French Violinist Ginette Neveu Was Born 102 Years Ago

The virtuoso violinist had a short but musically rich life, after out-placing Oistrakh at the inaugural Wieniawski Competition

French virtuoso violinist Ginette Neveu was born on this day in 1919.

A student of Jules Boucherit, George Enescu, and Carl Flesch, Neveu graduated from Paris Conservatory in 1928 at age nine.

Neveu also studied under the Nadia Boulanger, and Flesch urged her to feature her own compositions in recitals.

Neveu achieved worldwide fame at age 15 when she beat the then 27-year-old David Oistrakh and claimed first prize at the Wieniawski International Violin Competition. Tours of Europe, the Soviet Union, and America followed soon after.

Her artist career was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II — she turned down most of her performances in Germany.

Her last recital at Festival in Edinburgh was on October 20, 1949, just one week before her tragic death. On an Air France flight from Paris to New York, she and her brother died when the plane crashed into a mountain in the Azores, all 48 passengers were killed and her Stradivarius and Guadagnini instruments destroyed. Neveu was only 30.

Legend has it that Ginette's body was found still clutching her Stradivarius in her arms. From her violin, only the scroll has been found.

GINETTE NEVEU | CHAUSSON | POEME | ISSAY ALEXANDROVICH DOBROVEN & LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA | 1947