Musical Icon Van Cliburn Dead at 78

Concert Pianist, winner of the initial Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, home town hero, beloved by both Americans and Russians died at his home yesterday after being treated for bone cancer.  Mr Cliburn was 78 and is survived by his long time partner, Thomas L Smith.  His last public appearance was last September at the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Van Cliburn Foundation, home of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.  He was the first musician to be honored with a ticker tape parade in New York City after he won the Tchaikovsky Competition.  Business leaders and arts patrons in Fort Worth formed the Van Cliburn Foundation and held the first of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competitions in 1962 and it remains as the most prestigious and lucrative of all such competitions. The New York Times wrote a lengthy obituary that is an excellent synopsis of his life.  His creative force and dynamic presence at the Van Cliburn competition will be sorely missed by one and all. 

Today's Musical Moment continues with the first symphony theme with Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in this 1968 recording of Symphony Number 1, Opus 21 by Ludwig von Beethoven.  However before we get to the symphony, in tribute to Van Cliburn, I have a recording of his signature concert piece with which he won the Tchaikovsky Competition, Tchaikovsky's own Piano Concerto Number 1 in  B Flat Minor, Opus 23.  Mr Cliburn is accompanied by the RCA Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kirill Kondrashin who conducted the Moscow State Symphony when Mr Cliburn won the Tchaikovsky Competition.

Following the videos is this weeks salute to denim dynamite with this super collection of Men in Jeans for your visual appreciation.  Thanks for spending part of your day here at Nichevo, see you again tomorrow.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!