Itzhak Perelman - History and Biography of the Outstanding Violinist. Itzhak Perlman: The Magic Bow

Itzhak Perlman(Perelman, יצחק פרלמן, born in 1945, Tel Aviv) is an Israeli violinist.

early years

At the age of four, he suffered polio, which caused paralysis in his legs, so he walks on crutches and can only play while sitting.

Studied at music school Shulamit Conservatory and Ilona Feher at the S. Rubin Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. Exceptional success allowed Perlman to start concert activity(the first concert was in Tel Aviv)..

In 1959, after appearing on American television in the Ed Sullivan Show, Perlman, with the support of A. Stern, began studying with I. Galamyan and Dorothy de Lay at the Juilliard School of Music (New York). At that time, his idols were J. Heifets, D. Oistrakh and A. Stern. On March 5, 1963, Pearlman made his successful debut at Carnegie Hall, New York, and First Prize at the Leventritt Competition the following year qualified him to perform with the New York Philharmonic.

Performances and successes

In 1965, Pearlman held a series of concerts in Israel, including with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Subsequent tours in Europe, Northern and South America, Australia and countries Far East secured for him the glory of an outstanding violinist. His technically refined playing is characterized by bright temperament, energy and expressiveness, combined with the nobility of sound and impeccable interpretation of the works.

Perlman performs in collaboration with such conductors as Y. Ormandy, K. M. Giulini, B. Haitink, D. Barenboim, Z. Meta, S. Ozawa, in an ensemble with cellist M. Rostropovich (Double Concerto by I. Brahms), violinist and violist P. Zukerman (Double Concerto by J. S. Bach, “Duets” by L. Spohr), pianist V. Ashkenazy (cycles of sonatas by L. Beethoven and I. Brahms) and others. Many of these performances have been recorded on records. Pearlman's repertoire includes works written for him, including violin concertos. American composers I. Kim (1979) and R. Steyrer (1981).

Perlman also willingly plays jazz pieces (for example, compositions by A. Previn (born in 1929), his own arrangements for violin of S. Joplin's "Ragtimes"), performs arrangements of Jewish folklore by D. Zeltser (songs "A Yiddish Mame", "Reizele "," Oifn pripechek "and others). Playing the entire classical repertoire, Pearlman occasionally performed with klezmers and jazz bands. He also performed the violin solo in the score for the film Schindler's List (1993).

Work in the USA

Since 1975, Perlman has been a teacher in the music department at Brooklyn College, and often teaches classes of higher skill (including the class he founded in 1970 in Rochester, New York). In May 1990 Perlman performed Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in Moscow with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and in December of the same year with the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra his "Melancholic Serenade" and "Waltz-Scherzo" on anniversary concert to the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth.

In 1998, together with his wife Toby, he founded Music program Perlman for promotion talented performers aged 12 to 18 years.

As a conductor, he has worked with many great orchestras. He has served as Principal Guest Conductor with the Detroit Symphony since 2001 and was Musical Advisor to the St. Louis, Missouri Symphony from 2002 to 2004.

In addition to 15 Grammy Awards received between 1977 and 1995, Pearlman was awarded the American Medal of Freedom (1986), the National Medal of Arts (2000), and the Kennedy Center Honorary Badge (2003).

Sources

• KEE, volume 6, col. 445-446

Recently, absolutely by accident, I discovered a new name for the virtuoso violinist Itzhak Perlman, to my shame I had not heard of him before. His unusually expressive performance of Vocalise Rachmaninoff could not leave me indifferent. I looked for more recordings, found some of my favorite works, the musician is really unique, he is distinguished by his original interpretations of the classics.

Vocalise by Rachmaninoff

short biography:
One of the greatest violinists of the second half of the 20th century, Itzhak Perlman, was born in August 1945 in Tel Aviv to a family of Jewish immigrants from Poland. Interested in the violin after hearing the concerto classical music by radio. At the age of four, Yitzhak contracted polio and became disabled for the rest of his life. He walks on crutches and plays while sitting. It didn't stop him from doing brilliant career. He began to study violin at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv, and soon at the Juilliard School in New York with outstanding teachers Ivan Galamyan (Russian violin school) and Dorothy De Lay. His first performance took place on American radio at the age of ten. The brilliant debut of the violinist on the stage took place in 1963 at Carnegie Hall, and soon he won the American competition named after Leventrit.

