Simon Barere

A Pianist's Struggle Through War and Revolution

Simon Barere, born in Odessa on September 1, 1896, faced numerous obstacles throughout his early career that prevented him from achieving the international recognition his remarkable talent deserved. His life was shaped by political upheaval, war, and persecution, forcing him to repeatedly rebuild his career under difficult circumstances.

Born into a large Jewish family, the eleventh of thirteen children, Barere's musical talents emerged at an early age. After his father's death, the young pianist helped support his family by playing in cinemas and cafés. At the age of 11, he was admitted to the Odessa Imperial Music Academy and showed exceptional ability.

Following the death of his mother when he was 16, Barere travelled to St Petersburg to further his education. There he played for Alexander Glazunov, composer and director of the Conservatory, who was immediately impressed by Barere's talents. Glazunov took a personal interest in the young pianist, protecting him from the anti-Semitic regulations of Tsarist Russia and ensuring that he could remain at the Conservatory for seven years, thus avoiding military conscription.

At the Conservatoire, Barere studied first with Anna Yesipova until her death in 1914, and then with Felix Blumenfeld, who also taught Vladimir Horowitz. After graduating, Barere won the prestigious Rubinstein Prize and began his career as a professor at the Kiev Conservatory, while also performing throughout the region.

However, Barere's career was severely hampered by the political situation following the Russian Revolution. After Lenin's death in 1924, the brief period of liberalism gave way to increasing restrictions under Stalin's regime. Most notably, the Soviet authorities did not allow Barere to tour outside the country, effectively preventing him from building an international reputation during his prime years as a performer.

Escape from the Soviet Union

In 1928, Barere was finally given the opportunity to leave the Soviet Union when he was appointed cultural ambassador to the Baltic countries and Scandinavia. This position offered a rare opportunity for a Soviet artist to travel abroad at a time when most were confined within the country's borders. Based in Riga, Latvia, he began to represent Soviet culture in performances throughout the Baltic and Nordic countries.

During this time, Barere lived with the constant uncertainty faced by Soviet citizens abroad - aware that his actions and performances were being monitored and reported back to Moscow. Despite these pressures, he used the opportunity to plan for his family's future. Through careful arrangements, and probably some diplomatic connections he had made, Barere managed to secure the release of his wife Helena Vlashek, whom he had married in 1920, and their young son Boris from Soviet Russia in 1932.

This was no small feat in the Stalin era, when the regime was increasingly suspicious of its citizens attempting to leave the country. Many Soviet artists who travelled abroad faced the difficult decision of whether to return, knowing that failure to do so could have repercussions for family members left behind. Barere's success in getting his family out speaks both to his determination and probably to his careful navigation of the Soviet bureaucracy.

While based in Riga, Barere began to establish links with Western European musical circles. He made his first recordings for Odéon in 1929 while on tour in Scandinavia. These first recordings included works by Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninov - composers who would remain central to his repertoire throughout his career. These recordings represented Barere's first opportunity to share his artistry beyond the concert hall and with audiences outside Soviet control.

During his tours of the Baltic region, Barere performed with other distinguished musicians, including violinist David Oistrakh. Boris Barere later recalled that during some of the tours in the impoverished countryside, musicians were often paid in sacks of potatoes rather than money - a reminder of the economic realities of the post-revolutionary period and the difficult conditions in which artists worked.

The Berlin Years and Nazi Persecution

Following his success as a cultural ambassador, Barere decided to settle in Berlin to further his career. This decision, which at first seemed promising, proved disastrous as the Nazi regime was already implementing anti-Jewish policies.

Despite a well-received solo debut in Berlin, Barere's career was immediately stifled by Nazi regulations. His son Boris recalled that Barere's manager had arranged an extensive tour of some 40 performances, but was forced to cancel all engagements because of the regime's policy against Jews.

The family found themselves in dire financial straits. As he had done in his youth, Barere returned to playing in cafes and bars to support his family. His son Boris described how his father would sometimes perform between vaudeville acts such as jugglers and sword swallowers. For a pianist of Barere's calibre - one who had won the Rubinstein Prize and performed major concert works - this situation was particularly humiliating.

Escape to Sweden

As the Nazi persecution of Jews in Germany intensified, the Barere family recognised the growing danger and fled to Sweden. This move represented yet another uprooting and new beginning for the pianist, who had by now experienced multiple displacements - from Odessa to St Petersburg, to Kiev, to Riga, to Berlin, and now to Sweden.

The psychological impact of these experiences took a heavy toll on Barere. Boris recalled that his father suffered an 18-month period of deep depression while in Sweden. This prolonged period of psychological distress reveals the cumulative effect of the political persecution, career setbacks and constant uncertainty that had characterised Barere's life.

During this difficult period, Boris attended school in Sweden while his father struggled to regain his emotional balance and musical confidence. The family faced not only the challenge of settling in yet another country, but also continuing reports of worsening conditions for Jews in Germany and growing political tensions throughout Europe.

The Swedish period was both a refuge from immediate danger and a time of painful reflection for Barere. Sweden's neutrality provided safety, but for a concert pianist the country offered limited performance opportunities compared to the major European cultural centres. Nevertheless, Barere eventually began to emerge from his depression and sought to rebuild his career.

Sweden became the base from which Barere attempted to re-establish his presence in European musical circles. Gradually, he began to accept engagements and establish contacts with concert organisers and fellow musicians. Although his reputation had suffered from years of limited exposure outside the Soviet Union and cancelled engagements in Germany, his remarkable talent remained undiminished.

It was from Sweden that Barere began to plan his next career move, realising that to reach a wider audience he would need to perform in the major cultural centres of Western Europe. This led to his decision to pursue opportunities in London, where the political climate was more favourable to Jewish artists and there was a thriving classical music scene.

Move to London and Career Revival

In 1934, Barere moved to London to make his British recital debut at Aeolian Hall. Later that same year, he accepted an invitation from Sir Thomas Beecham to perform Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. These appearances were well-received and led to a series of recordings for His Master's Voice (HMV) between 1934 and 1936.

The Times reported in January 1934:

"Even in these days when good pianists are common, M. Simon Barer, who gave his first recital at Aeolian Hall on Tuesday, is exceptional."

Of Barere's performance of Blumenfeld's Étude for the Left Hand, the paper noted:

"If the eye had not seen the right hand resting on the trouser-leg the ear would have declared that it was not possible to range over the whole compass of the keyboard with such consummate ease and unspoiled musical effect with the left hand alone."

These recordings and performances helped establish Barere's reputation internationally. The HMV recordings featured virtuoso works by Liszt, Schumann, Balakirev, Scriabin, Godowsky, and compositions by his teachers Glazunov and Blumenfeld. His rendition of Balakirev's challenging "Islamey" and Blumenfeld's "Étude for the Left Hand" particularly demonstrated his extraordinary technical abilities.

The critical success of these performances and recordings led to Barere's invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1936. However, just as his international career was beginning to flourish after years of restriction and hardship, the outbreak of World War II would once again disrupt his professional trajectory.

The Impact of Political Upheaval on a Musical Career

Simon Barere's early life and career exemplify how political circumstances can profoundly affect artistic development. From the restrictions of the Soviet regime to the persecution by the Nazis, Barere was repeatedly forced to rebuild his career and adapt to difficult circumstances.

Despite his extraordinary talent—recognized by figures like Glazunov, Horowitz, and Beecham—Barere spent much of his prime performing years either confined to the Soviet Union or struggling to maintain a basic livelihood in hostile environments. These circumstances help explain why, despite his phenomenal abilities, Barere did not achieve the same level of international recognition as some of his contemporaries during his relatively short lifetime.

Sources

The Piano Files, Celebrating Simon Barere, 2021 (accessed April 2025)

Bach Cantatas Website, Short Biography of Simon Barere, May 2017. (accessed April 2025)

Jonathan Summers, Simon Barere, Naxos Educational, 2009 (accessed April 2025)