(This biography was excerpted from Lev Ginsburg's Volume 3 of "The Art of the Violoncello" pp. 324–332, translated by Yuriy Leonovich).

Joseph Press, who shared second prize at the 1911 cello competition with Belousov, was born on January 2, 1881, in Vilna. He began his cello studies under S. Weinbrein and continued with the well-known Czech cellist S.S. Glazer at the Kharkov Music School. Press entered the Moscow Conservatory in 1896 as an advanced musician. During his second year, he performed Goltermann's Second Concerto, which demands significant technical skill. He followed this with Goltermann’s First Concerto, another work requiring virtuosity. His high standing in Glenn's class is evidenced by his participation in a cello ensemble led by Glenn while still in his sixth year, performing alongside notable musicians such as A.E. Glenn and his pupils.

By 1898, Joseph Press was performing publicly. A reviewer, noting his success in one of his early performances, wrote that "all indications point to an outstanding talent, already well-developed." In spring 1899, he performed Schumann's Concerto with an orchestra, followed by Davydov's First Concerto. These were succeeded by Davydov's Russian Fantasy, Op. 7 and Third Concerto, Lindner’s Concerto, Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme, and Bach's Aria, which he also performed with an orchestra.

Among his notable performances, Press participated in a concert on January 26, 1902, to benefit the family of French singer J. Devoyod. Sharing the stage with such luminaries as F.I. Chaliapin, V.I. Safonov, and K.N. Igumnov, he showcased his early interest in chamber music by performing works like the sonatas of Chopin and Rubinstein during his student years.

In 1902, Joseph Press graduated from the Moscow Conservatory with honors, receiving a gold medal and having his name inscribed on the conservatory’s Marble Board of Excellence. His solo and chamber performances were met with great acclaim. In January 1903, he performed Davydov’s Third Concerto under the baton of V.I. Safonov. That February, he premiered Glière’s Ballade, Op. 4, which was dedicated to him, marking its first performance from the manuscript.

Despite having to work in the orchestra of the Korsh Theater at this time, Press continued to give concerts in Moscow and nearby cities. For example, in 1904, he performed successfully in Ivanovo-Voznesensk.

Chamber music brought Press much satisfaction. He often played in trios and sonata ensembles. In October 1903, Joseph Press performed Tchaikovsky’s Trio with S.I. Taneyev and his brother, the distinguished violinist Mikhail Press (1871–1938), at a concert of the Society of Lovers of Russian Music. For a time, he was also a member of the Moscow Quartet.

Press sought further refinement of his skills through consultations with the renowned Leipzig professor J. Klengel and later with Pablo Casals. In 1905, while touring Germany with his brother, Press successfully auditioned for a position as a soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic but chose instead to form a trio. The ensemble, later known as the "Russian Trio," consisted of V. Maurina-Press, M. Press, and Joseph Press. This trio achieved wide acclaim for its artistry and dedication to Russian composers.

By 1916, Press performed Beethoven's cello sonatas in a cycle with pianist L.V. Nikolayev, among other notable chamber collaborations. As a soloist, he frequently included works such as Bach’s Suites, Eccles’s Sonata, and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations in his programs. His 1910 performance in Moscow featured Locatelli’s Sonata and Davydov’s Allegro de Concert, alongside a newly arranged Handel Passacaglia with his brother.

Press’s solo and chamber performances were highly praised for their depth and refined taste. In 1911, his competition program included Bach's Third Suite, Dvořák’s Concerto, Chopin-Glazunov’s Étude, Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations, and Klengel’s Scherzo. Critics noted his "astonishingly beautiful, full, and powerful tone" and "great technical mastery," though one remarked on a certain monotony in tonal quality.

In 1914, Press delivered an acclaimed performance of Haydn’s D major Concerto under Bruno Walter and played Saint-Saëns’s Concerto with Koussevitzky in 1916. His repertoire included works by composers such as Grieg, Chopin, Beethoven, and Rubinstein, as well as Russian masters like Tchaikovsky, Taneyev, and Rachmaninoff.

During World War I, Press found himself in Germany with the trio. He faced significant difficulties but managed to return to Russia in early 1915, where he resumed his concert career, performing in Pavlovsk’s concert series later that year. His dedication to promoting cello music and his country’s musical heritage remained unwavering throughout his life.

His name appeared as early as 1915 in the programs of the children’s concert season in Pavlovsk. From 1916 to 1918, Press served as a professor at the Petrograd Conservatory but did not cease performing in Petrograd and throughout the country.

Reviewing a performance by the cellist in Moscow, where he performed Saint-Saëns’s Concerto with the orchestra and, at the audience’s request, two additional pieces, a contemporary critic wrote:

“All of them were executed with consummate technical precision, with great beauty of a strong and rich tone, and, most importantly, with delicacy and refinement of expression, which recommend Mr. Press not only as a great virtuoso but also as a true artist in his chosen field of musical art.”

