Elias Breeskin
| Elias Breeskin | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 1896 Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire |
| Died | May 9, 1969 (aged 72–73) Mexico |
| Occupation(s) | Violinist, composer, conductor |
| Instruments | Violin |
Elias Breeskin (Russian: Элиас Бреескин; Ukrainian: Еліас Бреескін; 1896 – May 9, 1969) was a violinist, composer and conductor.
Elias was born sometime in 1896 in Yekaterinoslav (now Dnipropetrovsk), a small village in the Yekaterinoslav Governorate of the Russian Empire, now part of Ukraine, which has now morphed into the industrial city of Dnipropetrovsk, with over a million inhabitants. The dam on the Dneiper River, shown on the film Doctor Zhivago, is in this city.
Elias was the youngest of three brothers. His older twin brothers were about ten years older than he, and were identified as potential classical musicians. The story has it that Boris and Daniel, at the age of 19, went off to the Caucasus Mountains to play a violin gig. Boris ran outside in the frigid air without his overcoat, caught pneumonia, and died. Elias was profoundly affected by the death of his brother. Olga, Elias' mother, realized that he had musical talent as well, and bent her strong will to providing him with the best musical education that could be obtained in Russia at the time.
Elias’ references to his mother were always curious in nature. He referred to her with a mixture of emotions, among them being strong love, fear, admiration, and wonder, all present in his face. Elias' father was a quiet, dear man who had learned, appropriately, not to cross his indomitable wife, who was approximately 200 pounds in weight, and quite muscular.
In 1903, shortly after Elias’ seventh birthday, his mother turned him over to a professional violinist in the local Conservatory in Cracow, Poland, for lessons. At the age of 8, he played Bach's E major concerto, and was a sensation. During the next two years, he toured through Ukraine and western Russia, where he was also tutored by Leopold Auer, personal musician to the Czar. Young Elias was met with overwhelming responses to his violin playing. He was hailed as one of the greatest child prodigies ever.
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