Vladimir Ashkenazy is 85 today. One of the great pianists, he was born in Gorky, now Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. He left the Soviet Union for London in 1963. From there, he and his wife, Dódý, moved to her native Iceland. The two met as students at the Moscow Conservatory. Ashkenazy has held Icelandic citizenship since 1972. In 1978, the couple relocated to Lucerne, Switzerland, where they remain.
In concert, Ashkenazy has been known to eschew neckties in favor of turtlenecks, and for running, as opposed to walking, on and off stage. Midway through his career, he decided to diversify and picked up the baton. He was principal conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from 1987 to 1994, chief conductor and music director of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchestre Berlin from 1988 and 1996, and principal conductor of the Czech Philharmonic from 1998 to 2003. He is conductor laureate of the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. He was music director of the European Union Youth Orchestra. Outside Europe, he served as music director of the NHK Symphony Orchestra from 2004 to 2007 and chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra from 2009 to 2013.
From 1987 to 1994, he was principal guest conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. The only time I ever saw him live was as a conductor, leading the Cleveland Orchestra at Philadelphia’s Academy of Music in works by Barber, Korngold, and Brahms. Perhaps a decade later, he was scheduled to conduct the Philadelphia Orchestra in Liszt’s rarely-heard, 30-minute symphonic poem “Ce qu’on entend sur la montagne,” but at the last minute, the program changed, so I didn’t go. I’m sorry to say, I never saw him as a pianist.
On January 17, 2020, he retired without warning, effective immediately. No explanation was given. As far as I know, he is still healthy and enjoying his retirement. Happy birthday, Vladimir Ashkenazy.
Mussorgsky, “Pictures at an Exhibition” in concert
Rachmaninoff, “Etudes Tableaux” in concert
Rachmaninoff, “Corelli Variations” in concert
Mozart with Barenboim
Live Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 2
Conducting Sibelius, “En Saga”
As soloist in Einojuhani Rautavaara’s Piano Concerto No. 3
1987 documentary, “Ashkenazy Observed”