Since that time, Perlman began to give concerts widely around the world. His playing is distinguished by a fantastic technique, a beautiful sound - warm, velvety, rich - and a deep penetration into the composer's intent. All styles are subject to him.
Pearlman has an incredible amount of records on the best firms world, including jazz compositions with O. Peterson and other jazz musicians. He participated in the recording of Jerry Bock's Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof. The discs also contain almost all classical violin music performed by Perlman. He plays the 1714 Stradivarius violins (the instrument previously belonged to I. Menuhin) and the 1743 Guarneri.
The violinist is the owner of four Emmy awards, fifteen Grammys, two Oscars for the soundtracks to the films Schindler's List and Memoirs of a Geisha.

Soundtrack to the film "Schindler's List"

He also performed a number of opera arias (bass) and in 1981 even participated in the recording of Puccini's Tosca, starring Renata Scotto, Plácido Domingo and Renato Bruzon.

For the first time the musician came to Russia in the spring of 1990 together with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta. It was extraordinary event- for the first time the USSR was visited by an orchestra and a violinist from Israel! The audience went crazy. The author of the article still remembers all the details of these amazing concerts.
Pearlman played Tchaikovsky's violin concerto, and how he played! The audience still remembered the sounds of Oistrakh and Kogan's violins, but the Israeli violinist's playing was not inferior to them. On solo concert Tartini's sonata "Devil's Trills", E. Bloch's play "Nigun", works by Kreisler, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky and others were performed. This concert remained in my memory forever. Then the violinist was accompanied by the excellent pianist Janet Goodman-Gugengheim. Soon the disk and DVD "Pearlman in Russia" was released.

Tchaikovsky - violin concerto - Allegro moderato part I (the image is terrible, but the main thing here is the sound!)

In the winter of the same year, the violinist participated in the anniversary concert dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of P.I. Tchaikovsky in St. Petersburg, where he performed pieces by the great Russian composer with the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Y. Temirkanov.
Pearlman's performance was unusually good, and the audience gave him a standing ovation.

Since 1975, Yitzhak Perelman has been teaching at the Music Department of Brooklyn College, often teaching classes of the highest skill (including the class he founded in 1970 in Rochester, New York). In 1986, Perelman's outstanding achievements and contribution to the development cultural life The United States was awarded the Medal of Freedom, which was presented to him by President Ronald Reagan.

Itzhak Perelman lives in New York with his wife Toby, also a violinist, they have five children. In 1995, the Perelmans founded special program study chamber music to Shelter Island, New York, providing talented young violinists with the opportunity to study and socialize during their summer holidays.

In 2003, Itzhak Perelman created the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation for talented young violinists at the Juilliard School of Music in honor of his teacher Dorothy DeLay. In May 2007, he performed at the White House at a dinner for the British Queen and the Prince of Edinburgh. Two years later, Perlman took part in the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

What I managed to find and embed from my favorite works:

J.S. Bach "Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in d-moll"

Saint-sans "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso"

Sarasate "Gypsy tunes"

Kreisler "Prelude and Allegro" (

One of the greatest violinists of the second half of the 20th century, Itzhak Perlman, was born in August 1945 in Tel Aviv to a family of Jewish immigrants from Poland. WITH early childhood boy exercising big interest to music, and his gift was obvious.

At the age of four, Yitzhak contracted polio and became disabled for the rest of his life. He walks on crutches and plays while sitting. This did not prevent him from making a brilliant career.

He began to study violin at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv, and soon at the Juilliard School in New York with outstanding teachers Ivan Galamyan (Russian violin school) and Dorothy De Lay. His first performance took place on American radio at the age of ten. The brilliant debut of the violinist on the stage took place in 1963 at Carnegie Hall, and soon he won the American competition named after Leventrit.

Since that time, Perlman began to give concerts widely around the world. He made several appearances on American TV in various programs. His playing is distinguished by a fantastic technique, a beautiful sound - warm, velvety, rich - and a deep penetration into the composer's intent. All styles are subject to him.

