Nathan Milstein
Although Nathan Milstein hailed from Odessa, the cradle of Russian violin playing, his personal style was more classical and intellectual in approach than many of his colleagues. By the middle of the twentieth century he had become one of the most renowned violinists in the world, and he did as much as anyone else to imbue Bach's solo violin partitas and sonatas with the rather mystical aura they have presently. Milstein began to study violin at the age of seven. His first teacher was Pyotr Stolyarsky, who remained with him through 1914. Milstein's last recital as a Stolyarsky pupil included another promising student, the five-year-old David Oistrakh. Milstein then went to the St. Petersburg Conservatory to study with Leopold Auer.
Milstein began his concert career at age ten in Odessa, and soon after he played Glazunov's concerto with the composer conducting. He continued to tour the Soviet Union for the next five years. During this time, Milstein made numerous joint appearances with Vladimir Horowitz, and Horowitz's sister Regina also joined them as Milstein's accompanist. In 1925, Milstein and Horowitz were encouraged by government officials to make a concert trip outside of Russia; Milstein would never return. Milstein recalled in his memoirs that the dramatic "grand manner" of Horowitz immediately made the pianist a star, while Milstein, a much more reserved person, did not have such immediate success. In 1926, he went to Brussels to consult with and discuss matters of interpretation with the great violinist and teacher Ysaÿe.
He made his American debut with Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1929, and made his New York debut in 1930. He soon established his base there, eventually becoming a United States citizen in 1942. He may not have become a concert-hall idol like Horowitz, but he had a strong musical reputation and was always in demand. When Arturo Toscanini ended his tenure as music director of the New York Philharmonic in 1936, he asked for Milstein as soloist in his final concert. After World War II Milstein made his home primarily in London, teaching master classes around the world. He was widely regarded as a sympathetic and approachable teacher.
He also established a major recording career and remains best known for his landmark recordings of the complete solo works of J.S. Bach, becoming a pioneer of the Bach solo violin literature at a time when few players programmed these pieces, and he eschewed more superficial works that were a primary part of the violin soloist's repertory. His 1950s recording of the Bach solo partitas and sonatas on the American Capitol Records label are exemplary traversals of that great cycle and are still counted as classics of recording art. Milstein maintained a remarkably long career, keeping the muscular strength and fluid joint motion he needed until his retirement at the age of 83, acquiesced to only after he broke his arm in a fall.
© TiVo
Similar artists
-
Tchaikovsky / Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos
Nathan Milstein, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1987
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Károly Goldmark: Violin Concerto No. 1 - Johannes Brahms: Violin Concerto
Nathan Milstein, The Philharmonia, Harry Blech, Anatole Fistoulari
Concertos - Released by Praga Digitals on 1 Nov 2013
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concertos & Encores
Nathan Milstein, Claudio Abbado
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach : Sonatas & Partitas
Classical - Released by EMI Classics on 1 Jan 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 by Nathan Milstein
Nathan Milstein, Philharmonia Orchestra, Leon Barzin
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 4 Jul 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Violin Concertos
Classical - Released by Angel Records on 1 Jan 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lucerne Festival Historic Performances: Nathan Milstein [Live] (Mendelssohn & Dvořák: Violin Concertos)
Classical - Released by audite Musikproduktion on 7 Sep 2018
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Milstein plays Violin Concertos
Nathan Milstein, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, William Steinberg
Violin Concertos - Released by Urania Records on 27 May 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
DVORAK / GLAZUNOV: Violin Concertos (Milstein) (1949-1951)
Nathan Milstein, Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, RCA Victor Orchestra, Antal Doráti, Vladimir Golschmann, William Steinberg
Classical - Released by Naxos on 1 Jan 1957
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Johann Sebastian Bach : Sonatas and Partitas
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1975
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nathan Milstein: Complete Deutsche Grammophon Recordings
Nathan Milstein, Georges Pludermacher, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Eugen Jochum
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 5 Apr 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nathan Milstein - The Last Recital
Classical - Released by Warner Classics International on 1 Mar 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vignettes: 24 Favorite Miniatures
Classical - Released by Angel Records on 1 Jan 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Tchaikovsky & Bruch: Concertos for Violin
Nathan Milstein, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, William Steinberg, Anatole Fistoulari, Leon Barzin
Classical - Released by Urania Records on 27 May 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Sonatas for Unaccompanied Violin
Classical - Released by Angel Records on 1 Jan 2001
The Qobuz Essential DiscographyStereophile: Record To Die For16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach by Nathan Milstein: Sonatas & Partitas
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 30 Sep 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven & Brahms:Violin Concertos
Nathan Milstein, Wilhelm Hans Steinberg, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Angel on 1 Jan 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Very Best Of: Nathan Milstein
Classical - Released by EMI Classics on 1 Jan 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach Partitas 1-3
Classical - Released by Angel Records on 1 Jan 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Chaconne extraite de la Partita No. 2 pour violon seul - Milstein: Paganiniana (Mono Version)
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1955
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Op. 61 by Nathan Milstein
Nathan Milstein, Erich Leinsdorf, Philharmonia Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 4 Jul 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo