1. Overview
Gregor Piatigorsky (Григорий Павлович ПятигорскийGrigoriy Pavlovich PyatigorskiyRussian; April 17, 1903 - August 6, 1976) was a celebrated Russian-born American cellist. Born in Ekaterinoslav (now Dnipro), Ukraine, he rose to international prominence, becoming a significant figure in 20th-century classical music. His career spanned multiple continents, reflecting a rich international background that deeply influenced his artistic contributions. Piatigorsky was particularly renowned for his expressive playing style and his collaborations in chamber music, notably as part of the "Million Dollar Trio" with Arthur Rubinstein and Jascha Heifetz. This article explores his life, from his early musical education and dramatic escape from Soviet Russia to his impactful career as a performer and educator in the United States, highlighting his lasting legacy in the world of cello performance and pedagogy.
2. Early Life and Education
Gregor Piatigorsky was born into a Jewish family in Ekaterinoslav (now Dnipro), Ukraine, on April 17, 1903. From a young age, he received musical instruction from his father, who taught him both violin and piano. His formative musical path took a decisive turn when, after attending an orchestra concert and hearing the cello, he was captivated by its sound and determined to become a cellist. At the age of seven, he received his first cello and embarked on diligent study. He even fashioned a toy cello from two sticks before acquiring his first real instrument, demonstrating his early passion.
2.1. Russian Conservatory and Early Performances
Piatigorsky's talent earned him a scholarship to the prestigious Moscow Conservatory. There, he studied with notable instructors including Alfred von Glehn, Anatoliy Brandukov, and a teacher named Gubariov. While pursuing his studies, he also contributed to his family's income by performing in various local venues such as cafés, brothels, and silent movie houses. The Russian Revolution of 1917 occurred when Piatigorsky was 13 years old. Shortly thereafter, he began playing in the Lenin Quartet. By the age of 15, his exceptional skill led to his appointment as the principal cellist for the renowned Bolshoi Theater.
3. European Career and Studies
Piatigorsky's aspirations for further study abroad were initially blocked by the Soviet authorities, specifically by Anatoly Lunacharsky. Undeterred, Piatigorsky undertook a daring escape, smuggling himself and his cello into Poland on a cattle train alongside a group of fellow artists. During their perilous journey, border guards opened fire, and while his cello sustained damage, it was fortunately the only casualty, saved in part by a heavy-set soprano who clung to both Piatigorsky and his instrument.
At 18, Piatigorsky briefly continued his studies in Berlin and Leipzig, where he received instruction from prominent cellists Hugo Becker and Julius Klengel. He supported himself by playing in a trio at a Russian café, where he earned money for food. Among the patrons of this café were distinguished musicians such as Emanuel Feuermann and Wilhelm Furtwängler. Furtwängler, impressed by Piatigorsky's talent, subsequently hired him as the principal cellist of the esteemed Berlin Philharmonic in 1924, a position that solidified his reputation in Europe.
4. Emigration to the United States
Piatigorsky made his initial visit to the United States in 1929, marking the beginning of his strong connection with the country. During this visit, he performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of Leopold Stokowski and with the New York Philharmonic led by Willem Mengelberg. In January 1937, Piatigorsky married Jacqueline de Rothschild, the daughter of Édouard Alphonse James de Rothschild from the prominent Rothschild banking family of France. Their first child, Jephta, was born in France that fall.
Following the Nazi occupation during World War II, the family departed France on September 5, 1939, sailing from Le Havre for the United States. They settled in Elizabethtown, New York, located in the Adirondack Mountains, where Piatigorsky had previously purchased a house. This also became the first U.S. residence for his parents-in-law after their flight from France. Their son, Joram, was born in Elizabethtown in 1940. Piatigorsky later acquired American citizenship in 1942, solidifying his new home. He had three grandsons by Jephta (Jonathan, Evan, Eric) and two by Joram (Auran, Anton).
5. Career in the United States
Piatigorsky's career in the United States was marked by extensive teaching and significant chamber music collaborations. From 1941 to 1949, he served as the head of the cello department at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He also held teaching positions at Tanglewood and Boston University.
In 1949, Piatigorsky relocated to California upon a doctor's recommendation for a better climate to alleviate his son Joram's persistent colds and ear infections. He particularly favored Los Angeles, as many of his close friends, including Arthur Rubinstein, Jascha Heifetz, and Igor Stravinsky, resided there. He joined the faculty of the University of Southern California (USC), with which he remained associated until his death. In recognition of his contributions, USC established the Piatigorsky Chair of Violoncello in 1974.
Piatigorsky was a central figure in several prominent chamber music ensembles. He was a member of a renowned chamber group often referred to as the "Million Dollar Trio," alongside pianist Arthur Rubinstein, violist William Primrose, and violinist Jascha Heifetz. This celebrated trio made several recordings for RCA Victor. Beyond formal ensembles, Piatigorsky also enjoyed playing chamber music privately with esteemed musicians such as Heifetz, Vladimir Horowitz, Leonard Pennario, and Nathan Milstein. In the 1930s, he performed at Carnegie Hall with Horowitz and Milstein, further cementing his reputation as a versatile and collaborative artist.
