David Oistrakh: The Violinist Who Revolutionized Classical Music

Join tonebase Violin's new KZbin host, Sumina Studer, for a look into the life and legacy of one of the greatest violinists ever - David Oistrakh!
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[@SunnyKhuranaViolin]

I'm a 19 year old student and I can confidently say that Oistrakh is my all time favorite violinist. I've been through many phases when it comes to violinists, but I always find myself coming back to Oistrakh. Such technical brilliance, yet always in service of the music. I think that very few (if any at all) violinists understand great works such as the Tchaikovsky and Brahms concerti as much as he did - both of which he recorded a bunch of times and never broke a sweat! Everyone I've spoken to who met him say how down to earth and humble he was, despite his greatness. Never is there a day that I pick up the violin without thinking of Oistrakh. Thanks for the video, I'm always happy to see him staying relevant for our generation!

[@retf054ewte3]

she explained very well. with passion and deep understanding. brought tears to my eyes. she is a wonderful violinist too.

[@timkovatch8251]

Love this video! When I was a Violin Student in Baltimore, Maryland, I met David Oistrahk after he played with the Baltimore Symphony. I was so starstruck I could hardly speak after shaking his hand, and he just stood there, smiling like a Buddha, with the most compassionate, loving look on his face. I was transfixed for days afterwards!

[@saramazd]

D. Oistrakh is my absolute favorite violinist of all time. It’s told that when Menuhin met him, told him “I wish I could have your trills”. And he replied “it’s easy, with a bit more practice you can achieve that”.

[@timkovatch8251]

My violin teacher in San Francisco once asked Oistrakh what the most important thing to practice was, and he responded with, Sevcik trill studies!

[@user-do5hd7zb4x]

Very wonderful! Thank you for documentary on Oistrach. Oddly enough I was introduced to Oistrach through a vinyl record. Zino FranciscatiDavid Oistrach and possibly one other virtuoso. I would dance to his record out in the garage of my parents home. I was taking Ballesteros and relishing the sumptuous tone of one of.his ten violins I would guess. It may have been Sebelious I don't know. I also listened to a young Hungarian violinist Bruno Zintelli and accompanying sister on piano. This was good music I was privileged to be hearing..Fritz Kreusler may have been the third violinist along with Oistrach on a black colored L. P. I wish.i had.those two records in my possession but was forced out.of my home in 2012. That is.how I came to know the great David Oistrach. I took iolin in 4th grade and 5th grade and.by sixth grade I had a different teacher. I stagnated and.was uninspired and still could not tune my great grandfathers violin. I gave up and eventually took guitar and after.high school dismantled my.violin to fix the glue crack my 6th grade violin teacher had been needling me about. Needless to say I got the fingerboard on crooked. I had destroyed my great grandfathers violin. I felt horrible. Anyway that's how I came to know a little.about Dabid Oistrach. Thanks!😅

[@duggiefresh8170]

He was a true poet of the violin. I appreciate your efforts to put this together. Fine job!

[@TheaKotze-rj9lk]

Always loved and adored his playing. I didn't know that he had access to 10 Stradivari violins! That is unique.

[@Jikan4299]

I'm fall in love from the first time i hear Oistrakh played the violin in many videos. I love with his tone of sound. Eventhough i'm lack with classical musical. But his played inspired me to play another song. His bowing such an amazing skill. Just love the sound he produced. Incredible

[@JustFiddler]

😊

[@dvides89]

🎉🎉🎉🎉 Sumina is a great hostess , and talking about all time GOAT himself.

[@jacc88888]

Great video. Since childhood Oistrakh was my main inspiration in becoming a professional violinist (well soloist back then until reality kicked in !) As a kid I used to listen to one of his live Tchaikovsky concerto recordings over and over again on vinyl. Heifetz may have been even more impressive in terms of virtuosity and some contemporary players perhaps even more technically perfect but as a complete violinist for me Oistrakh is the G.O.A.T.

