Van Cliburn (1934-2013)

[bluestateprommer]

Another one of the classical music greats is gone, with the death of Van Cliburn this morning at his home near Fort Worth, Texas:

http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/02/27/4647640/van-cliburn-dies.html

(Apologies if anyone else had started a thread already.)

[Nick Armstrong]

I was about to start one having seen this article: http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainm...-at-age-78.ece

Some great figures being taken from us these days

Not a figure whose playing I had the opportunity to hear much, but an enduring name and achievement

[amateur51]

I recall he caused such a stir by being the first American pianist to win the Tchaikovsky piano competition in 1958. I think I'm right in saying that the Chair of the jury was very uncomfortable about the potential fallout of his giving the prestigious first prize to a non-Russian. When President Khruschev was told what the problem was he asked "Is he the best?". The jury said that Cliburn was and Khruschev said "Well then give him the prize!" The result was very popular with the Russian audience.

He made quite a few outstanding concerto recordings with Kondrashin and Reiner and some solo recordings too but all too soon after his career fizzled out and he retired, leaving memories and his piano competition.A relaunch was attempted years later but somehow the magic failed to re-ignite.

He had his problems with mental health I recall and this was not surprising perhaps at a time when it was still not ok to be a public figure, a committed Christian and a gay man.

Bone cancer is a rotten painful end to your life and I feel rather sad that after a brief shining moment his life never seemed to be a just reward for all his early hard work.

I'll recall what he was in his glory days, in the recordings of Tchaikovsky piano concerto no 1 and Rachmaninov piano concerto no 3 ('live' with Kondrashin) which capture the unique excitement that he could generate and celebrate his remarkable talent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apNTq-Tgf4w Rachmaninov piano concerto no 3 'live' with Kondrashin

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Van-Cliburn-Concertos-Classical-Masters/dp/B003SH6GR8/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1361990818&sr=1-3

[salymap]

Thanks for that ams51.

What a lot of the greats have departed recently.

RIP Van Cliburn

[Barbirollians]

The performances from the Moscow final were released on Testament a few years ago - scintillating they are too . Sad news .

[richardfinegold]

He attempted a few comebacks that were disasters in his last decade. A couple of times he broke down during the first movement of a concerto and had to stop. A sorry end to a brilliant career.

[gradus]

I remember him with particular fondness as his recording of Tchaik 1 was one of my first LPs and the performance is still thrilling. I don't know if he ever came to the UK, perhaps in his early days?

[Roehre]

Another one of the classical music greats is gone, with the death of Van Cliburn this morning at his home near Fort Worth, Texas:

http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/02/27/4647640/van-cliburn-dies.html

It's a good week for the grim reaper (Sawallisch, Alain, Cliburn, Ericsson).
Van Cliburn's Tchaikovsky 1 was the first I ever heard, and his name stuck in my mind (as you do with only 10 records or so...) A pity that he was pushed a bit to the background, as he was IMO a great musician.
RIP Van Cliburn

[Mandryka]

The Late Van Cliburn

The superstar pianist of the late 50s/early 60s has departed: I was aware that he'd been ill for some time.

I will always think of him as the 'Cold War Pianist'.

[Merged with existing thread - ff]