Violin Virtuoso Efrem Zimbalist
Russian-American Performer and Composer
A brief look at the life and career of the Russian concert performer Efrem Zimbalist , whose career spanned the golden age of string players.
Efrem Zimbalist was one of the great musical performers of the 20th century whose career took him to every major city in the world and whose compositions were often performed in his lifetime. He was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia on April 9, 1890, the son of Aron Alexander Zimbalist, conductor of the opera and concerts of the Ukrainian Opera Company, Smalov Theatre.
Early Studies and Debut Recital
At the age of five, Efrem was taken to the Imperial Music School where he stayed until the age of eleven, when he was enrolled as a scholarship student at the Imperial Conservatory of Music in St. Petersburg. He received the gold medal for violin playing and the Rubinstein Prize for distinguished studentship at his commencement. The prize carried a monetary amount of 1200 rubles. During these same years he was part of a chamber music group that met at the home of the great composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakoff.
Zimbalist made his formal recital debut in Berlin on October 28, 1907. The program included the Vitali Chaconne; Legend, by Henri Wieniawski; Riccardo Drigo's Harlequin Serenade; Christian Sinding's Suite and the Glazunov Concerto. The Borsen Courier's reviewer stated that "Not for some years has the reviewer listened to the playing of a newcomer with such pleasure." His future career was assured.
Marriage to Soprano Alma Gluck
Zimbalist met Alma Gluck when they were both passengers on a ferry taking them to a recital at the home of a General Edward Meany in Paterson, New Jersey. It was love at first sight for the violinist and they were married on June 15, 1914. They honeymooned in London and Chamonix, France. This marriage produced two children, Maria Virginia and Efrem, Jr. Alma also brought her daughter from her first marriage ( who would become the famous writer Marcia Davenport ). Tragically, Alma died of a liver condition on October 27, 1938.
In the summer of 1940 Zimbalist received a letter from Mary Louise Curtis Bok asking him to come to Philadelphia and try to put the Curtis institute of Music back on its feet. He accepted and taught a full class of violin students as well as taking on the managerial duties. Mary, who was thirteen years older than Efrem, proposed to him one summer day as they had tea. They were married on July 6,1943, at Lyndonwood, Mary Bok's summer home.
Zimbalist continued to concertize and teach and some of his students were Jascha Brodsky; Rafael Druian; Daniel Heifetz; Aaron Rosand; Eudice Shapiro; Oscar Shumsky; Joseph Silverstein and Felix Slatkin.
Zimbalist was also the father of a dynasty: his son, Efrem Jr., became a celebrated actor, and his granddaughter Stephanie also became a noted actress. Zimbalist himself, will live on in musical circles as one of the greatest violinists of all time.
For further reading about the Zimbalist family see Efrem Zimbalist, Jr..
Source
Efrem Zimbalist: A Life by Roy Malan, Amadeus Press ,Cambridge, 2004.
