Lazar Berman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lazar Berman
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Lazar Berman in 1988
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lazar Berman |
| Born | February 26, 1930 Leningrad, Soviet Union |
| Died | February 6, 2005 (aged 74) Florence, Italy |
| Genres | Classical Piano |
| Years active | 1935–2005 |
Lazar Naumovich Berman (Russian: Ла́зарь Нау́мович Бе́рман, Lazarʹ Naumovič Berman; February 26, 1930 – February 6, 2005) was a famous Russian classical pianist. He was known for his powerful and exciting way of playing the piano. Many people loved his performances of music by composers like Franz Liszt and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Another great pianist, Emil Gilels, even called him a "phenomenon of the musical world."
Contents
Early Life and Amazing Talent
Lazar Berman was born in Leningrad, which was then part of the Soviet Union. His mother, Anna Lazarevna Makhover, also played the piano. She started teaching Lazar when he was only two years old!
He entered his first music competition at age three. By age seven, he had already recorded a Mozart piece and a mazurka he wrote himself. This was before he could even read music notes!
When he was four, a group of judges called him a "prodigy." This meant he had amazing musical and piano skills for his age. He then began studying with Samariy Savshinsky, a professor at the Leningrad State Conservatory.
Moving to Moscow and Wartime Challenges
In 1939, when Lazar was nine, his family moved to Moscow. This was so he could study with Aleksandr Goldenweiser, another famous music teacher. He first attended a special music school, then the Moscow Conservatory. He graduated from the Conservatory in 1953.
In 1940, Lazar made his official debut, playing a Mozart piano concerto with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. A year later, during World War II, Lazar and his family had to move to Kuibishev. Life there was very hard. His mother even cut the fingers off a pair of gloves so he could practice piano without his hands freezing.
Gaining International Attention
Lazar Berman slowly became known around the world. At age 12, he played Franz Liszt's La campanella for a British audience over the radio. In 1956, he won awards at two big piano competitions. These were the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Belgium and the Franz Liszt competition in Hungary.
Because of these wins, he was offered a chance to tour internationally. He also got a recording deal, which included famous pieces by Liszt and Beethoven. In 1958, he performed in London and made recordings for a company called SAGA.
Years of Travel Restrictions
From 1959 to 1971, Lazar Berman was not allowed to travel outside the Soviet Union. This was because he had married a French person, though that marriage ended quickly. Even so, he continued to tour all over the Soviet Union. He also made recordings at the "Melodia" studio, including Liszt's Transcendental Études. This was one of the first Soviet recordings made using new stereo technology.
In 1968, he married Valentina Sedova. Their son, Pavel Berman, was born in 1970. Pavel later became a talented violinist and conductor.
A Sudden Rise to Fame
Before 1975, many people outside Russia didn't know much about Lazar Berman. They might have heard a few of his recordings from the Russian "Melodiya" label. But that changed with his 1975 tour of America.
His first concert in New York was legendary. He played Liszt's Transcendental Études, and the music world was amazed. He became famous overnight! Before this, he mostly played in the Soviet Union on older pianos. The Soviet government often ignored invitations for him to perform abroad. He lived in a small apartment in Moscow, where his grand piano took up a whole room.
After his 1975 tour, everyone wanted him. Big record companies like Deutsche Grammophon and EMI competed to record his music. He recorded the Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto with famous conductors. He even broadcast it on international television for United Nations Day in 1976.
His performances of Chopin's music are also well-known. He appeared in a concert film and made a recording of Chopin's polonaises in the 1970s. He performed in Britain many times in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Another Travel Ban and Later Life
In 1980, when he was very popular, Berman was again stopped from leaving the Soviet Union. This time, it was because a book by an American writer, which was banned in the USSR, was found in his luggage at the airport.
In August 1990, Lazar Berman left the USSR for Norway. He later moved to Italy, where he became a teacher. Four years later, he became an Italian citizen. The next year, he was invited to teach at a music school in Weimar, Germany, where he taught until 2000. He often performed concerts with his son, Pavel.
Lazar Berman passed away in 2005. He is remembered for his incredible talent and his powerful piano playing. He taught many students who became successful pianists themselves. He was buried in Florence, Italy. The words on his grave say: "You and your music are always with us."
See also
In Spanish: Lázar Berman para niños
