The book of memoirs by the outstanding Latvian cellist Eleonora Testelec, who is the daughter of the great cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, has seen the light. Indeed, she is his direct student!
Moreover, as a result, Mstislav Leopoldovich has numerous musical grandchildren in Latvia, as Eleonora has more than sixty students in total.
Riga – Leningrad – Moscow – Riga
Eleonora Ioannovna was born in 1937, graduated from the Latvian State Conservatory named after J. Vitols (1962, class of Evalds Berzinskis), and then pursued postgraduate studies at the Leningrad Conservatory under Mstislav Rostropovich.
In 1966, she won the third prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. She toured many republics of the USSR and several foreign countries. For many years, she has been teaching at the Latvian Academy of Music, where she has been a professor since 1991.
Among her students are outstanding musicians such as Ruslan Vilensky, Kristaps Bergs, Valters Puce, and Anton Trotsyuk (members of the popular ensemble Dagamba). Her most famous student (and thus, Rostropovich's granddaughter!) is Kristina Blaumane, who has lived in London since the mid-1990s and is the principal cellist of the London Philharmonic Orchestra!
For her achievements, Eleonora has long been an officer of the Order of the Three Stars (2007) and a recipient of the Grand Music Award "for lifetime contribution." She is a very democratic, cheerful, and sociable person. "Oh, for God's sake, just don’t call me professor or by patronymic! Just Ella, Eloise!" she exclaims upon meeting.
On Life, Era, Music, and Musicians
Her memoirs are titled "Eleonora. Ella. Eloise." The book includes extensive interviews conducted with the outstanding musician and educator over five years, as well as memories from numerous students. Testelec is a witness to significant events in the history of music and offers a deep and very honest look at her creative life. And throughout many parts of the book, there is a subtle sense of humor!
Eleonora and Rostropovich in Riga in 1993. Photo by the author, published for the first time.
The book was compiled by cellist and head of the string instruments department at the Pauls Jurjāns Riga Music School, Juta Berziņa-Zile. She says: "This is not a meticulous study of Eleonora Testelec's life. It is her memories, her story – everything the professor wanted to tell about herself. Everything she wanted us to know about her life. What she did not tell is not included here. So do not expect scandalous revelations, shocking secrets of some personalities, or 'airing dirty laundry.' Expect a story about life, an era, music, and musicians – as if you are sitting next to the professor in her apartment or in classes at the Music Academy, where she personally shares her memories with you."
At the Cottage in Vecaki
During his last visit to Riga in 2006, Rostropovich held a master class at the Music Academy. A charming person by nature, he joked a lot during the master classes, but was very strict and stingy with compliments. When a young student of Eleonora's, who played absolutely brilliantly (it was Kristaps Bergs), came on stage, Rostropovich walked around the stage in silence for a long time. After a minute, he said cheerfully, but not joking: "You are an amazing musician. Just with that temperamental movement of your right hand, you could hit the chandelier of a very large hall!" And the most wonderful thing is that after this, Kristaps indeed conquered many large halls around the world!
Long before this, since the 1960s, Eleonora had a true friendship with Rostropovich. After winning the Tchaikovsky Competition, Mstislav Leopoldovich gifted Ella the opportunity to study with him for free for two years. Testelec would come to him for lessons, after which he would also give the Latvian cellist 40 rubles for the return trip. He often visited Ella during the Soviet times, staying with his great wife, singer Galina Vishnevskaya, at their cottage in Vecaki. While Galina Pavlovna was busy in the kitchen with Ella's parents, Testelec would swim with Rostropovich. Galina did not swim – she preserved her voice, grumbling that the sea was cold for her.
A Meeting After Two Decades
Then there was a long separation – after Rostropovich and Vishnevskaya were forced to emigrate from the USSR in 1974. In 1993, Mstislav Leopoldovich came to Riga with the National Symphony Orchestra of the USA, of which he had been the artistic director for 17 years. After the concert, sounds of kisses and the great cellist's cries of "Ellochka! Maris!" could be heard from Rostropovich's dressing room. This was Rostropovich's first meeting with Ella after twenty years, as well as with another of his Latvian students, Maris Villers, who became a professor (unfortunately, he passed away more than ten years ago). Galina Vishnevskaya, standing nearby, sternly summarized (the author of these lines documents this!): "Well, it’s clear, they will drink now!"
In the summer of 2001, a festival named after Rostropovich took place in Riga under the artistic direction of Eleonora. It was a unique occasion when the great musician lived in the Latvian capital for half a month (usually he never stayed anywhere for so long, his creative schedule was booked ten years in advance), and dozens of students from all over the world, who had become professors and stars themselves, gathered around him! At that time, in the Dzintari hall in Jurmala, in the first part, Ella played Janis Ivanovs' concerto wonderfully, and in the second part, Mstislav Leopoldovich himself performed brilliantly in Antonin Dvorak's concerto.
"Life Has Succeeded!"
Shortly before his death in 2007, Rostropovich personally included Eleonora as a member of the jury for the Tchaikovsky Competition – the most prestigious in the world (Rostropovich himself was the chairman of the jury in the 1960s and 1970s). In 2014, Ella became the chair of the jury for the youth Tchaikovsky Competition.
"Rostropovich included me in the jury, and I can say that this is the highest moment of recognition in his eyes for me. Life has succeeded! He died a difficult death, but with dignity, as he was a believer. To be honest, after his departure, my health deteriorated, I was very upset. It literally seemed to me that he was calling me to follow him. Then I went to his grave at Novodevichy Cemetery and cried so hard, laying flowers from myself and my students... Although I did not cry in Riga. And after visiting the teacher's final resting place, I felt relieved."
The professor wishes us health and endurance in these difficult times. "And I definitely wish you love for music, it makes everything easier!" she says.