[@user-vv1kf5in3w]

LOVE Sumina being on this channel. She's a perfect fit

[@jonteske4267]

First heard of him when I was 17 and played (in the orchestra) the Beethoven for the first time with a community orchestra. (I actually did not play the concert as our soloist was ill and cancelled. She came back a year later by I was away at college. I have played it in performance three times, all as a violin 1. We listened to the ca. 1958 recording on Angel and Cluytens conducting. In college I collected as many of his recordings as I could find and afford. BTW I was not a music major and my profession was not in music, but I have played over 1600 public concerts, mostly as an orchestral violinist, but also chamber and local soloist. I did manage to see and hear him live twice both as a violin soloist and as a conductor. I've heard him do the Beethoven and Mozart 4, and he conducted the Pathetique Symphony of Tchaikowsky. All in Washington DC. And Sumina, I've also followed you for several years. Sadly, I've had to retire from playing.

[@DanielMessiasSantos-gy8bk]

There is a broadcast recorded, here I could hear, the double violin concerto from Bach....played by Oisthrak and Menuhin, my impression is a high level performance, incredible!

[@philiptyler1948]

I grew up with a few iconic LP records of David Oistrakh. His was always the sound I dreamed of developing. I also had the experience of showing up to hear his son, Igor, only to find out that - due to a spat between the US and USSR governments - Igor had not been allowed to travel out of the Soviet Union. But Aaron Rosand appeared instead, and I was not disappointed.

[@shymusic1216]

Another big Oistrakh fan - and there are so many! I'd like to think I could always identify his playing but would not be able to tell which instrument he was playing on any given recording. Fabulous though all those instruments are, it was the man who made the music.

[@aXw4ryPlJR]

Many, if not the majority, of Oistrakh's recordings were performed on his Gesu violin, widely acknowledged as a remarkable instrument though not necessarily the absolute best. However, the consistently supreme tone quality he achieved with it stands as a testament to his exceptional technique.

[@catalinquercinola7553]

He actually played the del Gesu for a relatively short period, preferring Stradivari’s instruments. He was always a Strad guy. The two violins that you hear the most in his recordings are the 1702 count de Fontana and the 1705 Marsick. The Marsick he actually owned.

[@saramazd]

No matter what he played on, he sounded absolutely marvelous. Sounded Oistrakh!

[@aXw4ryPlJR]

@@catalinquercinola7553 Thanks for the info. It seemed I was misinformed

[@hectorberlioz1449]

@@aXw4ryPlJR this is not true! He played mostly and also the majority of his recordings , certainly in the west, on the so called Masaryk Stradivarius ! It was a state owned violin and for that matter lend to him by the Soviet government. The Masaryk wasn't one of the most beautiful Strads, something which was widely known!

[@HappyG1lm0re]

Whoa it's Sumina! Awesome!!!

[@johnalexander4946]

One may consider Oistrakh to be more a product and part of the Soviet violin school, rather than the Russian school. The distinction being the state sponsored violin school drew from various disciplines of music and science to create a unique system for producing the world’s best violin players for the political advancement of the state in the eyes of the world. The Russian, Hungarian, Auer school was a predecessor to the Soviet system and was displaced following the revolution. Oistrakh studied with Stolyarsky and later taught at the Moscow Conservatory with Yankelevich and Goldstein, all preeminent Soviet pedagogues. Politically he was an active and decorated member or the Soviet party.

[@alla-sensei2642]

I absolutely agree with your points concerning Russian vs Soviet violin schools and Oistrakh being very decorated member of the Soviet party. An interesting question raises the word "active". Was it because of Ostrakh's communist beliefs or his pragmatism?

[@johnalexander4946]

@@alla-sensei2642 We may never know his true thoughts but living in the Soviet era surely must have compelled many to pragmatism. I don’t believe his contemporary musical icons Prokofiev and Shostakovich were enamored with the socialist totalitarian system. But it was very dangerous to dissent against the state. If given the opportunity to defect to the west, I would like to imagine he would have done so. But perhaps not. He was probably treated as a god in the USSR.

