“Almost universally considered the world’s greatest cellist, Rostropovich was a man who wore his emotions easily, both onstage and off. He lavished bears hugs and kisses on new friends, was quick to tears and played concertos for the hundredth time as if for the very first — or last. Balding, unpretentious and sober in an ever-present pinstriped suit, he was the last superstar of classical music, a throwback to an era when a man who played Tchaikovsky made a difference in international relations.”