Valentin Berlinsky
Encyclopedia
Valentin Berlinsky was a Russia
n cellist. He was a founding member of the world-famous Borodin Quartet
in 1945 and was a member until 2007. He was the only Quartet member to have played in it from the beginning. Berlinsky played for the Borodin Quartet for 60 years, making him the longest-serving member of what The New York Times
described as being "by all accounts the longest continuously playing" string quartet in the world.
The group originally came together in 1945 as the Moscow Conservatoire Quartet with Mstislav Rostropovich
on cello, Rostislav Dubinsky and Nina Barshai on first and second violins and Rudolf Barshai
on viola, all members of a class taken by Mikhail Terian, the viola player of the Comitas Quartet. However, after a couple of weeks Rostropovich found he was too busy and nominated Berlinsky in his place. They signed an oath of allegiance in their own blood which Berlinsky retained. He also maintained a complete log of their many performances.
The quartet first met Dmitri Shostakovich
in 1946 and became his interpreter. The group was known for its performances of all 15 quartets in the Shostakovich quartet cycle at concert halls around the world, including in 1994 at Alice Tully Hall
in New York City
.
The quartet was one of the Soviet Union's best-known in the West during the Cold War
era, through concert performances in the United States and Europe and through distribution of their recordings. As one of the most revered groups during the Communist era, the quartet performed at the funerals of both Joseph Stalin
and Sergei Prokofiev
, who both died on March 5, 1953.
After 20 years with the same line-up difficult times followed in the 1970s: Dubinsky defected to the West and the second violinist, Jaroslav Alexandrov, retired through ill-health. Having recruited replacements, Berlinsky insisted that the ensemble spend two years out of sight until the Borodin sound had been fully recreated.
Berlinsky was a very loyal Russian. In 2000 he said: "I have never condemned those who left. It's difficult to describe in words why I stayed, but for me it was nothing to do with cheap patriotism. It was just that Russia is my fatherland; I couldn't imagine living anywhere else." For much of his life he taught at the Gnessin School of Music in Moscow, nurturing many talented young players.
Berlinsky was born in Irkutsk
, Siberia
, on January 19, 1925. He took violin lessons from his father, who had been a pupil of Leopold Auer
and who, with his three brothers, played as the Berlinsky Quartet in that part of the Soviet Union
. He was soon sent to Moscow
to study at the Moscow Conservatory
.
Valentin Berlinsky retired from the Borodin Quartet in September 2007, and was succeeded by his protégé, Vladimir Balshin, but he still remained the group's mentor.
Berlinsky died at age 83 on the night of December 15, 2008, in Moscow
, after a long illness.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n cellist. He was a founding member of the world-famous Borodin Quartet
Borodin Quartet
The Borodin Quartet is a string quartet that was founded in 1945 in the former Soviet Union. It is one of the world's longest lasting string quartets, marking its 60th anniversary season in 2005....
in 1945 and was a member until 2007. He was the only Quartet member to have played in it from the beginning. Berlinsky played for the Borodin Quartet for 60 years, making him the longest-serving member of what The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described as being "by all accounts the longest continuously playing" string quartet in the world.
The group originally came together in 1945 as the Moscow Conservatoire Quartet with Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, KBE , known to close friends as Slava, was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. He was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. He is widely considered to have been the greatest cellist of the second half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest of...
on cello, Rostislav Dubinsky and Nina Barshai on first and second violins and Rudolf Barshai
Rudolf Barshai
Rudolf Borisovich Barshai was a Soviet/Russian conductor and violist.Barshai was born in Stanitsa Lobinskaya, Krasnodar Krai, and studied at the Moscow Conservatory under Lev Tseitlin and Vadim Borisovsky. He performed as a soloist as well as together with Sviatoslav Richter, David Oistrakh, and...
on viola, all members of a class taken by Mikhail Terian, the viola player of the Comitas Quartet. However, after a couple of weeks Rostropovich found he was too busy and nominated Berlinsky in his place. They signed an oath of allegiance in their own blood which Berlinsky retained. He also maintained a complete log of their many performances.
The quartet first met Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
in 1946 and became his interpreter. The group was known for its performances of all 15 quartets in the Shostakovich quartet cycle at concert halls around the world, including in 1994 at Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. It is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations assisted in the construction of the hall...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The quartet was one of the Soviet Union's best-known in the West during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
era, through concert performances in the United States and Europe and through distribution of their recordings. As one of the most revered groups during the Communist era, the quartet performed at the funerals of both Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
and Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
, who both died on March 5, 1953.
After 20 years with the same line-up difficult times followed in the 1970s: Dubinsky defected to the West and the second violinist, Jaroslav Alexandrov, retired through ill-health. Having recruited replacements, Berlinsky insisted that the ensemble spend two years out of sight until the Borodin sound had been fully recreated.
Berlinsky was a very loyal Russian. In 2000 he said: "I have never condemned those who left. It's difficult to describe in words why I stayed, but for me it was nothing to do with cheap patriotism. It was just that Russia is my fatherland; I couldn't imagine living anywhere else." For much of his life he taught at the Gnessin School of Music in Moscow, nurturing many talented young players.
Berlinsky was born in Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
, Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, on January 19, 1925. He took violin lessons from his father, who had been a pupil of Leopold Auer
Leopold Auer
Leopold Auer was a Hungarian violinist, teacher, conductor and composer.-Early life and career:...
and who, with his three brothers, played as the Berlinsky Quartet in that part of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He was soon sent to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to study at the Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
.
Valentin Berlinsky retired from the Borodin Quartet in September 2007, and was succeeded by his protégé, Vladimir Balshin, but he still remained the group's mentor.
Berlinsky died at age 83 on the night of December 15, 2008, in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, after a long illness.