Milstein’s Bach.
Nathan Milstein was born on January 13, 1904, in Odessa, Ukraine. As such, earlier this month, we celebrated the 110th anniversary of his birth.
He died of a heart attack in London on December 21, 1992, ten days before his 89th birthday.
I always admire what older folks are able to achieve, after a lifetime of earlier successful career accomplishments. Milstein’s last public concert was when he was 83 years old. The concert took place in Berwaldhallen, Stockholm, on July 17, 1986. At that concert, he performed the Bach Partita Nr.2, ‘Chaconne’.
This music represents one of the most challenging pieces in the violin literature, from a musical and technical standpoint. And Milstein’s performance was truly outstanding.
Have a listen yourself:
http://youtu.be/l75X-SDKq1Y
Tags: Nathan Milstein, Bach, Chaconne, Odessa, Ukraine, Violin sonatas, Partitas
