Kogan, Leonid Borissovich

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KOGAN, LEONID BORISSOVICH

KOGAN, LEONID BORISSOVICH (1924–1982), Russian violinist. Kogan, who was born in Dniepropetrovsk, played the violin from the age of seven. He achieved great technical mastery, winning the first prize at the international competitions in Prague in 1947 and the Queen Elizabeth competitions in Brussels in 1951. His foreign tours included appearances with orchestras in the U.S.A. With the pianist Emil *Gilels and the cellist Rostropovich, Kogan organized a concert trio, and also gave recitals with his wife, the violinist, Elizabeth (née Gilels). Later he appeared with his son, Pavel. The Soviet composers A. Khachaturian, T. Khrennikov, and M. Weinberg wrote violin works for him. He was awarded the Lenin Prize in 1965.

bibliography:

M. Zazovski, L. Kogan (Russ., 1958); L. Raaben, Zhizn zamechatel nykh skripachey (1957), 279–89; Baker, Biog Dict.

[Michael Goldstein]