International Tchaikovsky Competition

Nigel Armstrong, a 21-year-old recent graduate of L.A.'s Colburn School, has made the violin finals in classical music's equivalent of the Olympics — the quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia that's best known stateside for Van Cliburn's triumph during the inaugural running in 1958. Americans celebrated it as a victory over the Soviets on their own turf during those Cold War days, and Cliburn, a pianist from Texas, returned to a ticker tape parade on Manhattan's Broadway and lionization on the cover of Time magazine.

After a tense decade of air raid sirens, duck-and-cover drills and fears of Soviet superiority, hope for America came in an unlikely form in the late 1950s: a lanky, 23-year-old Texan with a head full of curls and huge hands that ranged across a piano keyboard with virtuosic power. With his transcendent performances of Tchaikovsky's First and Rachmaninoff's Third piano concertos, Van Cliburn brought 1,500 Russians to their feet in a Moscow concert hall. Declared the victor of the first International Tchaikovsky Competition, the young American became a hero of the Cold War era and an object of adoration around the world, whose fame helped bring classical music to the masses.

After a tense decade of air raid sirens, duck-and-cover drills and fears of Soviet superiority, hope for America came in an unlikely form in the late 1950s: a lanky, 23-year-old Texan with a head full of curls and huge hands that ranged across a piano keyboard with virtuosic power. With his transcendent performances of Tchaikovsky's First and Rachmaninoff's Third piano concertos, Van Cliburn brought 1,500 Russians to their feet in a Moscow concert hall. Declared the victor of the first International Tchaikovsky Competition, the young American became a hero of the Cold War era and an object of adoration around the world, whose fame helped bring classical music to the masses.

Nigel Armstrong, a 21-year-old recent graduate of L.A.'s Colburn School, has made the violin finals in classical music's equivalent of the Olympics — the quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia that's best known stateside for Van Cliburn's triumph during the inaugural running in 1958. Americans celebrated it as a victory over the Soviets on their own turf during those Cold War days, and Cliburn, a pianist from Texas, returned to a ticker tape parade on Manhattan's Broadway and lionization on the cover of Time magazine.

A Soviet pianist whose father competed against Van Cliburn 31 years ago is among six finalists chosen in the Eighth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition that wraps up in Ft. Worth, Tex., this weekend. Alexander Shtarkman's father, Naum, finished third behind the victorious Cliburn in the 1958 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, a contest that rocketed Cliburn to fame. Two other Soviet musicians are also finalists, Elisso Bokvadze and Aleksei Sultanov. Other finalists out of a field of 38 that began competing May 27 are Jose Carlos Cocarelli of Brazil, Benedetto Lupo of Italy and Ying Tian of China.

Ten Americans--including Diane Chaplin of Los Angeles and David Starkweather of San Francisco--and all four of the Soviet contestants were among the 26 cellists selected Tuesday for the second round in the International Tchaikovsky Competition here.

Though taped last summer, "IX International Tchaikovsky Competition" remains a topical testimony to the ongoing Moscow jitters. Nervous and edgy, but with the excitement of the music ultimately dominating the more ominous political and social undercurrents, this 90-minute documentary (tonight at 8 on Channels 28 and 50, and at 9 on Channels 24 and 15) is consistently engrossing on many levels. There are some extraordinary performances here, particularly in the later, more extended excerpts.

More than 100 Americans competed last week in the International Tchaikovsky Competition but only eight of them made it to the finals and none took a first prize. A decided home-field advantage and nearly a year's preparation helped the Soviet contestants to win the top prize in five categories and sweep most of the other awards as well. In the piano competition, Barry Douglas of Northern Ireland won the gold medal and the hearts of the audiences at the Moscow Conservatory.

Call it a hunch gone awry. When Robert Dalrymple journeyed to Moscow in late June with a crew of 12 to videotape the International Tchaikovsky Competition for PBS, the producer opted to cover the piano and violin finals and to ignore the vocal and cello contests.

