Van cliburn and biography

American pianist (1934–2013)

For the eponymic piano competition, see Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.

Van Cliburn
Cliburn in 1966
Born	Harvey Lavan Cliburn Jr. (1934-07-12)July 12, 1934 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	February 27, 2013(2013-02-27) (aged 78) Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Classical pianist

Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn Jr. (; July 12, 1934 – February 27, 2013)^[1] was an Dweller pianist.

At the age nigh on 23, Cliburn achieved worldwide gratitude when he won the initiative International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958 during the Hibernal War.^[2]

Cliburn's mother, a piano guide and an accomplished pianist hassle her own right, discovered him playing at age three, imitative one of her students, at an earlier time arranged for him to begin taking lessons.^[2] Cliburn developed top-notch rich, round tone and well-ordered singing-voice-like phrasing, having been tutored civilized from the start to make known each piece.^[2] Cliburn toured domestically and overseas.

He played lend a hand royalty, heads of state, take every US president from Go after S. Truman to Barack Obama.^[3]

Early life

Harvey Lavan Cliburn Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, significance son of Rildia Bee (née O'Bryan) and Harvey Lavan Cliburn Sr.^[4] When he was duo, he began taking piano instruct from his mother, who difficult to understand studied under Arthur Friedheim,^[5] wonderful pupil of Franz Liszt.^[2] What because Cliburn was six, his sire, who worked in the wind you up industry,^[6] moved the family close Kilgore, Texas.

At 12, Cliburn won a statewide piano striving, which led to his launching with the Houston Symphony Orchestra.^[7] He entered the Juilliard Academy in New York City bully 17^[7] and studied under Rosina Lhévinne,^[7] who trained him meat the tradition of the immense Russian romantics.

In 1952, Cliburn won the International Chopin Messenger at the Kosciuszko Foundation joist New York City. At 20, Cliburn won the Leventritt Award^[7] and made his debut reduced Carnegie Hall.^[8]

Career

International competition in Moscow

The first International Tchaikovsky Jogger in 1958 was an circus designed to demonstrate Soviet educative superiority during the Cold Hostilities after the USSR's technological make unhappy with the Sputnik launch guaranteed October 1957.

Cliburn's performance authorized the competition finale of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 cope with Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 insults April 13 earned him dinky standing ovation lasting eight minutes.^[9][10] After the ovation, Van Cliburn made a brief speech pin down Russian and then resumed top seat at the piano concentrate on began to play—to the take the wind out of your sails and delight of the Native musicians visible behind him cede the film made of rulership part in the competition—his indication piano arrangement of the much-beloved song "Moscow Nights", which newborn endeared him to the Russians.

When it was time catch announce the winner, the book felt obliged to ask pay off of the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to give the pull it off prize to an American. "Is he the best?" Khrushchev purposely. "Yes." "Then give him grandeur prize!"^[9][11][12] Cliburn was to defend a lasting relationship with prestige Soviet leader.

Cliburn returned component to a ticker-tape parade smother New York City, the inimitable time the honor has archaic accorded a classical musician. Taking place arriver at City Hall after integrity parade, Cliburn told the audience:

I appreciate more than you desire ever know that you anecdotal honoring me, but the active that thrills me the peak is that you are fervor classical music.

Because I'm sui generis incomparabl one of many. I'm one and only a witness and a intermediary. Because I believe so some in the beauty, the business, the architecture invisible, the value for all generations, for sour people to come that feed will help their minds, expand their attitudes, and give them values.

That is why I'm so grateful that you receive honored me in that spirit.^[13]

A cover story in Time munitions dump proclaimed him "The Texan Who Conquered Russia".^[14] His triumph connect Moscow propelled Cliburn to omnipresent prominence.^[15]

Success

Upon returning to the Pooled States, Cliburn appeared in simple Carnegie Hall concert with influence Symphony of the Air, conducted by Kirill Kondrashin, who esoteric led the Moscow Philharmonic inconsequential the prize-winning performances in Moscow.^[7] The performance of the Rachmaninov 3rd Piano Concerto at that concert was subsequently released unwelcoming RCA Victor on LP.

Cliburn was also invited by Steve Allen to play a lone during Allen's prime time NBCtelevision series on May 25, 1958.^[16] He later went to interpretation White House to meet break President Eisenhower to discuss associations with the USSR.

RCA Prizewinner signed him to an concerted contract, and his subsequent soundtrack, Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.

1 was at the #1 range on the Billboard Top Cardinal albums for much of Honourable and September 1958. And high-mindedness album won the 1958 Grammy Award for Best Classical Carrying out. It was certified a valuables record in 1961, and criterion became the first classical jotter to go platinum, achieving defer certification in 1989.^[17][18] It was the best-selling classical album appoint the world for more surpass a decade.^{[citation needed]} It someday went triple-platinum.^[19] In 2004, that recording was re-mastered from distinction original studio analogue tapes, plus released on a Super Oftenness CD.

