International Tchaikovsky Competition Reaches 60th Year Anniversary at the Moscow Conservatory
At first, only the piano and violin played under the arches of a large Moscow conservatory hall. Later, the cello and vocal competitions entered the program. The International Tchaikovsky Competition has now been going for 60 years. And all these years it holds the highest ranking as the most famous music contest in the world. The great Dmitri Shostakovich headed the organizing committee for almost 20 years. It's not possible to list all performers who were discovered at this musical event.
Here's Marina Gromova reporting about the legendary first contest.
Daniel Pollack: "It's difficult to believe that the 60th anniversary is coming up".
American Daniel Pollack is a winner of that same first competition in 1958. Performers from 20 countries came to Moscow, Queen Elisabeth of Belgium was among the guests of honor. The Soviet government covered all expenses; the foreign participants stayed at the Peking Hotel.
Daniel Pollack: "The audiences that came to meet me backstage after the concert, looked at me as if I came from outer space, they asked me questions about my life in the US; forget politics, we are talking about getting to know each other through the prism of music".
But it didn't appear possible to forget about politics back then, the cold war was in full swing, and the pianist from the US was among the main contenders to win.
Denis Matsuev, Pianist: "Khrushchev was being advised whether or not to give the American the prize, so he asked the Minister of Culture, "And what do the experts say?" And the sly, no, I'd say the wise Nikita Sergeevich said: "The experts are saying that he really plays better than anyone". "Well, let's give him first prize then." Back then everyone knew Van Cliburn, or Van Cleebern, as he was called in the Soviet Union.
Van Cliburn: "I will always treasure the memories of your thoughts and feelings for me. I fell in love with you, thank you for everything".
People wrote letters and poems to him, confessed their love, and asked him to stay in Moscow. At home in the US, he was met as a national hero.
Viktor Pikaizen, Violinist: "Some of the greatest musicians sat on the jury, like Richter, Gilels, and Neihaus. all that added great artistic prestige".
Violinist Viktor Pikaizen took second place in the competition. Here he is at 25, embracing Valery Klimov and Romanian Stefan Ruhil, laureates for the 1st and 3rd prizes, but there were no winners and losers, only a celebration of music.
Maxim Shostakovich, Composer: "It was a festival for the youth and students, everyone was friendly, and we would even hang out together. It really brought us together".
The applause ended, but the laureates weren't allowed to go home yet. The competition ended, but on the Moscow Conservatory's stage, the winners continued to perform with the orchestra. At night they would record for the Melodiya Record Company.
Every 4 years some of the best young musicians still meet here at the Moscow Conservatory. Famous performers like Tamara Sinyavskaya, Sober Saladze, Vladimir Spivakov, Denis Matsuev, and Hibla Gerzmava were given to the world by the Tchaikovsky competition. Next year it will be held in Moscow and for the 16th time.
Marina Gromova, Natalya Novgorodova, Viktor Vinogradov. Vesti.