Lev Oborin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lev Oborin
People's Artist of the USSR
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| Background information | |
| Native name |
Лев Никола́евич Обо́рин
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| Birth name | Lev Nikolayevich Oborin |
| Born | 11 September 1907 Moscow, Russian Empire |
| Died | 5 January 1974 (aged 66) Moscow, Soviet Union |
| Genres | Classical music |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist, composer, pedagogue |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Labels | Philips Records |
Lev Nikolayevich Oborin (born September 11, 1907 – died January 5, 1974) was a very talented Soviet and Russian pianist, composer, and teacher. He is famous for winning the very first International Chopin Piano Competition in 1927. This made him a star in the world of classical music.
Contents
Early Life and Music Studies
Lev Oborin's family moved around a lot when he was very young. In 1914, they finally settled down in Moscow, which is a big city in Russia. There, he started going to music school.
He learned to play the piano from a teacher named Elena Gnesina. She was a student of a famous musician named Ferruccio Busoni. At the same time, Lev also studied how to write music (composition) with Alexander Gretchaninov. He was very good at both playing and composing music.
In 1921, when he was just 14, Oborin was accepted into the Moscow Conservatory. This is a very famous music school. He studied both piano and composition there. He finished his piano studies in 1926.
Winning the Chopin Competition
In 1926, news came to Moscow about a big new competition. It was called the First International Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition, and it was going to be held in Warsaw, Poland, in 1927. Lev's piano teacher, Konstantin Igumnov, immediately thought that Lev should enter.
Lev Oborin won the first prize at this important competition! After his big win, he played concerts in Poland and Germany. For many years, until 1945, he mostly performed in Russia. During this time, he also started teaching at the Moscow Conservatory, sharing his knowledge with new students.
Famous Music Collaborations
In 1935, Lev Oborin played his first concert with a very famous violinist named David Oistrakh. They became great friends and continued to play music together for the rest of their lives.
A well-known composer named Aram Khachaturian wrote his Piano Concerto in D flat especially for Oborin. Khachaturian said, "When I was working on my concerto, I dreamed of hearing it played by Lev Oborin. My dream came true in the summer of 1937. The wonderful performance by this outstanding pianist ensured its success."
From 1941 to 1963, Oborin was part of a famous music group called a piano trio. This trio included him on piano, David Oistrakh on violin, and Sviatoslav Knushevitsky on cello. They became famous all over the world. Khachaturian even wrote three different concertos (one for piano, one for violin, and one for cello) for each member of this amazing trio.
New Music and Teaching Talents
Lev Oborin was also known for playing new pieces of music for the very first time in public. He performed works by modern composers like Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich. For example, he played Prokofiev's Violin Sonata No. 1 with David Oistrakh.
He was also a fantastic teacher. Many of his students became famous pianists themselves. One of his most well-known students was Vladimir Ashkenazy, who won second prize at the Chopin Competition in 1955. Other students included Mikhail Voskresensky and Boris Berman.
Oborin was often asked to be a judge at important music competitions. He was a judge at the Fourth and Fifth International Chopin Competitions, as well as other competitions in cities like Moscow, Lisbon, Paris, and Leeds.
Lev Oborin passed away in 1974 when he was 66 years old. He left behind a great legacy as a pianist, composer, and teacher who inspired many musicians.
Honours and Awards
- Stalin Prize, second class (1943) - for his concerts and performances
- People's Artist of the RSFSR (1955)
- People's Artist of the USSR (1964)
- Glinka State Prize of the RSFSR (1966) - for his concerts and performances
- Two Orders of Lenin (1946, 1966)
- Order of the Red Banner of Labour
- Order of the Badge of Honour (1937)
See also
In Spanish: Lev Oborin para niños
