Nathan Milstein
Russian-American violinist known for Bach and Romantic works.
Nathan Milstein was a Russian-American violinist widely regarded among the finest of the twentieth century. Born in Odessa into a middle-class Jewish family with no musical background, he began violin lessons at age five after his mother noticed his early interest in music. He studied first with Odessa’s leading teacher, Pyotr Stolyarsky, where a fellow student was the young David Oistrakh. At eleven, Leopold Auer invited him to study at the St. Petersburg Conservatory; Milstein later recalled that every ambitious young violinist dreamed of studying with Auer, and he attended classes twice weekly, playing before an audience of forty or fifty people. Milstein may have been the last Russian violinist to have personal contact with Auer. He also spent time with Eugène Ysaÿe in Belgium, though he felt he learned little from Ysaÿe and had to think for himself. In 1921, after a recital in Kiev, Milstein met pianist Vladimir Horowitz and his sister; he stayed with them for three years, and the two young musicians toured the Soviet Union together as “children of the revolution.” They gave the Soviet premiere of Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto, with Horowitz playing the orchestral part on piano, and also introduced Szymanowski’s First Violin Concerto. Milstein made his American debut in 1929 with Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra, eventually settling in New York and becoming a U.S. citizen in 1942. He was a transcriber and composer, arranging many works for violin and writing his own cadenzas; his best-known composition is *Paganiniana*, variations on themes by Paganini. He was obsessed with articulating each note perfectly, often spending long periods working out fingerings. In 1945 he acquired the 1716 “Goldman” Stradivarius, which he renamed “Maria Teresa” after his daughter and wife, and used for the rest of his life. His 1948 recording of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Bruno Walter was the first LP issued by Columbia. Milstein received France’s Légion d’honneur in 1968, a Grammy for his Bach sonatas and partitas in 1975, and Kennedy Center honors from President Reagan. He performed at a high level into his mid-80s; a Stockholm recital in June 1986, at age 82, shows his technique still remarkable. A fall that severely broke his left hand ended his career. He died of a heart attack in London on December 21, 1992.
- field
- Classical music
- nationality
- Russian-American
- known_for
- Interpretations of Bach's solo violin works and Romantic repertoire; long career; Paganiniana
Lore & Background
Nathan Milstein was a Russian-American virtuoso violinist, widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. He was particularly celebrated for his interpretations of Bach’s solo violin works and Romantic-era compositions. His career was exceptionally long, performing at a high level into his mid-80s until a broken hand forced his retirement. Born in Odessa as the fourth of seven children in a middle-class Jewish family with no musical background, his mother encouraged him to take violin lessons at age five. He studied with Odessa’s leading teacher, Pyotr Stolyarsky, until 1914, where a fellow student was the six-year-old David Oistrakh. At age 11, Leopold Auer invited him to the St. Petersburg Conservatory; Milstein later recalled that every aspiring boy wanted to study with Auer, a gifted teacher. He may have been the last Russian violinist to have personal contact with Auer, though Auer did not mention him by name in his memoirs and his name is absent from the Conservatory registry. Milstein also studied with Eugène Ysaÿe in Belgium, but stated he learned very little from him, though he greatly enjoyed his company. He met Vladimir Horowitz in 1921, and they performed together throughout the Soviet Union, premiering Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in the USSR in 1923. Milstein made his American debut in 1929 with Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra, eventually settling in New York and becoming a U.S. citizen in 1942. A transcriber and composer, he arranged many works for violin and wrote his own cadenzas, obsessively perfecting fingerings for articulation. His best-known composition is *Paganiniana*, variations on Paganini themes. In 1945 he acquired the 1716 “Goldman” Stradivarius, which he renamed “Maria Teresa” for his daughter and wife, using it for the rest of his life. His 1948 recording of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Bruno Walter was the first LP issued by Columbia. He received the Légion d’honneur in 1968, a Grammy for Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas in 1975, and Kennedy Center honors from President Ronald Reagan. A 1986 Stockholm recital, recorded at age 82, showed his technique still remarkable. A fall breaking his left hand soon ended his career. He published his memoirs, *From Russia to the West*, discussing composers and friends including Horowitz, cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, and ballet director George Balanchine. He died o
Reader's Guide
Nathan Milstein’s career was defined by an obsessive pursuit of perfect articulation, often spending extended periods devising fingerings to make passages sound more clearly defined. He was both a transcriber and composer, with his best-known original work being *Paganiniana*, a set of variations on themes by Niccolò Paganini. Milstein also wrote his own cadenzas for numerous concertos. His technical command remained remarkable into old age; a complete recital recorded in Stockholm in June 1986, when he was 82, demonstrated the exceptional condition of his technique. His performing life ended shortly afterward when a fall severely broke his left hand. Milstein’s interpretations were especially revered for the solo violin works of Bach and for Romantic-era concertos. He acquired the 1716 “Goldman” Stradivarius in 1945, renaming it the “Maria Teresa” after his daughter and wife, and used it for the remainder of his life. His 1948 recording of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, with Bruno Walter and the New York Philharmonic, became the first recording issued in Columbia’s LP format. Milstein’s significance in the violin world rests on his combination of flawless articulation, interpretive depth, and a career spanning more than seven decades, during which he performed at a high level until his mid-80s. He was awarded the Légion d’honneur by France in 1968, received a Grammy for his recording of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas in 1975, and was honored with Kennedy Center awards by President Ronald Reagan. His memoirs, *From Russia to the West*, recount his lifelong friendships with pianist Vladimir Horowitz, cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, and ballet director George Balanchine, as well as his personal knowledge of composers such as Glazunov, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, and Stravinsky.
Did You Know?
- Milstein was the fourth of seven children in a middle-class Jewish family with no musical background.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nathan Milstein best known for?
He is most celebrated for his recordings and performances of Bach's unaccompanied violin suites, as well as his deeply felt readings of Romantic-era works. His interpretations of Paganini's showpieces also earned him a special place among violinists.
How long did Nathan Milstein's performing career last?
Milstein remained active and performing at a high level well into his mid-eighties, giving his career a span of roughly eight decades. That extraordinary longevity set him apart from many of his contemporaries, whose peak years were far shorter.
Why is Nathan Milstein considered important in violin history?
Critics and fellow musicians consistently rank him among the greatest violinists ever to live, citing his unique blend of virtuosic command and expressive depth. His ability to sustain that level of artistry over nearly eight decades of performance cemented his legacy in the classical canon.
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