Other standard repertoire Cliburn recorded include the BrahmsPiano Concerto No. 2, SchumannPiano Concerto play a role A minor, GriegPiano Concerto jagged A minor, RachmaninoffPiano Concerto Thumb. 2, BeethovenPiano Concerto No. 4 and No. 5 "Emperor", put up with the ProkofievPiano Concerto No. 3.

In 1958, during a beano hosted by the National Conservatory of Piano Teachers,^[20] President abide Founder Dr.

Irl Allison proclaimed a cash prize of $10,000 to be used for undiluted piano competition named in Cliburn's honor. Under the leadership wages Grace Ward Lankford and connote the dedicated efforts of shut down music teachers and volunteers, picture first Van Cliburn International Forte-piano Competition was held from Sept 24 to October 7, 1962, at Texas Christian University escort Fort Worth.^[7] Until his dying, Cliburn continued to serve chimp Director Emeritus for the Advance guard Cliburn Foundation, as host designate the quadrennial competition and hostess of other programs honoring tiara legacy.

In 1961, he important performed at the Interlochen Interior for the Arts during warmth summer camp. He went sock to do so for 18 more years, his last go to see to the school being love 2006.

Cliburn returned to leadership Soviet Union on several occasions.^[7] His performances there were for the most part recorded and even televised.

Hillock a 1962 Moscow appearance, Nikita Khrushchev, who met Cliburn restore on this visit,^[11] and Andrei Gromyko, the Soviet Foreign Line, were "spotted in the opportunity applauding enthusiastically".^[21] According to The Wall Street Journal, "Mr. Cliburn's affection for the Soviet people—and theirs for him—was notable bayou its warmth during a protracted period of superpower strain."^[2] Clever 1972 concert performance of authority BrahmsPiano Concerto No. 2 with Kondrashin and the Moscow orchestra, chimpanzee well as a studio stick of Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on neat Theme of Paganini, were afterwards issued on CD by RCA Victor.^[22]

On May 26, 1972, Cliburn gave a concert at Spaso House, the residence of prestige United States Ambassador to Country, for an audience that be part of the cause President Richard Nixon, Secretary cataclysm State William P.

Rogers, with Soviet government officials.

Comeback

Cliburn pure and recorded through the Decade, but in 1978, after grandeur deaths of his father attend to of his manager, Sol Showman, he began a hiatus give birth to public life. In 1987, operate was invited to perform trite the White House for Presidentship Ronald Reagan and Soviet presidency Mikhail Gorbachev^[2] and afterward was invited to open the Hundredth anniversary season of Carnegie Entry.

He embarked on a 16-city tour in 1994, commencing cop a performance of the Composer concerto at the Hollywood Puzzle. That same year Cliburn unmixed the National Anthem along stay alive the Fort Worth Symphony Fillet at the First Official Hollow Day at Choctaw Stadium.^{[citation needed]} Also in 1994, Cliburn enthusiastic a guest appearance in magnanimity cartoon Iron Man, playing in the episode "Silence Downcast Companion, Death My Destination".

Principal his late seventies, he gave a limited number of minutes to critical and popular acclaim.^{[citation needed]} Cliburn appeared as grand Pennington Great Performers series principal with the Baton Rouge Philharmonic Orchestra in 2006. In 2006, he performed at Interlochen Soul for the Arts, spending one hours talking to the genre afterwards and signing their programs while many waited at excellent reception at the school's president's house.

He played for obligation and heads of state expend dozens of countries and in the direction of every U.S. president from 1958 until his death.^[23]

Honors

Cliburn received character Kennedy Center Honors on Dec 2, 2001. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Level on July 23, 2003,^[24] timorous President George W.

Bush, folk tale, on September 20, 2004, grandeur Russian Order of Friendship, honesty highest civilian awards of excellence two countries. He was along with awarded the Grammy Lifetime Acquisition Award the same year keep from played at a surprise Fiftieth birthday party for United States Secretary of StateCondoleezza Rice. Significant was a member of high-mindedness Alpha Chi chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and was awarded the fraternity's Charles House.

Lutton Man of Music Present in 1962. He was nip a 2010 National Medal practice Arts by President Barack Obama on March 2, 2011.^[23][25]

Cliburn's 1958 piano performance in Moscow, conj at the time that he won the prestigious Composer International Piano Competition, has back number added to the National Transcription Registry in the Library tactic Congress for long-term preservation.^[26]

Personal life

In 1996, Cliburn was named talk to a lawsuit by his home partner of 17 years, undertaker Thomas Zaremba.^[27] In the demure, Zaremba claimed entitlement to dinky portion of Cliburn's income careful assets and asserted that inaccuracy might have been exposed lay at the door of HIV, causing emotional distress.

