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Tag: Vladimir Ashkenazy

Vladimir Ashkenazy at 85 A Musical Life

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”

July 6, 2022
Ashkenazy Retires Legacy Broadcast Today

I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say the music world was stunned by the news on January 17 that Vladimir Ashkenazy is now retired, effective immediately. The announcement came with no advance notice. There will be no farewell tour, and all engagements for 2020 have been cancelled.

This afternoon on The Classical Network, we’ll celebrate the legacy of this superb and beloved artist, with nearly three hours of his recordings.

Ashkenazy, who is indisputably one of the greatest pianists of his time – which is to say, of the past half century – is also a conductor of merit. We’ll hear him in both capacities, performing music by Beethoven, Boris Blacher, André Previn, Jean Sibelius, and of course Sergei Rachmaninoff.

First, on today’s Noontime Concert, rising musicians of Philadelphia’s Astral Artists will perform Johannes Brahms’ String Sextet No. 2 in G major and Sibelius’ String Quartet in D minor “Voces Intimae.”

After that, it’s all-Ashkenazy. The music-making will Rach your world, between 12 and 4 p.m. EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

January 21, 2020
Ashkenazy Retires Suddenly at 82

Vladimir Ashkenazy, one of the foremost pianists of the past half century, has abruptly announced his retirement. Curiously, this was done with no advance notice. There will be no farewell tour. All engagements have been cancelled for 2020, effective immediately. It’s unclear whether or not this will extend to his conducting. Hopefully illness is not a factor. Ashkenazy is 82 years-old.

January 19, 2020
Ashkenazy at 80 Uncommon Classics on WPRB

Classical music radio stations around the world will be celebrating the 80th birthday of Vladimir Ashkenazy. How many will do so, I wonder, by playing “B-sides?”

This morning on WPRB, we’ll take our usual tack and try to focus on the unusual and neglected, with Ashkenazy as pianist, performing music by Taneyev, Stravinsky, Previn and Rautavaara (okay, we’ll toss in a little Rachmaninoff, too), and as conductor, performing works by Franck, Prokofiev, Scriabin and Boris Blacher.

At 9:00, we’ll pause for a visit from accordionist Robert Young McMahan. McMahan, who is on the faculty of The College of New Jersey, is one of the foremost authorities on his instrument. He is on the governing board of the American Accordionists’ Association, which will hold its annual festival at the Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village, from July 12 to July 16. Tune in to learn more, or look online at http://www.ameraccord.com. The AAA has commissioned prominent contemporary composers to write for the accordion for over 65 years. McMahan will share some of his insights and recordings.

It will be mostly Ashkenazy, with a dash of accordion, this morning from 6 to 11 EST, on WPRB 103.3 FM and wprb.com. Come to think of it, when are we not dashing, on Classic Ross Amico?

PHOTO: Ashkenazy, oblivious of the dress code

July 6, 2017
Accordionist Robert McMahan on WPRB Radio

At 9:00, we’ll take a break from our celebration of the 80th birthday of Vladimir Ashkenazy to welcome accordionist and composer Robert Young McMahan to the studio. McMahan, who is on the faculty of The College of New Jersey, is one of the foremost authorities on his instrument. He is on the governing board of the American Accordionists’ Association, which will hold its annual festival at the Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village, from July 12 to July 16. Tune in to learn more, or look online at http://www.ameraccord.com. The AAA has commissioned prominent contemporary composers to write for the accordion for over 65 years. McMahan will share some of his insights and recordings.

Then, at 10:00, we’ll be back to Ashkenazy, with music by Sergei Rachmaninoff and André Previn. Between now and then, we’ll have recordings of Ashkenazy performing works by César Franck, Igor Stravinsky, Boris Blacher and Einojuhani Rautavaara. Plenty of unusual and inspiring music to come until 11 a.m. EDT, on WPRB 103.3 FM and wprb.com.

July 6, 2017

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