The violinist is interested not only in the classical repertoire, he also records music for films, for example, for the sensational film "Schindler's List" (composer D. Williams). And recently he recorded the music for the tape "Memoirs of a Geisha" together with the American cellist Io-Io-Ma. Perlman has an incredible number of recordings in the best companies in the world, including jazz compositions with O. Peterson and other jazz musicians. He participated in the recording of Jerry Bock's Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof. The discs also contain almost all classical violin music performed by Perlman. He plays the 1714 Stradivarius violins (the instrument previously belonged to I. Menuhin) and the 1743 Guarneri. The violinist has won five Grammy awards - in 1979, 1981, 1982, 1988 and 1991 - more than any classical musician. In 2008 Perlman received honorary award Grammys for musical achievements in the field of sound recording, in 1986 - the Kennedy Center Prize, and President R. Reagan awarded him the Medal of Freedom. In 2000, President Clinton presented him with the National Medal of Arts.

Itzhak Perlman — Melancholic Serenade, op.26 (P. Tchaikovsky)

Pearlman played at the White House in 2007 at a reception in honor of Queen Elizabeth, as well as during the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009. IN last years the musician became interested in conducting and performed with the Detroit symphony orchestra. Since 2007, Itzhak Perlman - chief conductor Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. Since 1975, the violinist has been teaching at Brooklyn College.

Yakov Kovalensky

One of the greatest violinists of the second half of the 20th century, Itzhak Perlman, was born in August 1945 in Tel Aviv to a family of Jewish immigrants from Poland. From early childhood, the boy showed great interest in music, and his gift was obvious. At the age of four, Yitzhak contracted polio and became disabled for the rest of his life. He walks on crutches and plays while sitting. This did not prevent him from making a brilliant career. He began to study violin at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv, and soon at the Juilliard School in New York with outstanding teachers Ivan Galamyan (Russian violin school) and Dorothy De Lay. His first performance took place on American radio at the age of ten. The brilliant debut of the violinist on the stage took place in 1963 at Carnegie Hall, and soon he won the American competition named after Leventrit.