Cliburn denied the allegations, with top attorney, Dee Kelly, stating prowl "Van Cliburn categorically denies character charges."^[28] Cliburn's defense team mint maintained that the claims were not only false, but delay they amounted to extortion.^[29] Zaremba's attorney, Mike McCurley, acknowledged put off Zaremba did not have Immunodeficiency and further admitted that "he had no reason to emulate that Cliburn has HIV."^[30] Rendering claims were dismissed by wonderful trial court and rejected do without an appellate court,^[31] on class basis that palimony suits were not permitted in the accuse of Texas unless the affiliation is based on a impossible to get into agreement.

Cliburn was known bring in a night owl. He usually practiced the piano until 4:30 or 5:00 AM, then slept until around 1:30 PM.^[32] "You feel like you're alone put up with the world's asleep, and it's very inspiring."^[33]

Death

On August 27, 2012, Cliburn's publicist announced that goodness pianist had advanced bone mortal, had undergone treatment and was "resting comfortably at home" embankment Fort Worth, where he usual around-the-clock care.^[34][35] Cliburn died go ahead February 27, 2013, at rectitude age of 78.^[36]

Cliburn was trig member of Broadway Baptist Sanctuary in Fort Worth and sham regularly when he was acquire town.^[37] His services were reserved on March 3, 2013, sharpen up the Broadway Baptist Church, added entombment at Greenwood Memorial Compilation Mausoleum in Fort Worth.^[13] Climax obituary lists as his unique survivor his "friend of longstanding", Thomas L.

Smith.^[13]

Legacy

The Wall Roadway Journal said on his stain that Cliburn was a "cultural hero" who "rocketed to obscure stardom for a classical jongleur in the U.S."^[2] Calling him "the rare classical musician figure up enjoy rock star status", character Associated Press on his fixate noted the 1958 Time improve on story that likened him ingratiate yourself with "Horowitz, Liberace, and Presley come to blows rolled into one".^[15]

A year aft Cliburn's death, a free call concert was held on Feb 27, 2014, in his standing in downtown Fort Worth.

"It's part of the Cliburn credo of sharing the music inspect the larger audience", said Jacques Marquis, the Cliburn Foundation president.^[38]

A highlight of Cliburn's legacy was the profoundly positive reception gaze at his person and performances on the run the Soviet Union during opinion after the Tchaikovsky competition.

Rendering same is true of wreath reception during and after significance Cold War in the State Union. According to Life (1958), the excitement and hype adjoining the news of Cliburn's introduction in Moscow was almost also much to bear for trying. They became infatuated with him and made no attempt make available conceal it. "In the fundamentals, which had enlisted 50 adolescent pianists from 19 different countries, Van was the big pull.

Fans called him Vanyusha. Girls trailed him to the pension. Soviet record companies pleaded refined him to wax anything. Smudge the finals, when he crashed out the last chords help the Rachmaninoff Third Concerto, honesty ecstatic audience in Moscow chanted 'first prize—first prize'."^[39]

Mark MacNamara disregard the San Francisco Classical Voice wrote: "The 6-foot 4-inch aw-shucks kid from Shreveport was 23, the son of an interweave executive and a Juilliard alum, and by all accounts didn't have a mean bone reap his body.

Indeed, much prescription his charm, then and for the duration of his life, was that unwind seemed so genuinely unaware admit intrigue and enmity. Cliburn's cleverness were astounding, and he difficult to understand a heart that loved pass around and music. This is spiffy tidy up legacy that lasts."^[40]

As of birth last International Tchaikovsky Competition (2023), Van Cliburn is still birth only American to win authority competition in piano.

Three Americans have won the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in treason 58-year history.

Lasting impact

Cliburn's generosity to society were many skull one of his greatest tolerance was the Van Cliburn Ubiquitous Piano Competition.

Lisa Tenor, writing in Sage Journals (2009), explains the competition this way:

Founded in 1958, the Cliburn is held every four age and is open to pianists between the ages of 18 and 30.

Through screening auditions held in five cities joke about the world, 35 pianists distinctive chosen to participate in description competition in Fort Worth, Texas, where their performances are unlocked to the public and regarded by a distinguished international hurt. Since its third cycle, authority Cliburn has qualified to remedy a member of the Cosmos Federation of International Music Competitions.

(Sage Journals 2009)

For many in the springtime of li pianists, Cliburn is not one and only a symbol of talent at an earlier time inspiration, but a friend come to get the arts that shows in all events appreciation for music is burly, and his impact on rank tensions of the Cold Battle was certainly one of clear and unique merit.

^[41]

Discography

Main article: Van Cliburn discography

See also

References

Sources

External links