vn, 1893-1981 PO
Musician / Conductor of Classical
Polish-American violinist, best known as associate conductor and the concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO). (October 11, 1892 – April 29, 1981) Burgin was born in Siedlce, Poland, and first performed in public at age 11, as a soloist with the Warsaw Philharmonic Society. In 1906 he studied with Joseph Joachim in Berlin, and from 1908 to 1912, he studied with Leopold Auer at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Then he worked in Helsinki, Stockholm and Oslo. Burgin was appointed concertmaster of the BSO in 1920, when Pierre Monteux was the orchestra's conductor. He was appointed assistant conductor in 1927. He conducted the BSO in 308 concerts in the United States, Australia and Japan, and was associate conductor for seven world premieres and 25 Boston premieres. Earlier, he had been concertmaster Leningrad Symphony, Helsinki Symphony, Oslo Philharmonic and the Stockholm Concert Society. He played under conductors Max Fiedler, Arthur Nikisch, and the composers Richard Strauss, and Jean Sibelius. Burgin retired from the BSO following the 1961-62 season. In 1957, Burgin told TIME Magazine, "I know many virtuosos and I do not envy them. They tell me what it's like to play the same few pieces over and over and know they have to go here and then be there. Not for me. I like the orchestra." As a violin soloist, he played the U.S. premiere of Sergei Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 1, on 24 April 1925, with the BSO under Serge Koussevitzky. Within a year of coming to Boston, Burgin organized the Burgin String Quartet. He also headed the string department of New England Conservatory and in 1953 was its orchestra conductor. He taught violin and conducting at New England Conservatory. Starting in 1959, Burgin also taught at Boston University, where he directed the Boston University Chamber Orchestra and lectured, and at the Berkshire Music Center, where he taught conducting. After moving to Florida following his retirement, Burgin taught at Florida State University. During this time, he also formed the Florestan Quartet with his wife, violinist Ruth Posselt, as a member. He retired from Florida State University in the mid-1970s. Burgin was a chevalier officer of the French Légion d'honneur and was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Burgin married Ruth Posselt on July 3, 1940. Their son, Richard W. Burgin is a short story writer and editor. Their daughter, Diana Lewis Burgin, is an author, and Professor of Russian at the University of Massachusetts; she had published a narrative poem "Richard Burgin: A Life in Verse" (Slavica Pub, 1989; ISBN 0893571962) describing her father's biography. He died in Gulfport, Florida, on 29 April 1981.
Track list and 30sec audio provided by
Title | Artist | Year | Type |
---|---|---|---|
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring / Sheep May Safely Graze | Johann Sebastian Bach, E. Power Biggs Organ Columbia Chamber Orchestra Conducted By Richard Burgin | 1989 | Single |
Baroque- Italian Music for Strings of the Baroque Period | Antonio Vivaldi / Francesco Maria Veracini / Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco / Giuseppe Torelli / Tomaso Albinoni, Cambridge Society for Early Music / Edwin Bodky, Richard Burgin, Ruth Posselt | 1985 | Album |
Heroic Music For Organ, Brass & Percussion | E. Power Biggs, New England Brass Ensemble, Richard Burgin | 1973 | Compil. |
Music Of The Bach Family | The Chorus Of Boston University, The Zimbler Sinfonietta Conductor Richard Burgin | 1971 | Album |
Music Of The Bach Family Volume II | The Zimbler Sinfonietta, Richard Burgin | 1958 | Album |
Concerto For Organ And Chamber Orchestra, Op.46, No. 2 / Sonata No. 7 In F Minor For Organ Op.127 | Paul Hindemith / Josef Rheinberger - Richard Burgin Conducting The Columbia Chamber Orchestra, E. Power Biggs | 1957 | Album |
Music Of The Bach Family Part 4 | The Zimbler Sinfonietta, The Chorus Of Boston University, Richard Burgin | 1955 | Album |
Music Of The Bach Family Part 1 | The Zimbler Sinfonietta, The Chorus Of Boston University, Richard Burgin | 1955 | Album |
Music Of The Bach Family Part 2 | The Zimbler Sinfonietta, The Chorus Of Boston University, Richard Burgin | 1955 | Album |
Music Of The Bach Family Part 3 | The Zimbler Sinfonietta, The Chorus Of Boston University, Richard Burgin | 1955 | Album |
Concerto In G Minor For Organ, String Orchestra And Timpani / Prelude, Fugue And Variation, Op. 18 ‧ Pièce Héroïque | Francis Poulenc ‧ César Franck / E. Power Biggs | 1955 | Album |
Don Quijote, Op. 35 | Richard Strauss, Charles Munch ‧ Gregor Piatigorsky ‧ Richard Burgin, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Joseph De Pasquale | Album | |
Music For Organ And Brass: Canzonas Of Gabrieli And Frescobaldi | E. Power Biggs, New England Brass Ensemble, Richard Burgin | Album |