Isaac Stern
In 1920 his family escaped eastern Europe to start a new life in California. At age 7 he made his debut with the San Francisco Symphony by playing Saint-Saëns' Violin Concerto No. 3. After graduating from the San Francisco Conservatory for Music, he hit the circuit tours, performing in 90 concerts a year, in America and across the world. He was the first American violinist to play in both the USSR and China, where he was received with great acclaim.
When Carnegie Hall was about to be demolished, he single handedly saved it. Pulling out his rolodex, he simply explained the situation to his network, which included a who's who of 1960's celebrity: Nelson Rockefeller, Jacqueline Kennedy, Marc Chagall, Luchino Visconti, Gregory Peck, Lauren Bacall; they each answered and helped out their great friend.
Whether it was the serene chamber music of Brahms or Schubert or the titanic concertos of Sibelius and Tchaikovsky, for this violinist it was all about the music, calling himself a "mere fiddle player trying my best."
Let's discuss the great American violinist Isaac Stern.
| by Anonymous | reply 29 | September 19, 2024 7:41 PM
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A conversation with Roy Plomley and Isaac Stern on Desert Island Discs
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | August 31, 2023 4:23 PM
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Attached is a nice article about him and his life.
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | August 31, 2023 4:24 PM
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Everyone seemed to loathe him.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | August 31, 2023 4:25 PM
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R4 really? I don't think so
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | August 31, 2023 6:00 PM
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Read comments on what people thought of him in any number of threads like these.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | August 31, 2023 6:14 PM
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How’s Robin doing? Didn’t she have cancer?
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | August 31, 2023 11:22 PM
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Isaac Stern and Itzhak Perlman playing Leclair in honor of the death of Artur Rubinstein
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | November 29, 2023 1:46 AM
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His first wife was the dancer Nora Kaye. Gore Vidal said that at the wedding, Stern and Kaye "looked like they needed to be introduced to each other." They divorced after 18 months, but some sources say they only managed to live together for 6 months; once they split, however, they remained good friends.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | November 29, 2023 2:10 AM
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Some people are better friends
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | November 29, 2023 2:25 AM
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"When Carnegie Hall was about to be demolished, he single handedly saved it. Pulling out his rolodex, he simply explained the situation to his network, which included a who's who of 1960's celebrity: Nelson Rockefeller, Jacqueline Kennedy, Marc Chagall, Luchino Visconti, Gregory Peck, Lauren Bacall."
I have tremendous respect for Stern, but this doesn't sound "single-handed". Particularly when the people involved are Nelson Rockefeller, Jacqueline Kennedy, Marc Chagall, Luchino Visconti, Gregory Peck, Lauren Bacall.
Although that would be one hell of a lunch table.
| by Anonymous | reply 15 | November 29, 2023 4:41 AM
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Both Isaac Stern and Eric Porter performed at the Edinburgh International Festival.
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | November 29, 2023 4:46 AM
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R15 yeah, I meant he got the ball rolling on saving the Hall
| by Anonymous | reply 18 | November 29, 2023 1:12 PM
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Major pussyhound. Big Bush supporter.
| by Anonymous | reply 20 | September 19, 2024 12:44 AM
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My cousin was his violin teacher.
| by Anonymous | reply 21 | September 19, 2024 1:49 AM
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I’m friends with BOTH of his sons. I met him only once. Nice guy, borsch-belt humor. I’m sorry that he left is lovely wife, Vera
| by Anonymous | reply 22 | September 19, 2024 2:02 AM
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Stern became a very sloppy violinist in the last decade or two of his life. His reputation would have been better served if he had retired from performing life around 1980 and just focused on his humanitarian interests - he was very good at that stuff.
| by Anonymous | reply 23 | September 19, 2024 6:42 AM
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His version of Bach's partita in d is my favourite. Heartbreaking. He got it.
| by Anonymous | reply 24 | September 19, 2024 9:17 AM
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R23, only saw him live in the late 80s and you’re right. It just wasn’t worth it. But he was a huge force in music off the podium.
| by Anonymous | reply 25 | September 19, 2024 12:02 PM
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I love his trio work with Eugene Istomin and Leonard Rose.
| by Anonymous | reply 28 | September 19, 2024 7:01 PM
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