Gilbert Chang wrote:
>. . . all are of Jewish descent. WHY? Is
>violin playing closely related with the Jewish culture? Also, are there
>many great Jewish pianists (or other instrumentalists) and conductors?
Jewish pianists of note include:
Anton and Artur Rubinstein, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Alexis Weissenberg,
Daniel Barenboim, David Bar-Ilan, Leon Fleisher, Myra Hess, Horowitz,
Josef Lhevinne, Anton and Artur Rubinstein, Schnabel, Serkin, Emanuel Ax,
Perahia, Ossip Gabrilowitsch, John Browning, Shura Cherkassky, Emil Gilels,
Rosina Lhevinne, Benno Moiseiwitsch, Moritz Moszkowski, Charles Rosen,
Solomon Cutner, Thalberg, Alexis Weissenberg, Leopold Godowsky, Louis
Kentner, Clara Haskil, Gary Graffman, Moritz Rosenthal, Oscar Levant,
Eugene Istomin, Rosalyn Tureck and, of course, Victor Borge.
Other violinists who could be added to the list include:
Efrem Zimbalist, Alexander Schneider, Mischa Elman, Leopold Auer, Ida
Haendel, Oscar Shumsky, Arnold Rose, Henri Temianka, Joshua Bell, and
the concertmasters of the Philadelphia Orch. for as far back as I can
remember.
It is also interesting to note that, despite accounting for ony three
tenths of one percent of the world's population, jews account for thirteen
percent of Nobel Prize winners.
The explanation for all this is very simple It is - the Jewish mother.
When you grow up constantly being reminded to:
1. Eat fish - it's brain food. And finish your vegetables, they're good
for you.
2. Do your homework. You can't go out until it's finished.
2. Practice, practice, practice. Even Heifetz had to practice.
3. You *will* be a (doctor, lawyer, physicist, etc.)
You are driven to achieve because, if you do not, you will have to answer
to *her*.
Steve Wolk
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