Nathan Milstein (1903-1992) was one of the most elegant and innately gifted violinists of the twentieth century. The biographer Boris Schwarz called his playing, “a rare combination of classical taste and technical perfection,” adding that “the effortless nonchalance with which he achieves sophisticated technical feats is amazing.”
Born in Odessa, Milstein studied with the renowned Pyotr Stolyarsky, who was also teaching the six-year-old David Oistrakh at the time. At the age of 11, Milstein moved to St. Petersburg, where he became one of the last students of the legendary Leopold Auer. Milstein toured extensively with Vladimir Horowitz and eventually emigrated to the United States. The naturalness and ease with which Milstein approached the violin was illustrated in his ability to change fingerings on the spot during a performance. His use of rapid, energetic bow speed produced a pure, ringing tone. Milstein’s technique remained at a high level into his 80s and he retired only after suffering a broken hand.
This performance of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61, recorded by the BBC at London’s Royal Festival Hall on February 6, 1972, features Nathan Milstein with Sir Adrian Boult and the London Philharmonic. The cadenza was written by Milstein.
Paganiniana
These virtuosic variations for solo violin, composed by Nathan Milstein, draw upon the works of Niccolò Paganini. This performance was recorded in 1968:
Recordings
- Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61, Nathan Milstein, Sir Adrian Boult, London Philharmonic Orchestra Amazon