Lili Petschnikoff (December 1, 1874 — September 23, 1957) was an American concert violinist.
Early life Lili Schober was born in Chicago, Illinois, but spent much of her youth abroad, studying violin under Joseph Joachim in Berlin"Mme. Petschnikoff's Recital" The Argonaut (April 27, 1918): 268. and performing in Europe."Lili Petchnikoff, Famous Violiniste, to Give L. A. Concert" Los Angeles Herald (January 31, 1919): 10. via California Digital Newspaper Collection
Career
Lili Petschnikoff and her husband toured together as musicians in the United States in 1907."The Petschnikoffs Play" New York Times (January 17, 1907): 7. "A Musical Spring at the University of California" Musical Courier (March 6, 1907): 29. Petchnikoff gave a recital at the Aeolian Hall in 1916, with singer Clara Gabrilowitsch and pianist Rudolph Ganz."Mme. Petschnikoff Plays" Violin World (January 15, 1916): 184. In 1919 Lili Petschnikoff gave a series of concerts at her home in Hollywood with pianist Cornelia Rider-Possart.Margie Manning Lindsey, "Petschnikoff Series" Holly Leaves (November 8, 1919): 8. She was officially retired by 1923, but played a radio concert with pianist Olga Steeb that year."Two Renowned Artists on KHJ" Los Angeles Times (July 23, 1923): 6. via Newspapers.com She became a chamber music partner to Albert Einstein, who enjoyed playing violin with Petchnikoff in 1931, while he was working at the California Institute of Technology.Josef Eisinger, Einstein on the Road (Prometheus Books 2011). She was also a friend to German singer Lotte Lehmann.Isabel Morse Jones, "The Week's High Note in Music" Los Angeles Times (August 13, 1939): 51. via Newspapers.com
She was said to own a Stradivarius violin,"Orpheum" Pacific Coast Musical Review (July 13, 1918): 6. probably one of the two that her husband brought to the United States on his 1899 visit."Some High-Priced Violins" The Violinist (September 1, 1901): 12. Petschnikoff wrote an autobiography, The World At Our Feet, published posthumously by her son in 1968.Lili Petschnikoff, The World At Our Feet (Vantage 1968).
Personal life Lili Schober married Russian violinist Alexander Petschnikoff. They had three children, Tatjana, Nadja, and Sergei,"Petschnikoff Series" Holly Leaves (August 23, 1919): 1. before they got divorced. She reclaimed her American citizenship and eventually moved to Los Angeles during World War I,"Captive in Germany" Holly Leaves (July 26, 1919): 8. and her home opposite the entrance to the Hollywood BowlBruno Walter, James Austin Galston, Theme and Variations: An Autobiography (Knopf 1946): 281, 339. was a gathering place of musicians and arts patrons."Artist to be Hostess" Holly Leaves (September 27, 1919): 19. She died in 1957, in Los Angeles, aged 82 years."Mrs. Lili Petschnikoff, Violinist, Dies" Los Angeles Times (September 24, 1957): 42. via Newspapers.com
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Further reading