Rudolf Barshai

Rudolf Borisovich Barshai (Russian: Рудольф Борисович Баршай , born September 28, 1924, Stanitsa Lobinskaya, Krasnodar Krai , Russia ) is a Soviet / Russian conductor and violist . Barshai studied at the Moscow Conservatory under Lev Tseitlin and Vadim Borisovsky . Barshai performed as a soloist as well as together with Sviatoslav Richter , David Oistrakh , and as a member of a trio with Mstislav Rostropovich and Leonid Kogan . He won numerous Soviet and international competitions. He was the founding violist of the Borodin Quartet in 1945 and was a member until 1953. In 1955, Barshai formed the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, which he led and conducted until he emigrated to the West in 1977. He was the artistic director of the Israel Chamber Orchestra from 1976 to 1981. He was principal conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra from 1982 to 1986. Barshai achieved fame as a musical interpreter and arranger of Shostakovich 's and Prokofiev 's music. He is particularly noted for his arrangement of Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 8 for chamber orchestra. In 2000, Barshai produced a completion of Gustav Mahler 's Tenth Symphony , which was left unfinished at the composer's death. In addition, he has recorded a number of Gustav Mahler 's and Shostakovich's works. In 1954, Barshai married Anna Martinson, a Russian painter and costume designer, and daughter of the Soviet comic Sergey Martinson . Barshai is a resident of Switzerland .¹