This spring marks the 50th anniversary of American pianist Van Cliburn's victory in the first Tchaikowsky International Competition in Moscow in April of 1958.

The 23-year-old, Juilliard-trained Texan received admiration in the Soviet Union and an unprecedented ticker tape parade in New York City, the only classical musician to ever do so.

It marked a changed in Cold War cultural relations in which the US suddenly made up for the shocking Soviet scientific advances embodied by Sputnik.

For Cliburn and American music, it was a momentous moment.

Cliburn will discuss that historical event and other aspects of his career on "Weekend Edition" this Saturday with National Public Radio's Scott Simon. It will be aired by Wisconsin Public Radio on WERN 88.7 FM from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday morning. (You can also hear it after the broadcast on-line at npr.org.)

Cliburn will no doubt talk about many things.

But one wonders whether he will discuss how the legendary Russian virtuoso Sviatoslav Richter, in a dissident-like act, threw all his votes to Cliburn over the Soviet contestant.

One wonders whether they will recount how the jury went to Soviet prime minister Nikita Khrushchev (shown above pinning a medal on Cliburn) and said the American had been awarded first prize and Krushchev said "Is he the best?" and they said yes, and he said "Then he deserves to win."

And win he did, earning the adortation of young Soviets. (see the photo below.)

I remember as a youngster when my piano teacher showed me Cliburn's first recording and talked about him as a hero, a superstar mentor to every young and budding would-be concert pianist.

Cliburn did for pianists what Leonard Bernstein did for conductors: Show the world that American-born and American-trained musicians could match any in the world, that Europeans weren't the sole source of musical beauty, wisdom and virtuosity. 

Cliburn became, along with Leonard Bernstein, American classical music's first superstar.

He also became, if I remember correctly, the first classical pianist to command a $10,000 concert fee.

But the pressure of constantly touring and stifling adulation plus critical disenchantment caught up with him and Cliburn retired in 1978. He has reportedly earned a fortune in real estate in the Dallas-Forth Worth area and he still plays privately and performs for presidents (and for Condoleezza Rice, herself a fine amateur, almost professional-level pianist).

I heard Cliburn live several times, including once here in Madison doing the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Madison Symphony Orchestra under Roland Johnson at the UW Stock Pavillion, and his octaves truly were electrifying, his tone lyrical and rich.

As for his many recordings, what ones are your favorites?

I still think his million-selling, triple-platinum version of the Tchaikowsky's First Piano Concerto is the best on record, and his live Carnegie Hall performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with Kiril Kondrashin conducting is also the best and most exciting, available.

But my favorite is a CD that is out of print right now: Cliburn's recording of American composer Edward MacDowell's Piano Concerto No. 2 in D Minor with Walter Hendl conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It's stunning playing of a rarely performed work.

What do you think of Van Cliburn and his playing?

Did you ever meet him? What was he like?

Do you remember what you heard about him when you were young - and he was too? 

How good do you think he is?

Did you ever hear him live?

Do you have a favorite recording?

Let Art Talk know.