Yury Bashmet: ‘Lenin taught me to love music’

'We bought a violin for seven rubles'

Mr Bashmet, I read in your biography that you was sent to a music school so that you didn't get into a bad company. Was you a troublesome child?

No, I wasn't a troublesome child, the reason is my brilliant mom. She took actions in advance in order I couldn't get into a bad company. She sent me to the sports section, to a drawing club, but the most successful idea turned out to be music. We bought a violin for seven rubles and twenty kopeks. When I came home and saw a violin lying on the table I realized that it was serious.

How was it possible to combine fencing and the violin? Didn't you afraid to injure your hands?

My mom took me from fencing. Mom was not a musician, but someone told her that fencing can hurt, a hand will be clenched. Mom tried different options, she was always looking for an option, in which I could realize my potentials most effectively.

When did you realize that you love to do classical music? Because if a person does not like it, he will not achieve the result.

You will be surprised, but Vladimir Ilyich Lenin promoted.

I wasn't a troublesome child, the reason is my brilliant mom. <...> She was always looking for an option, in which I could realize my potentials most effectively

How?

As you know, I didn't know him, but he still influenced me. Looking back, I realize that at the age of 12 to 15, people through intuition or what, or from God, but they understand something that we, adults, do not understand. And those, who are younger, they also do not understand it. A child at this time feels that something hovering in the atmosphere that people do not feel already or yet.

Suddenly the Beatles gone for me

So, do we lose this ability?

Probably. So, I was at this age. Then the Beatles gone, which we adored, I had my own group, I played the guitar. They were divine to me, I adored them, and suddenly they ceased to be so for me. Not because they did something wrong or produced a bad album, just I had a block and something had to be changed in the world. And it did change. It was Jimi Hendrix, whom I wholeheartedly did not receive, in several years I realized that he was genius. But that time I didn't like him. In the same way as jazz, Vysotsky's songs — he occupied a large place in my heart over the years because of the texts. But then, at that age — no. Then suddenly it was all over, the world collapsed.

But you were still playing the violin?

I used to go to music school, sit the required hours and in school I was a leader. But it was just for mom.

How does Lenin come into the picture?

I will paraphrase your question a little. I would say this: when I realized that classical music is not something mandatory like reading War and Peace in school? The turning point happened in high school, at the lessons of music history. I heard the second concerto of Sergei Rachmaninoff and in those days I listened to Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6. In Tchaikovsky, I heard tones that reminded me the Beatles, for example, Michelle. It is a hit for the reason. I even woke my dad and mom up and made them listen to the Symphony with me, my friend presented me a record that time. I tried to go further, to find some meaning of what I was doing, and came to the American jazz-rock. I tried to copy it. But it turned out a pathetic copy. At this time, the Ukrainian capital Kiev announced a competition dedicated to the 100-year anniversary of Lenin, it was a contest for the young performers, the students of musical schools and colleges. I started to prepare for it. I had a purpose. I realized that I was doing everything consciously. I prepared the program quite quickly.

Did you win in that contest?

Yes, although it was paradoxical. The program was easy, I prepared it in ten days and began to think, think, think. Then everything went consciously.

'Almighty black colour'

You had to endure not the most pleasant moment when your orchestra decided to stay in France, but you returned to Russia.

Now, after some time, I realized that all these people, each in his own way, had long cut off the roots that bounded them to Russia. The team, they were from different cities, they were all excellent professionals, but they have already moved from place to place so many times, but I couldn't understand that. I believed that they gathered all together for great ideas. It was a difficult situation in the country, and suddenly there was an official opportunity to go and work under a contract. Now I understand that I was a launching pad of the rocket for them. Now everything is very clear for me. But I lived in Moscow and was not going to leave.

Why do you always wear black?

I love a black colour. It is… almighty or something.

I listened to Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 and heard tones that reminded me the Beatles, for example, Michelle. It is a hit for the reason. I even woke my dad and mom up and made them listen to the Symphony with me

The question you are probably often asked: are you the prototype of a violist Danilov in the novel by Orlov?

No, that's not true, but there is a great story connected with it. At first, I was very angry when I was asked such questions. I decided to debunk this myth in my programme 'The station of dreams'. I invited a writer Orlov and the prototype of the protagonist. The programme lasted 45 minutes, it was devoted to the viola, there was the master, the music composed for viola. It was a good programme, for me it is not a shame. Orlov told about the history of the book creation. His wife became sick, she was in the hospital. When he came to see her and asked what she wanted him to bring, she replied: 'the first page of a new novel'. He began to write, his friend, a violist from the orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre was his advisor. I was very pleased that debunked this myth, thanked Orlov, but then began a phantasmagoria. Orlov thanks me that I invited him on the show, and says that he publishes the thirtieth edition of the novel in Japanese. 'But because the Japanese people love you, they asked me a permission to put your portrait on the cover, and because I think that you are also a violist Danilov, I am giving you this book. I agreed without your permission, here's this book,' says me Orlov. On the cover there is really my picture, only with slightly more slanted eyes. Bit in general very recognizable.