Charm of Spring

Eduard Gratch is one of the most renowned violinists in Russia, and holds a number of distinguished titles, including People’s Artist of Russia and Best Teacher of Russia (two times). He was born in Odessa, Ukraine in 1930, and began playing the violin at an early age. His first teacher was Pyotr Stolyarski, whose music school in Odessa fostered a number of other renowned musicians, including violinist David Oistrakh and pianist Emil Gilels. In 1943, Mr. Grach was invited to enter the Moscow Conservatory, where he studied with Abram Yampolsky (the so-called founder of the Soviet School of Violinists.) While many of his contemporaries chose to emigrate, Mr. Gratch stayed in Russia, later taking a professorship at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow.

Early in his career, Mr. Gratch won first prize at several international competitions—in Budapest (1949), Paris (the Marguerite Long and Jaques Thibaud International Violin Competition, 1955) and Moscow (the Tchaikovsky competition, 1962)—thereby launching an active performing and recording career that continues to this day. He is often praised for his romantic, emotional playing style, and brilliant technique. His career as a professor has been no less successful, having taught over twenty-five violinists who have gone on to win prizes at various national and international competitions.

Mr. Gratch began conducting in 1979, and in 1990 formed the Moscoviya Chamber Orchestra, which debuted at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory to great critical success. The ensemble’s repertoire ranges widely, from Baroque to Contemporary. As heard here, they even tackle difficult works such as Paganini’s “Moto perpetuo”, generally considered beyond the ability of an orchestra to play well. They have participated in numerous music festivals in Russia and abroad, and have toured in Russia, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, France, and in 2001 China.