Josef Lhévinne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Josef Lhévinne
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Native name |
Иосиф Аркаадьевич Левин
|
| Birth name | Joseph Arkadievich Levin |
| Born | 13 December 1874 Oryol, Russia |
| Died | 2 December 1944 (aged 69) |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist |
| Instruments | Piano |
Josef Lhévinne (born December 13, 1874 – died December 2, 1944) was a famous Russian pianist and piano teacher. He wrote a short book in 1924 called Basic Principles in Pianoforte Playing. Many people still consider this book a classic guide for playing the piano. If you wanted to know how to say his name, he once explained it sounds like lay-VEEN.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Joseph Arkadievich Levin was born in Oryol, a city south of Moscow. His family was Jewish and involved in music. Later, a manager in Europe changed his name to "Lhévinne." They thought it sounded more unique.
He studied at the Imperial Conservatory in Moscow. His teacher was Vasily Safonov. Josef first performed for the public when he was 14 years old. He played Ludwig van Beethoven's Emperor Concerto. His musical hero, Anton Rubinstein, conducted the performance.
In 1892, Josef graduated at the very top of his class. Other famous musicians like Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexander Scriabin were also in his class. He won the gold medal for piano. In 1895, Josef won the Second International Anton Rubinstein Competition in Berlin. He was chosen as the best pianist among 33 candidates. He played Rubinstein's Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major.
Life and Career Challenges
In 1898, Josef married Rosina Bessie. She was also a talented pianist and a fellow student from the Moscow Conservatory. She had also won a gold medal for piano. Josef and Rosina often performed concerts together. They continued to do so until his death.
Around 1907, they faced difficulties in Russia. There was unfair treatment of Jewish people and political unrest from the Russian Revolution. So, they moved to Berlin, Germany. In Berlin, Lhévinne became known as a top piano player and teacher.
However, when World War I started, they were declared "enemy aliens." This meant they were stuck in Germany. They lost all their savings in Russian banks because of the 1917 Revolution. They could not perform concerts during the war. They went through tough times, earning little money from teaching a few students.
Moving to America and Later Years
After the war, in 1919, they were finally able to leave Germany. They moved to New York City in the United States. Lhévinne continued his concert career. He also taught piano at the Juilliard School, a famous music school.
Many other famous pianists, like Vladimir Horowitz, admired his amazing piano skills. However, Josef Lhévinne never became as famous with the public as some of his friends. Maybe he made playing the piano look too easy! He also enjoyed teaching more than performing.
He spent his later years touring for concerts and teaching. Starting in 1922, he would relax each summer at Bonnie Oaks. He sometimes taught young musicians there too. Josef Lhévinne passed away suddenly from a heart attack in 1944. He was just a few days short of his 70th birthday.
Recordings and Legacy
Josef Lhévinne made only a few recordings. But many people consider them perfect examples of great piano technique and beautiful music.
- His recordings of the Chopin Études Op. 25, Nos. 6 & 11 from 1935 are very famous.
- His 1928 recording of Schulz-Evler's version of Johann Strauss II's Blue Danube Waltz is also legendary.
- His piano roll of Schumann's Papillons, Op. 2, is seen as one of the best performances of that piece.
Music critic Harold C. Schonberg once said that Lhévinne's piano sound was "like the morning stars singing together." He also said Lhévinne's technique was "flawless." Lhévinne made several piano rolls in the 1920s for a company called Ampico. Some of these were later released on the Argo record label in 1966. He also recorded three times for the Welte-Mignon reproducing piano.
In 1935, he recorded Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D major K.448 with his wife Rosina.
Literature
- Basic Principles in Pianoforte Playing (1972), Dover Publications, New York, ISBN: 0-486-22820-7 (Repr. d. Ausg. Philadelphia, Penn. 1924)
Notable Students
- Stell Andersen
- Mildred Portney Chase
- Adele Marcus
- Harold Triggs
- Paul Wells
- Nannie Louise Wright
See also
In Spanish: Josef Lhévinne para niños
