Mstislav Rostropovich

RIAN archive 438589 Mstislav Rostropovich

Mstislav Rostropovich
Birth name	Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich
Born	(1927-03-27)27 March 1927 Baku, Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union
Died	27 April 2007(2007-04-27) (aged 80) Moscow, Russia
Genres	Classical music
Occupation(s)	Cellist, conductor
Instrument(s)	Cello
Years active	1942–2007

Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich (Russian: Мстислав Леопольдович Ростропович

27 March 1927 – 27 April 2007) was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. He is considered one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century and was renowned for his interpretations of works by Bach, Beethoven, and Shostakovich.

Early life and education

Rostropovich was born in Baku, then part of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, to a musical family. His father, Leopold Rostropovich, was a renowned cellist and his mother, Sofiya Fedotova, was a talented pianist. He began learning the piano at the age of four and the cello at the age of ten. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory under the tutelage of Dmitry Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev.

Career

Rostropovich made his debut as a cellist in 1942 and quickly gained recognition for his exceptional talent. He won the Stalin Prize in 1951 and became a professor at the Moscow Conservatory in 1956. Throughout his career, he premiered numerous works by contemporary composers, including Benjamin Britten, Henri Dutilleux, and Krzysztof Penderecki.

In addition to his career as a cellist, Rostropovich was also a distinguished conductor. He served as the music director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. from 1977 to 1994.

Political stance and exile

Rostropovich was an outspoken advocate for artistic freedom and human rights. He sheltered the dissident writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in his home and publicly supported him, which led to his exile from the Soviet Union in 1974. He lived in the United States and France during his exile and continued to perform and conduct internationally.

Return to Russia and later life

Rostropovich returned to Russia in 1990, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He continued to perform and conduct until his death in 2007. He was buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.

Legacy

Rostropovich's contributions to music and his advocacy for human rights have left a lasting legacy. He was awarded numerous honors, including the Order of Lenin, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Personal life

Rostropovich was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, with whom he had two daughters, Olga and Elena.

See also

• List of cellists
• List of Russian musicians
• National Symphony Orchestra