Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

December 15, 1928 in Chelm, Poland

Death

:

July 1, 2020 in Pembroke Park, FL

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

Ida Haendel was a renowned classical music artist who was born on December 15, 1928, in Chelm, Poland. She was the youngest of seven children in a Jewish family. Her father was a tailor, and her mother was a seamstress. Haendel showed an early interest in music and began playing the violin at the age of three. Her father recognized her talent and arranged for her to have lessons with Mieczyslaw Michalowicz, a local violin teacher. At the age of seven, Haendel gave her first public performance in Warsaw. She continued to study with Michalowicz until the outbreak of World War II. During the war, Haendel and her family were forced to flee their home and go into hiding. They eventually found refuge in Russia, where Haendel continued to practice the violin. After the war, Haendel and her family moved to England, where she began studying with the renowned violin teacher Carl Flesch. She made her London debut in 1944, at the age of 15, playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. This performance was a great success and marked the beginning of Haendel's career as a professional musician. Haendel went on to perform with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic. She also performed at many of the world's leading music festivals, including the Salzburg Festival, the Edinburgh Festival, and the BBC Proms. Haendel was known for her passionate and intense performances, and her ability to bring out the emotional depth of the music she played. She was particularly renowned for her interpretations of the works of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky. Haendel was also a prolific recording artist, and her recordings of the violin concertos of Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Sibelius are considered to be among the finest ever made. She was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque for her recording of the Sibelius Violin Concerto in 1959. In addition to her performing career, Haendel was also a dedicated teacher. She taught at the Royal College of Music in London, and her students included many of today's leading violinists, including Nigel Kennedy and Maxim Vengerov. Haendel received many awards and honors throughout her career. In 1991, she was awarded the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, and in 1997, she was awarded the Order of Canada. She was also made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in London. Haendel continued to perform well into her 80s, and her last public performance was in 2018, at the age of 89. She passed away on July 1, 2020, at the age of 91. In conclusion, Ida Haendel was a remarkable musician who overcame great adversity to become one of the world's leading violinists. Her passionate and intense performances, combined with her deep understanding of the music she played, made her a beloved figure in the world of classical music. Her legacy lives on through her recordings and the many students she taught, who continue to carry on her tradition of excellence.

More....