16 Facts About Mischa Elman

Mischa Elman was a Russian-American violinist famed for his passionate style, beautiful tone, and impeccable artistry and musicality.

Moses or Moishe Elman was born to a Jewish family in Talnoye, Umansky Uyezd, Kiev Governorate, Russian Empire.

Mischa Elman's grandfather Yosele Elman was a klezmer, a Jewish professional traditional musician who played the violin, and his father Saul Iosipovich Elman was a melamed and amateur violinist.

Mischa Elman finally gave in, and gave Mischa a miniature violin, on which he soon learned several tunes by himself.

Mischa Elman auditioned for Leopold Auer at the age of 11, playing the Wieniawski Concerto No 2 and 24th Caprice by Paganini.

Auer was so impressed that he had Mischa Elman admitted to the St Petersburg Conservatory.

Mischa Elman was still only a boy when Auer arranged for him to play with the famous Colonne Orchestra during their visit to Pavlovsk.

Mischa Elman was furious, and flatly refused to continue with the programme.

Frantic attempts were made to assure him that Mischa Elman had the recommendation of Auer himself and was well capable of doing justice to the music, but Colonne was adamant, "I have never yet played with a child, and I refuse to start now", he retorted.

In 1903, Mischa Elman began to play concerts in the homes of wealthy patrons of the arts, and he made his Berlin debut in 1904, creating a great sensation.

Mischa Elman played in Carnegie Hall in 1908, making a great impression on his American audience.

Mischa Elman sometimes performed in as many as 107 concerts in a 29-week season.

Mischa Elman briefly performed and made recordings with the Mischa Elman String Quartet.

Mischa Elman died in his apartment on April 5,1967, in Manhattan, New York City, a few hours after completing a rehearsal with Seiger.

Mischa Elman is buried in the Westchester Hills Cemetery in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

Regrettably, Mischa Elman's discs have never been reissued on CD in a systematic manner.