[@Zahaada]

​@@johnalexander4946 думаю, возможность у него была, многократно..вы слегка смешны

[@ALLNAMESTAKEN911oku]

I would love if these videos explained the unique qualities of Oistrakh via examples from recordings contrasted against his contemporaries. I think that might help make your points about him much clearer for the lay person like myself!

[@Soulill0quy]

Didn’t know he played on so many instruments. Awesome video Sumina, I loved the format and editing!

[@gelcumaksutovici4214]

Thank you!🎉

[@alexcitron5159]

Great! Oistrakh may be the major violinist I knew the least about. BTW, pianist here, for the past 6 years or so listening and learning more and more violin music.

[@vandersonbraz]

David Oistrakh is my favorite violinist!

[@ivansarkany314]

Brilliant , lively, accurate presentation. Loved every aspect of it.

[@JustFiddler]

matur suksma. I'm a fiddler. love david oistrakh

[@sadhbhdelahunt]

I only know about Oistrakh because I watched this video presented by Sumina. I followed Sumina and I got alot of progress on my shifting when I watched her video on shifting so I always watch her.

[@greenviolist34]

You want to see what it looks like when you play the violin as though it were a woodwind or brass instrument? D. O. makes every bow stroke as organic as breathing. He always stands apart from other violin masters in my mind for his bow arm. They can all make their LH look easy, natural, fun even... DO was always poised and elegant but his bowing brought to life this perceptible, near tangible feeling of playing the violin within the sound he spun. Like his sound was a liaison linking listener to performer in some fourth dimensional sound. Idk how to explain, his playing is something beyond my understanding Historical aside, Strad didn't intentionally set out to change the violin. He was responding to the market. Also, the makeup of ensembles were taking shape as equal temperament was a new concept.

[@rsns311257]

He was my idol when I was about 9. I wanted to study the violin because of him. I ended up playing the organ instead. Rostropovitch told Oistrakh to leave the USSR, but Oistrakh replied that after all they had done for him he could not do it. And Oistrakh himself told someone that during the purges everyone kept awake until 4 in the morning (when the police came) and that in his building a lot of people were taken away. I don't think he was all that keen on stalinism: he was just grateful for the regime to make his talent blossom and, of course, he was a patriot.

[@alhfgsp]

You can love your country but hate its government. I'm American, so many of us are like this.

[@adambe1126]

Perfect host for tonebase!

[@robertpadgett4192]

Joseph Joachim was 12 years old when he performed Beethoven's Violin Concerto for the Royal Philharmonic Society of London.

[@nirwana911]

I've been listening (and watching) most of the great violinists from the 20th century over the years, Oistrakh is my all time favs. Also, Sumina, I'm still watching your Paganini Caprice No.5 video, impressive! (I'm blown away)

[@mat_m378]

Thanks a lot tonebase,like usual top class clip!

[@robertzsizsnyovski8657]

This video is great

[@thiilaak]

Small correction. In English we would say sound of tone not tone of sound. Otherwise fantastic vid. Thanks Sumina.

[@esthermarcus5135]

Thanks you for the big amount of knoledge about this special person !! BECAUSE he was humble, he came to such an incredible level, because of his seek to his roots, beeing humble and good hearted, his mind could work very fine and pure, revealing new ways and more for succeed !!! And GOD helped him BECAUSE GOD wants US to be humble and understand, that without Gods help nothing can funktion well

[@t.p.2506]

Thankyou very much! Great Perception! What about the bow's great Violinist are using?

