Violinist Yasha Kheifets: biography, creativity, life story and interesting facts

Yasha Kheifets is a violinist from God. No wonder it was called that. And itโ€™s fortunate that his records are in proper quality. Listen to this ingenious musician, enjoy his performance of Saint-Saens, Sarasat, Tchaikovsky and learn about his life. The memory of him must be kept.

Yasha Kheifets

Childhood

Joseph Ruvimovich (Yasha) Heifets was born in Vilna, in the Russian Empire, in 1901. His father came to this city from Poland, and from the age of three began teaching his son how to hold the violin and bow. And he himself was a self-taught musician and worked part-time at weddings and other holidays. The child was kissed by God: he gave him everything - hearing, musical memory, desire to work and health. From four years old, the best teacher Vilno I. Malkin undertook to teach him. At the age of five, Yasha Kheifets has already performed in public, and what a! The most sophisticated.

Kheifets Yasha
It was at a music school. In front of teachers and invitees, the child played "Pastoral Fantasy" by Singel. How could such a kid penetrate the soul of a work without technical errors? How was the child not afraid to stand in front of an adult demanding audience alone on the stage? One can only guess about this. At eight years old, he already played a Mendelssohn-Bartholdy concert with the orchestra.

At the St. Petersburg Conservatory

At nine years old (!), Yasha Kheifets is already studying at the conservatory. Money for moving and studying was given by the Jewish community of Vilna. A year later, he first played in the Small Hall of the Conservatory. Then there was a performance at the Pavlovsky station and a tour to Odessa, Warsaw and Lodz. At ten years old, Yasha recorded the first record. She sounded Schubert and Dvorak. He held concerts in Berlin, and then in Dresden, Hamburg and Prague. He was eleven years old, and the violin was not yet adult, still three quarters, but his playing was striking in its ease and virtuosity. And, in addition, all critics noted that he himself interpreted the works performed. This is how Yasha Kheifets developed. The growth of performing skills went by leaps and bounds. In 1913, he became an already established musician, and the whole family existed for his earnings. The First World War found him in Germany. With great difficulty managed to return to their homeland. And already in 1916, when he was on tour in Norway, he was invited to America. Having traveled all over Russia to Vladivostok, the Kheifets family sailed to Japan, and then to the United States.

America

His first performance on October 17, 1917 at Carnegie Hall was an indescribable success. All the newspapers and critics enthusiastically wrote about his brilliant game. It was an absolute that any violinist should strive for, but the young musician himself was already perfect in everything. The sound of his instrument was unique, the technique of performing the most complex passages was impeccable, the breadth of the melodic phrase seemed endless, its climax suddenly exploded. He became an American idol.

Yasha Kheifets biography

Two years later, he managed to buy his first Stradivarius violin. Later he got another violin of this master, and then Guarneri. He played them all his subsequent life.

Adaptation in America was easy. Kheifets Yasha began to speak freely, acquired a car, a boat, played tennis and began to devote less time to music. This immediately affected the quality of his game. But the young man quickly began to correct the flaws. An incredible violin began to play. Yasha Kheifets in 1925 became a citizen of the United States.

Marriage

In 1929 he married. His wife was the American movie star Florence Artaud. In 1930, a young couple had a daughter, Joseph, and two years later, their son Robert.

Touring activities

In the 20-30s, he traveled with concerts around the world. 1920 - London, 21 years - Australia, 22nd - Britain, 23rd - East, 24th and 25th - England, 26th - South America and the Middle East. He practically was not at home, living in hotels during his wanderings.

Yasha Kheifets growth
He himself believed that he would visit the moon twice โ€” such was the length of his routes. In 1933, he played with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. And the conductor was the great Arturo Toscanini. He performed the violin concert "The Prophet", dedicated to the author himself.

Relations with the Soviet Motherland

Delicacy and tact, caution in the statements allowed Heifets to maintain good relations with the Soviet government. In 1934, he traveled through Nazi Germany to Moscow and Leningrad and refused to perform in the country where his debuts took place and where he was called the โ€œAngel of the Violinโ€ in his childhood. But in the USSR he gave six concerts and met with students of the conservatory. With a deep understanding of his highest skill reacted to the performance of Soviet critics. The ease with which he overcame the technical difficulties of Paganiniโ€™s 24th whim did not mislead anyone. The game of Heifetz was called dazzling.

Personal life

In 1938, Kheifets Yasha was first invited to shoot the film. He just played himself.

Two years later, he bought two houses for his family. One was located near Los Angeles, in Beverly Hills, and the other - on the Pacific coast on the beaches in Malibu. Then he begins to teach at the University of Southern California. But the concert activity does not stop. He goes on a tour of South America and, of course, during the war he performed in hospitals.

In 1945, Kheifets divorces his wife, and two years later he creates a new family together with Francis Spiegelberg.

violin jasha heifetz
In this marriage, the son of Joseph was born. In 1950, another film was made about the meetings of Heifetz with students of the University of California.

Trip to israel

In 1953, on tour in Israel, he included the composition of the remarkable composer, but German Richard Strauss. He was asked not to play this violin sonata of the "fascist" composer. However, Heifetz Yasha, a Jewish violinist, had a different opinion and did not change his program.

Kheifets Yasha violinist
He began to receive letters with threats that the great violinist did not pay attention to. After one of the concerts, a young man attacked him with an iron rod. Kheifets tried to protect the priceless and beloved instrument from destruction, but he was injured. This extremist was never detained, although an investigation was conducted. The violinist's right hand hurt, and for twenty long years he did not come to Israel.

In the United States

By the 60s, when the violinist had entered what is called an age, he reduced the number of tour performances. But he compensated for this by composing music for films, and even wrote a popular light song, since he was a cheerful person. Kheifets also conducted the orchestra at the Metropolitan Opera for some time. In 1962, he divorced his wife, but again did not enter into marriage. By the age of 68, he stopped performing, stating that he had lost interest in concert activity and by 1972 was fully committed to teaching.

With students
At first he taught students at universities, later, closer to eighty years old, gave private lessons at his home in Beverly Hills. He was a kind of teacher, very demanding and tough. Of particular note are the stories that for those who were late for a lesson, he closed the doors of his house, and they missed the lesson. He demanded academic accuracy and strict suits from students. From girls - a minimum of makeup and jewelry. A dirty violin was not allowed at all. For violations, he took fines that went to the aid of those who needed. He trained many outstanding performers.

His studio at Colnbury School is not empty. It is used for master classes. These walls, remembering the great performer, inspire students who study at the conservatory.

Mr. Heifetz, as he preferred to be called, died of a stroke in 1987. He wished to be cremated and scattered over the ocean. He bequeathed Guarneri's violin to worthy performers who would play at the San Francisco Museum, where the instrument itself is located.

This concludes the description of the life path of such a great musician as Yasha Kheifets. His biography is filled with service to music, which was the core of his life.


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