American classical pianist Van Cliburn dies at age 78

Reuters ^ | 02/27/2013

[SeekAndFind]

American pianist Van Cliburn, who awed Russian audiences with his exquisite Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff concertos and won fame and fortune back home, died on Wednesday at the age of 78.

Cliburn passed away at his home in Fort Worth, Texas, after suffering from advanced bone cancer, his publicist Mary Lou Falcone told Reuters. Cliburn announced in August 2012 that he had been diagnosed with the disease.

The lanky, blue-eyed Texan, who began taking piano lessons at the age of 3 and later trained at New York's prestigious Juilliard School, burst onto the world stage at the height of the Cold War and was the surprise winner of the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958.

His performance at the finale led to an eight-minute standing ovation, and the Russian judges asked Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev for permission to give the top prize to the 23-year-old American.

Cliburn's triumph helped spur a brief thaw in U.S.-Soviet relations and made him an overnight sensation in the United States, where his name was known even among those who did not follow classical music.

[clintonh8r]

How sad. What a sublime talent he had. RIP

[Art in Idaho]

RIP Van Cliburn . . America died too . . but will be reborn.

Pray for America and Prepare. .

[Publius]

Cliburn's legendary 1958 recording of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1

[fwdude]

What a sublime talent he had.

And he was a classy individual through and through. Even though he was rumored to be "gay" (I didn't know it until just within the past few years) he didn't advertise it, didn't engage in activism, didn't shove it in anyone's face, and didn't demand goodies from the government. This is the type of "live and let live" that the homo-Gestapo are always "claiming" that they want, but never demonstrate.

Indeed, RIP, Mr. Cliburn.

[Huntress]

RIP

[Red Badger]

So will he.............

[Gene Eric]

Thanks for the link.

>> American pianist Van Cliburn, who awed Russian audiences with his exquisite Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff concertos

A hard to beat combination of talent and composition.

[IronJack]

Truly a master of the instrument, and a man worthy of the Greats. The end of an era ...

God bless you, Mr. Cliburn. I hope your gift inspires artists yet unborn.

[kitkat]

My only claim to fame: I shook his hand once.

He had a lovely warm smile and a charming, quiet manner.

[musicman]

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[Publius]

Cliburn plays Rachmaninov Piano Concerto #2 in C minor

Cliburn plays Rachmaninov Piano Concerto #3 in D minor, live recording

[SgtHooper]

I just finished listening to his performance of Tschaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1—a stunningly beautiful and difficult piece played so effortlessly by a phenomenal talent. RIP brother.

[dfwgator]

Farewell to a great Texan.

[Flatus I. Maximus]

What a pity the whole world knows about "American Idol" and "The X Factor" and all the rest of those crap TV competitions for half-wit karaoke performers, and almost no one outside of the classical music world knows about the Cliburn Foundation or the Cliburn Competition.

http://www.cliburn.org/cliburn-competition/

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Classical music from a Classy guy.

Glad that my mother and I both saw him perform. (Also Arthur Rubinstein). Compare him to what the non-classical music industry passes off as talent.

Thank God there are more talented classicial pianists, violinists, and singers being trained to preserve classical music.

Van Cliburn - RIP and music

[Art in Idaho]

So will he.............

Let's hope so. .

[Art in Idaho]

Thanks for posting Cliburn's Tchaikovsky's Concerto # 1. Really enjoyed it.

[RegulatorCountry]

DeBussy, Clair de Lune
Van Cliburn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s2QZU9RY3Y