Michael Rabin facts for kids

Michael Rabin (/ˈreɪbɪn/ RAY-bin; May 2, 1936 – January 19, 1972) was an American violinist. Many people called him one of the most talented violin players of his time. He was known for his amazing skill and beautiful music.

Early Life and Family

Michael Rabin was born on May 2, 1936. His family had a strong musical background. His mother, Jeanne, was a skilled pianist. She studied music at a famous school called Juilliard. His father, George, played the violin. He was part of the New York Philharmonic orchestra.

Michael started learning the violin when he was seven years old. His parents really encouraged him to play music.

Becoming a Violin Master

Michael was a natural talent. A famous violinist named Jascha Heifetz advised him. Heifetz suggested Michael study with Ivan Galamian. Galamian was a well-known violin teacher. He once said Michael had "no weaknesses, never."

Michael studied with Galamian in New York. He also attended the Meadowmount School of Music and the Juilliard School.

Big Performances

Michael Rabin made his first big debut in January 1950. He was only 13 years old. He played at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He performed with the National Orchestral Association. He played a piece called Concerto No. 5 by Henri Vieuxtemps.

He then played with many American orchestras. On November 29, 1951, he returned to Carnegie Hall. He was 15 years old. He played the Paganini D major Concerto. The New York Philharmonic played with him. Many people think his 1958 recording of this concerto is one of the best ever.

His first performance in London was on December 13, 1954. He was 18. He played the Tchaikovsky Concerto in D. This performance was at the Royal Albert Hall. He played with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

His Recordings

Michael Rabin recorded many famous violin concertos. These included works by Mendelssohn, Glazunov, and Tchaikovsky. He also recorded two concertos by Wieniawski.

He was especially known for playing pieces by Paganini. He recorded Paganini's Caprices for solo violin. These are very difficult pieces. He also recorded Bruch's Scottish Fantasy.

Michael also recorded solo violin pieces by Bach and Eugène Ysaÿe. He even made an album with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.

His Violin and Style

Michael Rabin played with a style called bel canto. This means "beautiful singing" in Italian. It describes a smooth, flowing way of playing.

For many years, he played a special violin. It was made by Guarnerius del Gesù in 1735. This violin was known as the "Kubelik" Guarnerius.

He traveled a lot to perform. He played in major cities in the U.S., Europe, South America, Southern Africa, and Australia. He even appeared on a TV show in 1951.

Later Life

Michael Rabin faced some health challenges during his career. He passed away at the age of 35 in 1972.