# David Oistrakh

> Soviet violinist (1908-1974)

**Wikidata**: [Q47120](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q47120)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Oistrakh)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/david-oistrakh

## Summary
David Oistrakh was a renowned Soviet classical violinist, violist, and conductor who lived from 1908 to 1974. He was also a university teacher and music educator, notably affiliated with the Moscow Conservatory. Recognized as one of the preeminent violinists of the 20th century, Oistrakh was a recipient of the People's Artist of the USSR title and multiple top state honors.

## Biography
- Born: September 30, 1908 (also recorded as September 17, 1908)
- Nationality: Soviet Union (formerly Russian Empire, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic)
- Education: Moscow Conservatory
- Known for: Being a preeminent Soviet classical violinist, violist, conductor, and music educator.
- Employer(s): Moscow Conservatory (University Teacher)
- Field(s): Classical Music
- Member of: Academy of Arts of the GDR, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Record Labels: Melodiya, Le Chant du Monde, EMI Classics, Deutsche Grammophon, Philips Records
- Alternate Names: David Fedorovich Oistrakh, David Fyodorovich Oistrakh, Давид Фёдорович (Фишелевич) Ойстрах, Давид Ойстра

## Contributions
David Oistrakh's primary contributions center around his prolific career as a performing and recording classical musician. He built an extensive catalog of recordings across multiple major international record labels, including the Soviet label **Melodiya**, the French label **Le Chant du Monde**, **EMI Classics**, the German label **Deutsche Grammophon**, and the Dutch label **Philips Records**. His recorded legacy documents definitive interpretations of major classical works, preserving performance practices for future generations. In addition to performing, Oistrakh contributed to the field of music as an educator at the Moscow Conservatory and as a conductor, directing musical performances and guiding the next generation of classical musicians. He was also a member of prestigious international academic and artistic organizations, including the **Academy of Arts of the GDR** (founded March 24, 1950) and the **American Academy of Arts and Sciences** (founded May 4, 1780).

## FAQs
**What citizenships did David Oistrakh hold?**
Over the course of his life, David Oistrakh was a citizen of the Russian Empire, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and the Soviet Union.

**What awards and honors did David Oistrakh receive?**
Oistrakh received numerous prestigious awards, including the Stalin Prize, the Lenin Prize, and the People's Artist of the USSR title. He was also a recipient of the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Badge of Honour, and the Order of the Lion of Finland, as well as various commemorative and labor medals, and a Grammy Award.

**Where was David Oistrakh educated, and where did he work?**
Oistrakh was educated at the Moscow Conservatory, which was founded on September 1, 1866. He later returned to the institution to work as a university teacher and music educator, helping to train future generations of musicians at the conservatory, which was headquartered in Moscow.

**Which record labels released David Oistrakh's music?**
Throughout his career, Oistrakh's performances were recorded and distributed by several major labels: the Soviet label Melodiya, the French label Le Chant du Monde, EMI Classics from the UK, Deutsche Grammophon from Germany, and Philips Records from the Netherlands.

## Why They Matter
David Oistrakh's significance in the world of classical music is defined by his dual role as a legendary performer and a dedicated educator. As a violinist and violist, his extensive discography—captured by major labels like Deutsche Grammophon, Philips Records, and Melodiya—set enduring benchmarks for classical violin repertoire and influenced generations of string players globally. Without his recordings and international presence, the global appreciation and technical standards of 20th-century classical violin performance would lack one of its most foundational pillars. Furthermore, as an educator at the Moscow Conservatory, his direct influence shaped the Soviet and Russian violin schools, impacting countless musicians who followed in his footsteps. His memberships in elite institutions like the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Academy of Arts of the GDR highlight his broad international recognition beyond the Soviet sphere.

## Notable For
- Being a world-renowned Soviet violinist, violist, and conductor.
- Serving as a university teacher and music educator at the Moscow Conservatory.
- Recording extensively for prestigious international labels: Melodiya, Le Chant du Monde, EMI Classics, Deutsche Grammophon, and Philips Records.
- Receiving the title of People's Artist of the USSR.
- Winning the Stalin Prize and the Lenin Prize.
- Being awarded the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Badge of Honour.
- Receiving the international honor of the Order of the Lion of Finland.
- Winning a Grammy Award for his musical achievements.
- Being a member of the Academy of Arts of the GDR and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- Receiving the Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945."
- Being honored as an Honored Art Worker of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
- Receiving the Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow."

## Body

### Historical Context and Nationality
David Oistrakh lived during a period of massive geopolitical transformation in Eastern Europe. Born in 1908, his early life began in the **Russian Empire**, a sovereign state and historical empire that spanned Eurasia and North America until it was dissolved on September 1, 1917, following the February Revolution. Following the collapse of the empire, the region underwent significant political transition. Oistrakh subsequently held citizenship in the **Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic**—a sovereign state from 1919 to 1922, and later a republic of the **Soviet Union**. The Ukrainian SSR was a founding member of the United Nations in 1945, with Kyiv and Kharkiv serving as its capital cities. Ultimately, Oistrakh is primarily identified as a citizen of the **Soviet Union**, a former country in Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991.

