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| Russian maestro Rostropovich dies | Russian maestro Rostropovich dies |
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| The celebrated Russian cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich has died at the age of 80. | |
| A master musician, Mr Rostropovich was also renowned for his backing for human rights and opposition to Soviet rule. | |
| He spent much of his career abroad, in self-imposed exile from the Soviet Union over his support for Nobel prize writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn. | |
| But he returned as communism collapsed and performed a Bach suite as the Berlin Wall came down. | |
| A month ago the Kremlin lavished praise on him as he celebrated his 80th birthday. | A month ago the Kremlin lavished praise on him as he celebrated his 80th birthday. |
| President Vladimir Putin said then the musician was not only "a brilliant cellist and gifted conductor," but also "a firm defender of human rights". | President Vladimir Putin said then the musician was not only "a brilliant cellist and gifted conductor," but also "a firm defender of human rights". |
| He died at a Moscow clinic after a long illness, his spokeswoman said. | |
| Mr Putin visited Rostropovich while he was convalescing and awarded him Russia's "Order of the Fatherland, First Class". | |
| You can send us your tributes and recollections about Mstislav Rostropovich using the post form below: | |
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