Van Cliburn is back. Not on the concert platform--from which he retired in 1975 while barely past the age of 40--despite hopeful palpitations stemming from a brief glasnost /Gorbachev-related visit to the Reagan White House. No, he's back on recordings, being accorded the sort of full coverage by RCA, on its mid-price blue label, thus far reserved for such departed giants as Artur Rubinstein and Jascha Heifetz. Is Cliburn in that class? Does he deserve it? Can one really answer such questions?

There was a time, half a century ago, when a certain classical music competition meant more than just another young speed demon trying to wow a fractious group of judges. A lot more. It was the spring of 1958. Many Americans were still reeling from the launch of Sputnik only months before, wondering if the nation was losing its edge over the Soviet Union. Against this tense background came word of a new contest in the U.S.S.R. named after Russia's most famous composer, Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky.

The second Tchaikovsky International Competition--Van Cliburn won the first, in 1958--ended in a draw between Ashkenazy of the Soviet Union and Ogdon of England. In recordings made shortly after the competition, both 25-year-old winners show themselves deserving of the triumph they shared.

The biggest sensation this year at the 10th International Tchaikovsky Competition--held every four years in Moscow and considered the crowning glory of Russian musical culture--was that there were no sensations. The contest that in past years brought to light such international stars as pianists Van Cliburn and Vladimir Ashkenazy drew nearly 300 young musicians from 60 countries.

Though taped last summer, "IX International Tchaikovsky Competition" remains a topical testimony to the ongoing Moscow jitters. Nervous and edgy, but with the excitement of the music ultimately dominating the more ominous political and social undercurrents, this 90-minute documentary (tonight at 8 on Channels 28 and 50, and at 9 on Channels 24 and 15) is consistently engrossing on many levels. There are some extraordinary performances here, particularly in the later, more extended excerpts.

Call it a hunch gone awry. When Robert Dalrymple journeyed to Moscow in late June with a crew of 12 to videotape the International Tchaikovsky Competition for PBS, the producer opted to cover the piano and violin finals and to ignore the vocal and cello contests.

Van Cliburn is back. Not on the concert platform--from which he retired in 1975 while barely past the age of 40--despite hopeful palpitations stemming from a brief glasnost /Gorbachev-related visit to the Reagan White House. No, he's back on recordings, being accorded the sort of full coverage by RCA, on its mid-price blue label, thus far reserved for such departed giants as Artur Rubinstein and Jascha Heifetz. Is Cliburn in that class? Does he deserve it? Can one really answer such questions?

Sometimes, almost is good enough. In 1982, British pianist Peter Donohoe--who will perform with the Los Angeles Philharmonic this weekend--came in second at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, and the ensuing publicity boosted his career the way no mere victory could. The catch was, the judges awarded no first prize. For the first time since the quadrennial international competition began in 1958, a first prize was not awarded.

The biggest sensation this year at the 10th International Tchaikovsky Competition--held every four years in Moscow and considered the crowning glory of Russian musical culture--was that there were no sensations. The contest that in past years brought to light such international stars as pianists Van Cliburn and Vladimir Ashkenazy drew nearly 300 young musicians from 60 countries.

A Soviet pianist whose father competed against Van Cliburn 31 years ago is among six finalists chosen in the Eighth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition that wraps up in Ft. Worth, Tex., this weekend. Alexander Shtarkman's father, Naum, finished third behind the victorious Cliburn in the 1958 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, a contest that rocketed Cliburn to fame. Two other Soviet musicians are also finalists, Elisso Bokvadze and Aleksei Sultanov. Other finalists out of a field of 38 that began competing May 27 are Jose Carlos Cocarelli of Brazil, Benedetto Lupo of Italy and Ying Tian of China.

Sometimes, almost is good enough. In 1982, British pianist Peter Donohoe--who will perform with the Los Angeles Philharmonic this weekend--came in second at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, and the ensuing publicity boosted his career the way no mere victory could. The catch was, the judges awarded no first prize. For the first time since the quadrennial international competition began in 1958, a first prize was not awarded.