MUSICIANS from Lithuania

Top 6

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Lithuanian Musicians of all time. This list of famous Lithuanian Musicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Jascha Heifetz (1901 - 1987)

With an HPI of 65.35, Jascha Heifetz is the most famous Lithuanian Musician.  His biography has been translated into 45 different languages on wikipedia.

Jascha Heifetz (; February 2 [O.S. January 20] 1901 – December 10, 1987) was a Russian-American violinist, widely regarded as one of the greatest violinists of all time. Born in Vilnius, he was soon recognized as a child prodigy and was trained in the Russian classical violin style in St. Petersburg. Accompanying his parents to escape the violence of the Russian Revolution, he moved to the United States as a teenager, where his Carnegie Hall debut was rapturously received. Fritz Kreisler, another leading violinist of the twentieth century, said after hearing Heifetz's debut, "We might as well take our fiddles and break them across our knees." By the age of 18, Heifetz was the highest-paid violinist in the world. He had a long and successful concert career, including wartime service with the United Service Organizations (USO). After an injury to his right (bowing) arm in 1972, he switched his focus to teaching.

2. Leopold Godowsky (1870 - 1938)

With an HPI of 56.78, Leopold Godowsky is the 2nd most famous Lithuanian Musician.  His biography has been translated into 27 different languages.

Leopold Mordkhelovich Godowsky Sr. (13 February 1870 – 21 November 1938) was a Lithuanian-born American virtuoso pianist, composer and teacher. He was one of the most highly regarded performers of his time, known for his theories concerning the application of relaxed weight and economy of motion within pianistic technique – principles later propagated by his pupils, such as Heinrich Neuhaus. He was heralded among musical giants as the "Buddha of the Piano". Ferruccio Busoni claimed that he and Godowsky were "the only composers to have added anything of significance to keyboard writing since Franz Liszt." As a composer, Godowsky is best known for his Java Suite, Triakontameron, Passacaglia and Walzermasken, alongside his transcriptions of works by other composers; the best-known of these works are the 53 Studies on Chopin's Études (1894–1914).

3. Clara Rockmore (1911 - 1998)

With an HPI of 53.34, Clara Rockmore is the 3rd most famous Lithuanian Musician.  Her biography has been translated into 28 different languages.

Clara Reisenberg Rockmore (née Reisenberg; 9 March 1911 – 10 May 1998) was a Litvak classical violin prodigy and a virtuoso performer of the theremin, an electronic musical instrument. She was the sister of pianist Nadia Reisenberg.

4. Vlado Perlemuter (1904 - 2002)

With an HPI of 51.41, Vlado Perlemuter is the 4th most famous Lithuanian Musician.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Vladislas "Vlado" Perlemuter (26 May 1904 – 4 September 2002) was a Lithuanian-born French pianist and teacher.

5. Julian Rachlin (b. 1974)

With an HPI of 39.78, Julian Rachlin is the 5th most famous Lithuanian Musician.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Julian Rachlin (born 8 December 1974) is a Lithuanian-born violinist, violist and conductor.

6. Alina Orlova (b. 1988)

With an HPI of 35.66, Alina Orlova is the 6th most famous Lithuanian Musician.  Her biography has been translated into 25 different languages.

Alina Orlova (Lithuanian: Alina Orlovskaja; Russian: Алина Орловская, romanized: Alina Orlovskaya; Polish: Alina Orłowska; born 28 June 1988) is a Lithuanian sung poetry singer and musician.