Jascha Heifetz - great Russian-American violinist

- January 201901 – December 10, 1987

From Wikipedia:

Heifetz was born into a Russian-Jewish family in Vilnius (Russian Empire, now Lithuania).

His father, Reuven Heifetz, was a local violin teacher and served as the concertmaster of the Vilnius Theatre Orchestra for one season before the theatre closed down. While Jascha was an infant, his father did a series of tests, observing how his son responded to his violin playing. This convinced him that Jascha had great potential, and before Jascha was two years old, his father bought him a small violin, and taught him bowing and simple fingering.

Heifetz started his violin lesson already in the age of four. His public debut happened when he was 7 years old, in the year 1910 he already entered the Saint Petersburg conservatory. As teenager he moved  to the United States. He became a star already in his childhood - In April 1911, he performed in an outdoor concert in St. Petersburg before 25,000 spectators; there was such a reaction that police officers needed to protect the young violinist after the concert.

After the bolshevik revolution in Russia his whole family emigrated to USA, traveling by rail to the Russian far east and then by ship to the United States, arriving in San Francisco. Later Heifetz settled down in Beverly Hills in California were he stayed until his death.

Heifetz owned the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, the 1731 "Piel" Stradivarius, the 1736 Carlo Tononi, and the 1742 ex David Guarneri del Gesù, the last of which he preferred and kept until his death. The Dolphin Strad is currently owned by the Nippon Music Foundation.

Brahms - Violin concerto 

https://archive.org/details/BRAHMSViolinConcerto-Heifetz-NEWTRANSFER/01.I.AllegroNonTroppo.mp3

Article on 12th Dec.1987 in Los Angeles Times on Jascha Heifetz death

Some of his quotes:

„There is no top. There are always further heights to reach.“

„I have discovered three things which know no geographical borders - classical music, American jazz, and applause as the sign of the public's favor.“
 

            Thanks for reading

                                                     Margaret