Van Cliburn Dies: American Classical Pianist Who Won in Moscow at Height of Cold War Dies at Age 78

Celebrated classical pianist, Van Cliburn, died Wednesday morning at the age of 78. The American piano player became famous overnight after winning the first place at the Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow in 1958. Mr. Cliburn, just a 23-year-old Texan when he won in Moscow was a symbol of American triumph over the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War.

The Juilliard-trained pianist became an instant celebrity in America after his gold medal victory and was even thrown a ticker-tape parade in Lower Manhattan, upon his return to New York. The thought of 100,000 people lining the streets to cheer a pianist may seem foreign to music fans, but it was what his gold medal represented that helped grown Mr. Cliburn's popularity to previously unseen heights for a classical musician.

After performing in Moscow, Mr. Cliburn received an eight minute long standing ovation. He was reportedly met by a mob of supporters. When he got back to America, Mr. Cliburn was awarded for his accomplishment. In may of 1958, Time magazine put on the cover with the headline, "The Texan Who Conquered Russia."

Mayor Robert F. Wagner said that Mr. Cliburn's accomplishment was "a dramatic testimonial to American culture" and that "with his two hands, Van Cliburn struck a chord which has resounded around the world, raising our prestige with artists and music lovers everywhere."

RCA Victor signed Mr. Cliburn and his first recording, Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, became the best selling classical record in history. However, it was his quick rise to fame and the pressures that came with it, that may have led to the ultimate downfall of his career.

"When I won the Tchaikovsky I was only 23, and everyone talked about that," Mr. Cliburn said in 2008. "But I felt like I had been at this thing for 20 years already. It was thrilling to be wanted. But it was pressure, too."

During the 1960's he had played less and less before retiring in 1978. Mr. Cliburn would return in 1989, but played rarely. Despite his historic gold medal and meteoric rise, Mr. Cliburn never met long term expectations.

His last appearance was in September at the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Van Cliburn Foundation.

Mr. Cliburn's publicist, Mary Lou Falcone, confirmed his death, saying he had been treated for bone cancer and that he died at his home, which he shared with Thomas L. Smith, who survives him.