[@serodriguez]

Actually, before the 1955 debut of Mr. Oistrakh, impresario Sol Hurok tried back in 1930 to secure the management of Soviet artists on American soil. However, because of Stalin's paranoia, this was impossible. Only after Stalin's death was the American tour possible. Columbia Artists Management was responsible for the American tour of Mr. Gilels and Mr. Oistrakh. By provisions of the contract, Oistrakh should have arrived in New York on November 10, 1955, and started his first concert on the 13th of the same month. But this did not happen, due to the conductor designated for the event, Herbert von Karajan. The famous Austrian conductor was unfortunately known during the 1950s for his work in Nazi Germany. He had been a member of the Nazi Party since 1933 and a favorite for several years among the Nazi elite. Therefore, the Soviet authorities in Washington D.C. viewed with some resentment that the opening concert of the tour was with Karajan, especially considering protests and negative reactions from various American progressive groups. These groups opposed the concert, given the Jewish origins of soloist David Oistrakh. This led to a maneuver by the Soviets, camouflaging their intentions by stating that Oistrakh was "sick," which would delay his arrival in the United States. This explanation was not questioned by the Americans, but it was evident that there was something more behind this supposed "illness." To avoid raising suspicions among American citizens, Oistrakh did not play in public nor did he make any public appearances during those days in the Russian capital. He only attended to his obligations at the Moscow Conservatory. Finally, Mr. Oistrakh arrived at Idlewild Airport (now John F. Kennedy Airport in New York) on November 16, thus establishing that his first recital would be on November 20 at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan.

[@lucaspiano]

My most fave violinists are Hilary Hahn for classical and Caroline Campbell for the other genres hehe

[@lianaviolin]

A lot of wrong information in this video. Khachaturian was not Russian, he was born to an Armenian family in Georgia. Stolyarsky did not study with Auer. Oistrakh was not from the Russian school of music but rather Soviet as Odessa was a part of the Soviet Union from 1917. Even when Ukraine was a part of the Russian Empire up until then, it still had a very distinct culture which was continually suppressed by Russia. We still learned Ukrainian folk songs and dances in music school even through the Soviet times. You can hear the difference in styles even between violinists who had their foundational studies in Moscow vs Odessa.

[@alla-sensei2642]

Ms Stadler, talking about Oistrakh's teacher (6:19), did you mean PYOTR (Pinchas) Stolyarsky? Could you please point out the source of your statement that Stolyarsky was a student of Leopold Auer (6:28)? By the way, Aram Khachaturian (5:08) was a Soviet ARMENIAN (5:05) composer even though his work was closely intertwined with Russian musical tradition. I managed to watch your video only up to 6:35. Sorry.

[@mariuszmonczak5365]

Oh … another wrong fact … Stolyarski never studied with Leopold Auer - but with one of his former students … The Stolyarsky technique is „a bit different„ then Auer’s technique… Nathan Milstein studied with both of them …

[@marxismisevil839]

Sumina ❤ Ms Pag 4 ❤❤❤

[@iratashman7202]

I love his tone and the notes flowing into each other. Heifetz plays notes separately and I don’t like that. It doesn’t sound smooth

[@brian777999]

Welcome back Sumina. Very interesting video . Why is the Beethoven violin concerto so difficult ?

[@konstantin.v]

Shouldn't the plural be *Stradivarii?* 😊

[@TheaKotze-rj9lk]

Correct

[@catalinquercinola7553]

Wonderful video! Great job!

[@melissanormoyle8818]

Anne Sophie Mutter said in an interview that Oistrakh's recording of the Brahms Sonatas were an inspiration - musically unique. I'm a Sumina fan btw!

[@juanmendozaorellana]

Aram Khachaturian was not a Russian composer.

[@Mehd.J81]

He was ! His nationality was russian sovietic , and not armenian sovietic !

[@dariohulsing6111]

'David Oistrakh was praised by the violin father himself, Yehudi Menuhin, as one of the two or three greatest living fiddlers of our age. Let that sink in.' Why is this worth emphasizing? Would be an accomplishment if David Oistrakh said that about Menuhin. Not the other way around. (No hate to Menuhin. He played well if he practiced + he made great educational contributions). Oistrakh was also a lot older, so I find it an interesting remark...