Since that time, Perlman began to give concerts widely around the world. He has repeatedly appeared on American TV in various programs. His playing is distinguished by a fantastic technique, a beautiful sound - warm, velvety, rich - and a deep penetration into the composer's intent. All styles are subject to him.
The violinist is interested not only in the classical repertoire, he also records music for films, for example, for the sensational film "Schindler's List" (composer D. Williams). And recently he recorded the music for the tape "Memoirs of a Geisha" together with the American cellist Io-Io-Ma. Perlman has an incredible number of recordings in the best companies in the world, including jazz compositions with O. Peterson and other jazz musicians. He participated in the recording of Jerry Bock's Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof. The discs also contain almost all classical violin music performed by Perlman. He plays the 1714 Stradivarius violins (the instrument previously belonged to I. Menuhin) and the 1743 Guarneri. The violinist has won five Grammy awards - in 1979, 1981, 1982, 1988 and 1991 - more than any classical musician. In 2008, Pearlman received an honorary Grammy award for musical achievements in the field of recording, in 1986 - the Kennedy Center Prize, and President R. Reagan awarded him the Medal of Freedom. In 2000, President Clinton presented him with the National Medal of Arts.
Pearlman played at the White House in 2007 at a reception in honor of Queen Elizabeth, as well as during the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009. In recent years, the musician became interested in conducting and performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Since 2007, Itzhak Perlman has been Principal Conductor of the Saint Louis Symphonic Orchestra. Since 1975, the violinist has been teaching at Brooklyn College.
Pearlman lives in New York with his wife Toby, also a violinist, and they have five children. For the first time the musician came to Russia in the spring of 1990 together with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta. It was an extraordinary event - for the first time an orchestra and a violinist from Israel visited the USSR! The audience went crazy. The author of the article still remembers all the details of these amazing concerts.
Perlman played Tchaikovsky's violin concerto, and how he played! The audience still remembered the sounds of Oistrakh and Kogan's violins, but the Israeli violinist's playing was not inferior to them. At the solo concert Tartini's sonata "Devil's Trills", E. Bloch's play "Nigun", works by Kreisler, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky and others were performed. This concert remained in my memory forever. Then the violinist was accompanied by the excellent pianist Janet Goodman-Gugengheim. Soon the disk and DVD "Pearlman in Russia" was released.
In the winter of the same year, the violinist participated in the anniversary concert dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of P.I. Tchaikovsky in St. Petersburg, where he performed pieces by the great Russian composer with the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Y. Temirkanov. The author of the article was at that unforgettable concert. At the same time, for the first time, an outstanding American singer Jesse Norman, she performed Tchaikovsky's romances on French. The concert also featured a young pianist, Boris Berezovsky, who received gold medal at the Tchaikovsky Competition. Pearlman's performance was unusually good, and the audience gave him a standing ovation.
And in September 2009, Pearlman was back in Russia. He gave two concerts: classical program in the Great Hall of the Conservatory, and in the new hall in Barvikha (a suburb of Moscow) he performed klezmer music. The tour was organized by Mercury. Ticket prices were very high, one might even say exorbitant, in particular, the price of one ticket for a concert in Barvikha was more than one and a half thousand dollars. And although the violinist's performances aroused great interest, most music lovers who wanted to get to them could not do it. The halls were gaping with empty seats, especially in Barvikha.
The program at the conservatory consisted of works by Leclerc, Beethoven and Stravinsky. Let's start with the second part of the concert, which was more interesting. At the very beginning, Stravinsky's "Italian Suite" was performed, the music of which is full of irony and mockery, but it sounded cold and detached, which is completely uncharacteristic of a violinist. He was accompanied by the American pianist Rohan de Silva. Then the violinist played numerous encores: Kreisler's pieces "In the Tempo of the Minuet" and "Chinese Tambourine", "Rondo" by Hummel (arranged by Heifetz), the famous "Melody" by Gluck (transcribed by Heifetz), "Perpetuum Mobile" by Rhys, "Song Without Words" Tchaikovsky (arranged by Kreisler), Rachmaninov's Oriental Sketch (arranged by Heifetz), an excerpt from the Spanish Suite by de Falla - Kreisler. The performance was virtuoso and bright: an amazing tone of the violin, an unusual legato and a beautiful flowing sound. I remembered the former Perlman, whom we loved so much for his heartfelt performance. And the first part of the concert was, oddly enough, uninteresting and boring. Exquisitely charming sonata French composer Leclerc (1697-1764) sounded rough, and even the famous "Tambourine" (the last movement of the sonata) was heavy. And the whole essay was in no way similar to music XVIII century. Then Beethoven's Seventh Sonata sounded, one of greatest works composer.
Unfortunately, it was played in an absolutely uninteresting and formal way. There were few overtones in the sound of the violin, and the whole performance was dry. And this is Beethoven with his deep feelings and experiences? What is the reason for such a failure of the musician? As a rule, the great violinists also attracted great pianists to perform Beethoven's sonatas, since the role of the piano is very important here. For example, D. Oistrakh played with L. Oborin and S. Richter, L. Kogan with E. Gilels, and I. Stern with E. Istomin and E. Bronfman, R. Ricci with M. Argerich, and I. Menuhin - with G. Gould and W. Kempf, and there are a lot of such examples. And Perlman's pianist, the American R. de Silva, is simply an accompanist and does not correspond to the rank of the violinist performing with him. It's a pity.
Pearlman is now conducting a lot and successfully, and the violin may have faded into the background, and you can immediately feel it. On the whole, the concert was disappointing, although the second part somewhat corrected the situation. Perhaps the second concert in the Barvikha hall was more interesting, since Perlman is famous for performing klezmer music, but there was no way to get to this concert, and it was not possible to get a ticket for the press. The organizers of the concert were hostile to the Jewish press, although it was in the Jewish newspaper that there was an announcement about the concerts of the violinist. I can't even believe it, but the official Jewish press is denied an invitation to the Israeli-American violinist's performance. There is something to think about. We hope that Pearlman's next visit will not be so distant, and we will hear our pet in great shape.
In the meantime, we will enjoy Pearlman's amazing recordings and remember old days. The violinist has a lot of records, and they are all first-class. He recorded several violin sonatas with the outstanding pianist Martha Argerich. And this record is extremely good.

Yakov KOVALENSKY, Russia