6. Instruments
Throughout his distinguished career, Gregor Piatigorsky owned and played several historically significant cellos. He was the owner of two renowned Stradivarius instruments: the "Batta" and the "Baudiot." Additionally, from 1939 to 1951, Piatigorsky possessed the famous 1739 Domenico Montagnana cello, affectionately known as the "Sleeping Beauty." These instruments contributed to the distinctive quality of his sound and performance.
7. Musical Style and Performance
Piatigorsky's musical contributions encompass both his distinctive performing artistry and his significant role as a composer and commissioner of new works.
7.1. Playing Style
Gregor Piatigorsky was celebrated for his extraordinarily dramatic and expressive playing style. The renowned violin pedagogue Ivan Galamian reportedly hailed Piatigorsky as the greatest string player of all time, a testament to his exceptional artistry. Piatigorsky's primary orientation as a performer was to convey maximum expression in his interpretations. He brought a profound authenticity to his understanding of musical expression, an authenticity he attributed to his extensive personal and professional interactions with many of the great composers of his era.
His sound was described as magnificent, characterized by a distinctive fast and intense vibrato. He possessed the technical mastery to execute with consummate articulation all manner of extremely difficult bowings, including a unique downbow staccato that often left other string players in awe. Piatigorsky frequently attributed his penchant for drama in his playing to an influential encounter during his student days. He had accepted an engagement to play during intermissions in recitals by the great Russian basso Feodor Chaliapin. Chaliapin, known for his dramatic portrayals, such as the title role in Boris Godunov, not only sang but also declaimed, almost shouting, during his performances. Piatigorsky once candidly told Chaliapin, "You talk too much and don't sing enough." Chaliapin's insightful response, "You sing too much and don't talk enough," profoundly impacted Piatigorsky. From that point forward, he consciously sought to incorporate the depth of drama and expression he observed in Chaliapin's singing into his own artistic interpretations, shaping his unique and powerful performance style.
7.2. Compositions and Commissions
Beyond his prowess as a performer, Gregor Piatigorsky was also a composer. His notable work, Variations on a Paganini Theme, based on Niccolò Paganini's Caprice No. 24, was composed in 1946 for cello and orchestra. It was orchestrated by his longtime accompanist, Ralph Berkowitz, and later transcribed for cello and piano. Each of the 15 variations in this work whimsically portrays one of Piatigorsky's musician colleagues. Denis Brott, a student of Piatigorsky, identified the subjects of these variations as Pablo Casals, Paul Hindemith, Raya Garbousova, Erica Morini, Felix Salmond, Joseph Szigeti, Yehudi Menuhin, Nathan Milstein, Fritz Kreisler, a self-portrait, Gaspar Cassadó, Mischa Elman, Ennio Bolognini, Jascha Heifetz, and Vladimir Horowitz.
Piatigorsky's influence extended to commissioning and premiering new works, with many prominent 20th-century composers writing pieces specifically for him. These included Sergei Prokofiev (his Cello Concerto), Paul Hindemith (Cello Concerto), Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (Cello Concerto), William Walton (his Cello Concerto), and Vernon Duke (Cello Concerto). He also collaborated with Igor Stravinsky on the arrangement of Stravinsky's "Suite Italienne," extracted from Pulcinella, for cello and piano. A memorable anecdote highlights Piatigorsky's impact: after performing Richard Strauss's Don Quixote with the composer conducting, Strauss remarked to the orchestra, "Now I've heard my Don Quixote as I imagined him," a profound compliment to Piatigorsky's interpretation.
8. Interest in Chess
Gregor Piatigorsky harbored a deep personal passion for chess. His wife, Jacqueline Piatigorsky, was also a formidable chess player, participating in several U.S. women's championships and representing the United States in the women's Chess Olympiad. Their shared enthusiasm for the game led them to make significant contributions to the chess world. In 1963, the Piatigorskys organized and financed a highly competitive international tournament in Los Angeles, which was ultimately won by Paul Keres and Tigran Petrosian. A second prestigious chess event, the Piatigorsky Cup, was held in Santa Monica in 1966 and was won by Boris Spassky. These tournaments underscored their commitment to promoting the game at an international level.
9. Autobiography and Legacy
In 1965, Gregor Piatigorsky's popular autobiography, Cellist, was published, offering insights into his life and musical philosophy. This book, also translated into Japanese as 『チェロとわたし』 (Cellist and I), became a significant record of his experiences.
Piatigorsky's lasting impact on cello performance and pedagogy is profound. He is remembered as an extraordinarily dramatic player who sought to convey maximum expression in his music. His unique sound, characterized by a fast and intense vibrato, and his masterful command of bowing techniques set him apart. Through his teaching at institutions like the Curtis Institute of Music and the University of Southern California, he influenced generations of cellists, leaving an indelible mark on their artistic development. His collaborations with leading musicians in chamber music, particularly the "Million Dollar Trio," and his role in commissioning new works from prominent composers solidified his place as a pivotal figure in 20th-century classical music. His dedication to authenticity in expression, inspired by his interactions with figures like Feodor Chaliapin, continues to resonate in the world of cello artistry.
10. Death
Gregor Piatigorsky died of lung cancer at his home in Los Angeles in 1976. He was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.