[@mariuszmonczak5365]

Very interesting video … But where did you get this story about 12 years of David Ojstrakh playing for Prokofiev? Prokofiev left Russia in 1917 and only returned to Motherland in 1936 … David was born in 1908 …

[@jackburgess8579]

Oistrakh was truly great of course, but the quote from Menuhin is worthless. Menuhin threw the epithet "great violinist" around like confetti.

[@lindashapanka6229]

It’s possible that Oistrakh went along w the communist party so they wouldn’t hamper his career.

[@bw2082]

Yes. You need to do what you have to sometimes.

[@phantasmal914]

I would say it's nearly guaranteed, many of his friends were taken by the regime and sent to prison camps. Not to mention him being good friends with Shostakovich, who wrote some music with very clear anti-totalitarianism sprinkled in. I couldn't imagine David Oistrakh not just playing, but understanding a piece like Shostakovich's 1st Violin Concerto. While still being an ideologically orthodox communist.

[@alexsaldarriaga8318]

Sorry, Sumina, but Stolyarsky did not study with Auer.

[@catalinquercinola7553]

He was an assistant to Auer

[@garabed2999]

Nice talking about Oistrakh untill you mentioned the name of Aram Khatchadurian as a russsian composer please do your homework better Aram khatchadurian is an Armenian and if you have some kind of allergy with the Armenian names you could have said soviet composer Aram khatchadurian as many of your masters in classical music industry do . Please do your correction openly and transparently thank you ( please no hard feelings)

[@fingerhorn4]

This is poorly researched. Many factual errors and frankly a bit shallow. You do not get to the heart or essence of Oistrakh.

[@Poreckylife]

Agree

[@Luslot1973]

Very nice and informative video. Was Oistrakh really a die-hard fan of communism, or was he rather just saving his career and his life at home instead of fleeing like many others felt necessary

[@tapuit1]

I guess he could have refused the Stalin award, or would that have been the end of his career?

[@ardabatha8066]

Heifetz always and forever! Oistrakh was undeniably great and perhaps produced a plusher tone than Heifetz. But JH reigns supreme in all other aspects of violinism, not to mention his laser-like intonation. On a related note, think of the several transcriptions for the violin by Heifetz, which became standard violin repertoire. It was not without reason that the RCA set of JH recordings calls him the 'Violinist of the Century'.

[@jackburgess8579]

>>" But JH reigns supreme in all other aspects of violinism" Not in performing Mozart..

[@ardabatha8066]

​​@@jackburgess8579(Hello, the following is an excerpt from a Gramophone review): Competition in the US for limited concerto recordings was fierce, however, since several pre-eminent players were on Victor's books, and in the Depression artists were allowed, even encouraged, to make records for HMV. So it was that Heifetz made six pre-war concerto recordings in London. Five of these were with John Barbirolli (as he was then), who was chosen for the task by Fred Gaisberg. This was a typically shrewd move, since as the Mozart shows, there was a good understanding between soloist and conductor. The performance throughout is sheer delight. Heifetz plays with a notably beautiful tone-quality, and strikes a perfect balance between a natural warmth of expression and classical elegance. Every tempo seems perfectly chosen, and there is a feeling of relaxed, harmonious music-making.

[@jackburgess8579]

@@ardabatha8066 I am familiar with Heifetz's recordings of Mozart. They are not good.

[@frankie6954]

​@@jackburgess8579Well if you say that they're not good, it must be true. It would be interesting to see what Mozart's opinion would have been.

[@jackburgess8579]

@@frankie6954 If you listen to Heifetz's Mozart recordings, and compare them with those of an elite Mozartian - such as Grumiaux, Oistrakh or Chloe Chua - it will be clear to you that Heifetz's Mozart is not good.