### Education and Academic Employment
Oistrakh's formal musical training took place at the **Moscow Conservatory**. The conservatory is a higher musical education institution founded on September 1, 1866, headquartered in Moscow. Oistrakh's relationship with the institution evolved from student to faculty member. He worked as a **university teacher** and **music educator**, contributing to the conservatory's legacy of training elite musicians.

### Musical Occupations
Oistrakh was a versatile musician engaged in several overlapping roles:
- **Violinist:** His primary occupation, establishing him as a globally recognized performer in the **classical music** genre.
- **Viola (braccio) Player:** Expanding his repertoire and skill set beyond the violin.
- **Conductor:** Directing musical ensembles and orchestras during performances.
- **Music Educator:** Holding an academic title and dedicating part of his career to teaching at the university level.

### Record Labels and Discography
Oistrakh's performances were captured and distributed by a prestigious array of record labels, reflecting his international acclaim:
- **Melodiya:** Founded on May 11, 1964, this was the primary Soviet and Russian record label. Associated with the Soviet Ministry of Culture, Melodiya specialized in classical music, pop music, jazz, and folklore.
- **Deutsche Grammophon:** Founded on December 6, 1898, this German classical music record label is one of the oldest and most prestigious in the world. Oistrakh is listed among the notable artists in their catalog, alongside figures like Herbert von Karajan and Anne-Sophie Mutter. 
- **Philips Records:** A Dutch international record label founded in 1946, which operated as an imprint of Philips Phonografische Industrie. Oistrakh's classical recordings contributed to their extensive catalog.
- **Le Chant du Monde:** A French record label and publishing house founded in 1938.
- **EMI Classics:** A record label founded in 1990 in the UK, which posthumously helped manage and distribute Oistrakh's recorded legacy.

### Organizational Memberships
Oistrakh's artistic excellence was recognized through membership in elite scholarly and cultural academies:
- **American Academy of Arts and Sciences:** An honorary society and policy research center in the United States, founded on May 4, 1780.
- **Academy of Arts of the GDR:** An academy of arts located in the German Democratic Republic, founded on March 24, 1950.

### Awards and State Honors
Throughout his life, Oistrakh was the recipient of numerous high-profile awards spanning national and international borders:
- **People's Artist of the USSR:** An honorary title granted to artists of the Soviet Union, established on September 6, 1936.
- **Stalin Prize:** The highest civil award in the Soviet Union until 1953, established on January 1, 1941.
- **Lenin Prize:** One of the most prestigious awards of the Soviet Union, established on June 23, 1925.
- **Order of Lenin:** The highest decoration awarded by the Soviet Union from 1930 to 1991.
- **Order of the Badge of Honour:** An award of the Soviet Union, established on November 25, 1935.
- **Grammy Awards:** An American award for achievements in music, established in 1958.
- **Order of the Lion of Finland:** A Finnish honorary chivalry order in five classes with a medal and a cross of merit, instituted on September 11, 1942.
- **Honored Art Worker of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic:** An honorary state award of the RSFSR, established on August 10, 1931.
- **Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945":** A World War II civilian labor award of the Soviet Union, established on June 6, 1945.
- **Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow":** A commemorative medal of the Soviet Union, established on September 20, 1947.

### Identifiers and Aliases
David Oistrakh is documented extensively across global databases, identified by numerous unique property codes and IDs (e.g., VIAF ID 7574902, ISNI 000000012119595X, MusicBrainz Artist ID 67d957a2-8dc8-4036-bb2e-c00946f6cac3). His personal identifiers include his signature (Oistrakh Signature.png) and a photograph from 1956 (David Oistrach 1956.jpg). He is also known by the aliases David Fedorovich Oistrakh and David Fyodorovich Oistrakh, as well as his native Russian names.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. Integrated Authority File
3. The Fine Art Archive
4. International Standard Name Identifier
5. MusicBrainz
6. CiNii Research
7. IMDb
8. Virtual International Authority File
9. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
10. Croatian Encyclopedia
11. Munzinger Personen
12. SNAC
13. Find a Grave
14. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
15. [World-renowned Turkish violinist Ayla Erduran dies at 90](https://www.turkiyetoday.com/culture/world-renowned-turkish-violinist-ayla-erduran-dies-at-90-102662/)
16. [Obituary: Violinist Ayla Erduran (1934-2025)](https://www.thestrad.com/news/obituary-violinist-ayla-erduran-1934-2025/19095.article)
17. [Source](http://digitale.beic.it/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?fn=search&vid=BEIC&vl%283134987UI0%29=creator&vl%28freeText0%29=Oistrakh%20David)
18. CONOR.SI
19. Discogs
20. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
21. Enciclopedia Treccani
22. LIBRIS. 2012