Artist
János Starker
Personb. 1924 · Budapest, United States, United States
Contribution
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Bio
János Starker was a Hungarian-American cellist and pedagogue renowned for his technical precision and interpretive depth. Born in Budapest in 1924, he studied at the Franz Liszt Academy and emigrated to the United States after World War II. He served as principal cellist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and later joined the faculty at Indiana University, where he taught for over four decades. Starker recorded extensively for Mercury and RCA, producing benchmark interpretations of the Bach Cello Suites and concertos by Dvořák, Brahms, and Kodály. His playing combined analytical clarity with expressive warmth, influencing generations of cellists.
Popular tracks
- 10:43
Beethoven: 7 Variations on "Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen" from The Magic Flute in E-Flat Major, WoO 46: Variation II
Track
- 210:00
Kol Nidrei, Adagio for Cello, Op. 47
Track
- 35:29
Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte, M. 19 (Version for Cello and Piano)
Track
- 42:25
Debussy: Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 8, La fille aux cheveux de lin (Arr. Feuillard for Cello and Piano)
Track
- 52:37
Handel: L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV 55: Aria. "Let Me Wander Not Unseen" (Arr. Weiner for Cello and Piano)
Track
- 63:21
Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65: III. Largo
Track
- 73:17
Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 7, Träumerei (Arr. Palaschko for Cello and Piano)
Track
- 84:56
Chopin: Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2 (Arr. Popper for Cello and Piano)
Track
- 94:21
Bach, JS: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068: II. Air (Version for Cello and Piano)
Track
- 105:04
Popper: Tarantella for Cello and Piano, Op. 33
Track
- 115:02
Cello Sonata No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38: II. Allegretto quasi minuetto
Track
- 123:42
Kreisler: Allegretto in the Style of Boccherini
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Albums
Dvořák: Cello Concerto in B Minor, Bruch: Kol Nidrei (The Mercury Masters, Vol. 1)
Album · 1962
Bartók / Chopin / Debussy / Mendelssohn: Cello Sonatas &c
Album · 1995
Brahms: Sonatas for Cello and Piano (The Mercury Masters, Vol. 4)
Album · 1965
Starker Kodaly
Album · 1987
Brahms: Piano Trios Nos.1 & 2
Album · 1968
Schumann: Cello Concerto in A Minor, Lalo: Cello Concerto in D Minor (The Mercury Masters, Vol. 3)
Album · 1963
Starker Plays Italian Sonatas (The Mercury Masters, Vol. 8)
Album · 1967
Bach: Three Sonatas for Cello and Piano (The Mercury Masters, Vol. 9)
Album · 1968
Mendelssohn and Chopin Sonatas for Cello and Piano (The Mercury Masters, Vol. 2)
Album · 1963
Brahms: Violin Concerto & Double Concerto
Album · 2006
Strauss: Don Quixote & Till Eulenspiegel
Album · 2023
Brahms Hits
Album · 2012