[@AdamantSeraph]

Pitty that intonation was sub-optimal

[@hectorberlioz1449]

My top 10 is , in random order : Heifetz, Milstein, Menuhin, Szeryng, Haendel, Kreisler, Francescatti, Ferras, Grumiaux, Perlman and to an certain extend Stern. Imho all greater and more interesting than Oistrakh. Though I like his playing for sure, but his Mozart concerto rec are so out of style , nothing to compare f.i.with Grumiaux or Szeryng. In his Brahms recordings under Szell there are serious intonation problems. On the other hand his Sibelius and Tchaikovsky concertos with Ormandy are great! Wasn't it also a kind of political career as some critics wrote? Personally , heard him a couple of times live in Holland and it was rather disappointing. Sorry for the negativity, but nevertheless thanks for standing up for Oistrakh !

[@dariohulsing6111]

Sad you have such a one-sided view. You could've had a bad experience with David, but I'm sure you didn't hear him live before 1960. I know that for sure (tell me if I'm wrong, but I ain't), because otherwise you wouldn't write what you wrote. Yes, he had some difficult times, but bad intonation is b*llsh*t, he had one of the best intonation of all time. As an example you give his latest and worst recording, just before he passed away, instead of tons of his beautiful Brahms recordings. Funny that some violinsts' intonation in your 'top 10' (nobody cares btw) have terrible intonation. Like Menuhin after his childhood, Kristian Ferras when he was depressed and Francescatti (always). That doesn't mean I disrespect them; Ferras' Sibel with Berliner is my favourite recording ever. Mozart concerto out of style idem with a lot of your 'top 10'. Just like most old Baroque and Classical performances. You might not change your opinion, but I just wanted to say it's useless to comment this negative nonsense, based on nothing except for a bad experience. Why did you go to multiple concerts if it was rather disappointing? I would never visit a violinist multiple times if i found him disappointing? In Holland we would call you a 'zuurpruim'.

[@dariohulsing6111]

Also curious if you also dislike Kogan, since it's not in your 'top 10'

[@hectorberlioz1449]

@@dariohulsing6111 my favourite Sibelius is also Ferras' , together with Heifetz second recording. No , I like Kogan as a like Ricci too. Did I mention him. I am not a ' zuurpruim' , I 'm just critical , maybe not what you want hear. Heard Oistrakh in '72 with the Residentie- Orkest and with the R'dam PO in Tchaikovsky. Unfortunately I am not the only one who complained about David's intonation. Ferras did one of the best ever Mozart 4&5 on disc! And his Schumann sonates are unsurpassed. Menuhin was maybe the most touching and intense violinist ever and for that the greatest player imho. Even after his childhood; listen to his Brahms with Boult or Kempe! Or his Bach concertos!

[@tbarrelier]

I had a CD of him with his pianist Lev Oborin playing the Beethoven sonatas. Boring. It's as if their reverence for the music inhibited its expressive, passionate qualities, Beethoven without passion is ice tea without the ice!

[@16donamirof]

By the way you are pretty girl 😊

[@FreyaVal]

Oistrakh is LingLing’s god

[@jackburgess8579]

I have never heard Chloe mention Oistrakh!

[@HeelPower200]

I may get flack for this but I am not a fan of his playing. Its too stiff , metronomic and schmaltzy. Thick overwhelming vibrato on every note. No flexibility of tempo or phrasing. But I guess that's how people viewed violin playing back then. This old school of playing is the reason we got the "historically informed" counter movement which almost completely eliminated vibrato(also not good) I think modern playing has a come a long way. With more flexibility in tempo, phrasing and greater variety of interpretation.

[@simon0yeung]

From your description, you were listening to someone else then, not Oistrakh for sure

[@catalinquercinola7553]

Ether clean your ears or make sure that you are listening to Oistrakh

[@16donamirof]

Not one of the.... Oistrakh is the best violinist in history from Great Russia and Great Russian school . Viva Russian Music School