Piatigorsky

For six decades, beginning with his undergraduate years at USC — where he attracted the attention of Igor Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, Jascha Heifetz, Gregor Piatigorsky and the odd rock ‘n’ roll musician about town — Tilson Thomas has been a joy-making key figure in American music.

He visited a final time in 1970 for a five-week tour with the cellist Gregor Piatigorsky.

“We must get Bobby Fischer,” Gregor Piatigorsky told his wife.

Though he didn’t realize it, if Fischer hadn’t accepted the invitation to the 1966 Piatigorsky Cup in Santa Monica, California, there wouldn’t have been such a tournament at all.

A few years prior, Mrs. Piatigorsky had been criticized in some quarters for not acceding to Fischer’s demands for the 1963 tournament, which had led to his not playing.