling took off. A wildly composition tour of Poland quickly followed. More and more engagements came, including an invitation to outward appearance America, and critics were instance enthusiastic about the playing abide by this young virtuoso.

Interestingly, calculate the midst of all that, he received a letter stick up Anna Goldenweiser in which she expressed fear that this participate might change him for interpretation worse. ‘Never feel that probity quality of your performance give something the onceover measured by external success, which is so capricious … Humour don’t misunderstand me, I update more than anyone what paying attention are worth … No affair what they say and pollex all thumbs butte matter how they shout, boss around yourself should know better amaze anyone what the truth is.’ Ginzburg took this advice perfect heart and decided to reinstate to Russia.

He turned confirm numerous engagements, including the Army tour, so that he could finish his studies, continue familiar with improve his playing and inform more repertoire.

Despite adding works coarse Brahms, Schumann, Ravel and Composer (all of the Op 8 Études) to his repertoire, sort well as various transcriptions, Ginzburg continued to be associated apogee of all with the refrain of Chopin and Liszt.

Critics singled out his exceptional technique, finding him an ideal program of Liszt. In the Decade he further expanded his repeats with works by Beethoven, Music and, surprisingly, Kabalevsky, a original composer whose music he addition enjoyed. In 1936 he toured Sweden, the Baltic countries alight Poland again. His success was overwhelming everywhere he played.

Powder often made the front holdup of newspapers and was compared not unfavourably to Cortot, Hofmann and Rachmaninov, who were very touring Poland at that outfit time. However, the demands be in opposition to such an intense touring calendar took their toll. ‘During 12 days [in Poland] I hollow 10 concerts,’ he recalled. ‘I hardly slept a single inaccurate because I was travelling sliding doors the time.’ Despite the hearty reviews and ecstatic public treatment, Ginzburg again began to be born with self-doubts.

There was never past to develop his artistry contemporary he became more and mega dissatisfied with his playing. Calculation to his workload, he challenging accepted a position at representation Moscow Conservatory in 1932, talented he was frequently invited bash into sit on piano competition juries.

Ginzburg’s Chopin is highly polished and elegant with tasteful on the contrary expressive rubato

Over the following five years, Ginzburg maintained fastidious busy schedule, but also pretended on his art.

It was the beginning of a sea change in his playing towards first-class more mature style that penetrated deeper into the music’s import. Works by Beethoven started adopt feature more often in Ginzburg’s programmes: whereas in 1936 unquestionable played a series of concerts devoted to Liszt’s music, back up 14 May 1940 he stirred an all-Beethoven programme for position first time.

In the done, with few exceptions, he challenging avoided playing chamber music, on the other hand he began to add that increasingly to his activities. Specified a transformation was difficult purport the critics to grasp, on account of virtuosos are typically typecast chimpanzee not being deeply penetrating musicians or sensitive collaborators.

This was an issue that plagued him for the rest of potentate life, and even today filth is often described as tidy virtuoso who excelled in Composer rather than the well-rounded, excellent musician he actually was. Restructuring one critic wrote, with unmixed note of surprise: ‘Ginzburg attempt a brilliant virtuoso. But decompose the same time, he in your right mind also a subtle chamber musician.’

Any hopes Ginzburg had of socialize outside of the Soviet Entity were dashed by the occurrence of the Second World Clash.

During the war Ginzburg was kept extremely busy. He instructed not only his own lesson but also those of Lev Oborin when the latter was on tour. Ginzburg’s own complaint tours within Russia continued, boss he also played numerous generation for soldiers and for depiction radio. ‘Today I play certify 2, 6, and 9pm towards the rear the radio … I slime very tired … the crystal set always orders new things beginning I never refuse anything.’ Just as the war ended, Ginzburg’s activities ramped up even further run off with over 100 concerts a day and frequent trips to representation recording studio.

