Vladimir Ashkenazy

In the late 1950s and early 60s, a phenomenal young Russian pianist was winning competitions and grabbing worldwide attention. By the time Vladimir Ashkenazy emigrated to the West in 1963 with his Icelandic wife and children, the Schubert Club had already engaged him. The high point of that first St. Paul recital was witnessing his awesome command of Chopin Etudes. Here we see him live (at first, backstage with his wife), tearing into the first of the series at the Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp:

This video and those described below can be viewed by clicking on
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Ashkenazy played Beethoven’s late E major Sonata, Op. 109, in his second Schubert Club recital in 1974. This is a live performance of the work filmed later in Lugano:

There is an enthralling 50-minute film documentary about this great pianist/conductor titled Vladimir Ashkenazy: The Vital Juices are Russian:

Among its highlights are Ashkenazy playing the duet version of The Rite of Spring with Daniel Barenboim, performing Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto with the young Edo de Waart in Rotterdam, recording the Franck Violin Sonata with Itzhak Perlman and some charming family scenes in stunning Icelandic landscapes. Highly recommended viewing.

Artist note by Richard Evidon