Simon Barere facts for kids
Simon Barere (Russian: Симон Барер; 1 September 1896 – 2 April 1951) was a famous Russian pianist. He was known for his incredible speed and skill at the piano. His last name was originally spelled Barer, but he changed it to Barere to help people say it correctly.
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Early Life and Training
Simon Barere was born in Odessa, a city that was part of the Russian Empire at the time. He was one of thirteen children in his family. From a young age, he showed great talent for music.
He went to the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, a famous music school. There, he studied with two important teachers: Anna Yesipova and Felix Blumenfeld. Another well-known pianist, Vladimir Horowitz, also studied with Blumenfeld. However, Barere was Blumenfeld's favorite student.
Starting His Career
After finishing his studies, Barere began playing concerts. He performed in many places and also taught music at the Kiev Conservatory. This helped him share his musical knowledge with others.
Moving Around the World
Simon Barere later moved to different countries. He first went to Berlin, Germany. Then, he moved to Sweden, and finally settled in the United States.
In 1935, he visited the United Kingdom for a concert tour. He performed alongside another famous artist, Richard Tauber. These tours helped him become known to audiences around the world.
His Amazing Recordings
Barere was famous for his fast and skillful playing. He made many recordings that people loved. His performance of Islamey by Mily Balakirev was especially praised. Music critic Harold C. Schonberg said that Barere could make the piano sound very colorful and musical.
Live Performances and Legacy
Simon Barere often gave concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York City. His son, Boris, sometimes recorded these live performances. One famous recording from 1947 was Liszt's Sonata in B minor.
Other notable pieces he performed included Liszt's Spanish Rhapsody and Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12. He also played Blumenfeld's Étude for the Left Hand Alone and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2.
In 1949, an amazing home recording of Barere playing parts of his music was made. This shows his talent even when he was not on stage.
His Final Performance
In March 1951, Barere made more recordings that showed he was still playing wonderfully. Sadly, his life ended suddenly a month later.
On 2 April 1951, Simon Barere was performing Grieg's Piano Concerto at Carnegie Hall. He was playing with the Philadelphia Orchestra, led by Eugene Ormandy. During the concert, he became ill and collapsed. He died backstage shortly after.
See also
In Spanish: Simon Barere para niños