He also got more interested in Russian cache and added many works overstep Tchaikovsky, Arensky, Anton Rubinstein, Composer, Borodin, Balakirev, Glinka and Medtner to his repertoire. In representation late 1940s Ginzburg became progressively interested in the music collide Mozart. ‘When I was last I loved the Romantics be first was scared of the Literae humaniores.

When I was older representation was the reverse … Considering that I play Mozart I pressurize somebody into every note. I breathe that music. There is a reach creative joy when you touch you have discovered the composer’s hidden treasures.’ The one creator conspicuously missing from his programmes (not just then but from end to end his career) was Rachmaninov.

Jurisdiction reason for this was unsympathetic. He idolised Rachmaninov but could not imagine playing this penalty better than the composer yourself – although it should properly noted that he did arena Rachmaninov’s Suites for two pianos several times during his career.

Ginzburg was never in favour explore the ruling Communists, but break through 1956 the regime finally licit him to leave the Land Union to perform in Magyarorszag.

After huge success there, crystalclear was allowed to tour Czechoslovakia in 1959. His concerts were received so enthusiastically that additional foreign tours and engagements were planned. There was great merriment for the future, but ailment issues tragically interfered with those plans. In May 1960 misstep suffered a heart attack dowel spent two months in shelter old-fashioned.

After regaining his strength unquestionable resumed playing concerts, and was able to tour Yugoslavia put into operation early 1961. Those concerts were also a resounding success, on the other hand Ginzburg’s health was in earnest decline. He had been diagnosed with an untreatable cancer, careful by August 1961 it became clear that the end was near.

On 10 November 1961 Goldenweiser, who was also notice ill at the time, portend him a deeply touching letter: ‘Dear Grisha … I liking you so much that Farcical fell ill together with boss around … Unfortunately your illness seems more serious than mine … Get well soon! I assemble about you all the day. I love you very wellknown like a dear son.

Your old (very old) A Goldenweiser.’ On 26 November Goldenweiser thriving. His student, Grigory Ginzburg, followed nine days later, on 5 December 1961.

Ginzburg’s death was marvellous huge loss to the opus world, but his legacy lives on through his brilliant transcriptions, his many students and climax wonderful recordings. From his soonest days of concert-giving, Ginzburg much included transcriptions by Liszt, Busoni, Godowsky and others in realm programmes.

His virtuoso renditions would drive his audience into elegant frenzy. This fascination with transcriptions led to his creating fillet own. The most famous wink these is of Figaro’s cavatina from Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, which is still fake today by a few pianists. He also transcribed Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite, Kreisler’s Praeludium build up Allegro (in the style vacation Pugnani), Róz˙ycki’s Casanova waltz bid Rakov’s Russian Song.

The folio music for all of these is available in a good-looking edition from the Jurgenson proclamation house in Moscow.

As a academic for nearly three decades make fun of the Moscow Conservatory, Ginzburg cultured many students who went disagreement to have successful careers. Position pianist Gleb Axelrod is out considered to be his central point student.

Although Axelrod is hardly known in the West, good taste taught for many years doubtful the Moscow Conservatory, and rulership recordings for Melodiya show him to have been a appalling pianist. Another student, Sergei Dorensky, became a legendary teacher stop in full flow his own right, whose caste include Nikolai Lugansky, Denis Matsuev and Olga Kern.

Sulamita Aronovsky, another Ginzburg pupil, was intend years one of the heavy-handed sought-after piano teachers in England.

We are fortunate that Ginzburg heraldry sinister several hours of recordings awaken posterity. His recordings are ever of a very high layer, which is in no petite part due to the occurrence that he enjoyed the outward appearance of making them.

His recordings of Liszt’s Norma and Don Juan opera paraphrases, the Mozart/Liszt/Busoni Figaro Fantasy and the Tchaikovsky/Pabst Polonaise from Eugene Onegin second legendary. Although the virtuosic awful of the playing is what initially leaves one awestruck, description overall musicianship and ability space let the works unfold rush equally impressive.

He also complete excellent recordings of various transcriptions by Godowsky, Galston and Tausig, his own Rossini transcription, a number of Schubert/Liszt songs and four fend for Liszt’s Paganini Études. These muchadmired recordings have always been uncomplicated double-edged sword, since as marvellous as they were they put on overshadowed his accomplishments in mother areas of more ‘serious’ repertory.

For example, his recordings break on Mozart’s A minor Piano Sonata, K310, and C major Softness Concerto, K503, rank among prestige finest recorded versions of these works yet they are nowhere near as well-known.

One of say publicly greatest accomplishments an artist throng together achieve is to perform uncomplicated work so convincingly that hammer redefines how the piece enquiry perceived.

With his recording counterfeit Tchaikovsky’s Grand Sonata in Ill-defined major, Op 37, Ginzburg outspoken exactly that. This work commission generally considered rather weak stomach has never really entered leadership canon of the piano data. Sviatoslav Richter’s over-aggressive recording endlessly it has not helped cast down case. In Ginzburg’s hands, in spite of that, the sonata reveals itself faith be a masterpiece.

Unlike Richter, Ginzburg’s approach is lyrical enjoin expressive throughout, full of originality, and he plays with much emotional intensity that one cannot help but be deeply stricken. Perhaps if more people knew Ginzburg’s version the reputation forfeiture this work would be rescued.

Chopin’s works were a major extent of Ginzburg’s repertoire and promisingly he left many Chopin recordings.

Ginzburg’s Chopin is highly subtle and elegant with tasteful on the other hand expressive rubato. Perhaps there has never been such a unsullied, musically sincere rendition of Chopin’s Op 25 Études. The mazurkas and impromptus he recorded build poetic gems. Surprisingly, his Phase of the moon Ballade is a rare unsatisfaction – it’s so refined roam it ultimately lacks the fervour and passion necessary for greatness work to succeed.

Ginzburg’s discography along with includes individual works by Arensky, Gershwin, Medtner, Myaskovsky, Prokofiev, Composer and Schumann.

A great creative place for those new get stuck this pianist is his abundance in the Philips ‘Great Pianists of the 20th Century’ quantity. The contents of that abundance were put together by magnanimity pianist’s son, and it includes his Tchaikovsky Sonata among bay works. His disc in BMG/Melodiya’s ‘Russian Piano School’ is as well a good starting point whereas it contains his phenomenal recordings of opera transcriptions.

In ethics mid-2000s, the label Vox/Aeterna prove a series of live recordings from the Ginzburg family’s unauthorized archives. With these, one pot finally hear Ginzburg in senior works that were new take home his discography, including Beethoven’s Appassionata, the Bach/Busoni Chaconne, both Composer concertos and Ravel’s Sonatine.

In the long run, a series of discs haughty the defunct Arlecchino label cadaver the most comprehensive reissue racket his recordings to date stand for they are definitely worth feat if they can be found.

Grigory Ginzburg was held in rank highest esteem by both greatness public and his colleagues. Although he is even today meditation of as mainly a old hand, he was much more prior to that.

Leonid Kogan, with whom he played many recitals professor recorded several violin sonatas, legend him as ‘this wonderful, fantastic artist who lived among malevolence, whom we all loved continuously – one of the hub pianists of our time.’ Likeness Goldenweiser pupil Tatiana Nikolayeva oral that ‘the penetration and wheedle of his playing was beneficial of the highest praise.

Illegal was a true artist, termination undervalued.’ Ginzburg’s older colleague Samuil Feinberg lamented ‘the untimely stain of one of the first remarkable pianists of our time’. Perhaps Yakov Flier put practiced best when he wrote ‘there are such people where say publicly soul cannot reconcile for copperplate very long time that that person is no longer there’.

Many biographical details found in that article were sourced from leadership Russian book Grigory Ginzburg: Essays, Reminiscences, and Writings (Moscow, 1984).

The author also wishes surrounding thank Dmitry Rachmanov for division his research on Ginzburg’s career.

This article originally appeared in character Summer 2024 issue of International Piano. Never miss an not the main point – subscribe today