Following this, Press gave a recital in Moscow, featuring a program that included sonatas by Eccles, Locatelli, and Grieg, as well as Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme. The critic was less satisfied with the older sonatas, although even in these performances, he noted the impeccable virtuosity and broad, lyrical tone. However, in Tchaikovsky’s and Grieg’s works, “amid a sea of sounds close to modernity, one felt that Mr. Press was freely and confidently steering his spiritual vessel.

In his interpretation of Grieg’s sonata, the artist rose to the heights of genuine inspiration and rare artistic maturity.”

The critic regarded Press as “one of the leading artistic figures, approaching the greatness of the renowned Casals…”

The two concerts given by Press in Petrograd that year, alongside pianist I.A. Vengerova, attracted significant interest due to their programming and execution. The first program was dedicated to 18th-century composers (Haydn, Boccherini, Tartini, Valentini, and others), while the second featured Dvořák’s and d’Albert’s concertos, as well as Brahms’s E-minor Sonata.

After the first concert, a contemporary reviewer remarked on the artist’s impeccable command of his instrument, his beautiful tone, and virtuoso technique but also criticized him for occasional exaggerated expression and overuse of glissando. The review particularly praised his performances of Boccherini’s and Valentini’s sonatas and Tartini’s Adagio.

During this time, Press formed a sonata ensemble with fellow Moscow Conservatory alumnus and later Petrograd Conservatory professor L.V. Nikolayev. Their repertoire included sonatas by Beethoven, Brahms, Grieg, Rachmaninoff, and others. At one of their March 1916 concerts, the ensemble performed Grieg’s Sonata, and Press also repeated the sonatas by Eccles, Locatelli, and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations he had played in Moscow. Reviewer B. Tyuneev praised the artist's rich tone and ability to “capture the distinctive characteristics of each composer” while noting some minor technical carelessness, which was deemed an anomaly.

Composer C.A. Cui also commented on the concert in a letter to M.S. Kerzina:
“In recent years, music has rarely given me pleasure; I’ve grown saturated and tired of it. But yesterday, I thoroughly enjoyed the concert by cellist Press (do you know him? He’s now a professor at our conservatory). He performed Grieg’s Sonata magnificently with Nikolayev, a piece I hadn’t heard in a long time and had almost forgotten, yet it captivated me. … Next week, they’ll play Beethoven’s three cello sonatas, and I’ll certainly attend.”

In reviews of the sonata recitals by Press and Nikolayev published in The Musical Contemporary, which boasted contributors like the erudite and sensitive musician B.V. Asafiev, the cellist received high praise. By this point, Press’s playing had shed elements of excessive expressiveness, reaching artistic maturity and its full potential.

One review stated:
“Joseph Press, accompanied by L.V. Nikolayev, presented a concert that demonstrated his dual mastery as a virtuoso cellist and a chamber musician. While Press is already well-known for his virtuosity, it is worth emphasizing the qualities of his playing. Joseph Press possesses exceptional natural gifts: a rich, resonant tone; an unusually long bow; and extraordinarily responsive left-hand fingers that apply precise, expressive pressure to the strings. These qualities enable Press to produce a tone that is impeccable both in intonation and sound quality. Coupled with excellent technique in both hands, innate musicality, and complete stage poise, Press stands out as an exceptional cellist.

Occasional mannerisms, such as excessive or unchecked expressiveness that were previously noted in reviews of his performances, were hardly perceptible in this concert (thankfully, neither were the frequent glissandi mentioned in earlier accounts). The entire program was delivered artistically. The sonatas of the older composers Eccles and Locatelli were performed with refinement and style. The Rococo Variations by Tchaikovsky were rendered superbly, with both technical brilliance and lyrical passages (the sixth variation was particularly moving). Additionally, Press played, beyond the planned program, Cui’s Orientale, Kämpf’s Serenade, and Gluck’s Melody splendidly.

That evening, Press and Nikolayev also performed Grieg’s well-known E-minor Sonata with excellent ensemble work overall. It seemed that, with the piano lid slightly raised, Press’s powerful tone and Nikolayev’s delicate touch would have blended more harmoniously.”

In a review of the second sonata evening by Press and Nikolayev, which featured Beethoven’s three cello sonatas (Op. 5, Nos. 1 and 2, and Op. 69), a contemporary writer noted the greater restraint in Press’s playing. His interpretive style aligned more closely with Nikolayev’s, characterized by noble expression and artistic simplicity. “The ensemble of Press and Nikolayev,” the review concluded, “remained consistently at the level that guarantees excellent chamber music performance.”

In 1916, Beethoven’s Triple Concerto was performed in Petrograd by E. Bauer, P. Kochansky, and Press.

In October 1917, Press gave a diverse and substantial recital in Petrograd, featuring works by 18th-century composers Beethoven and Rachmaninoff (his Sonata). Reviewer V. Belyaev wrote:
“The excellent cellist J. Press possesses a talent distinct from that of Kochansky (whose concert had been reviewed earlier). Exceptional musicality, well-honed technique, superb interpretive detail, a pleasant tone, and beautiful sound—these are the positive qualities of his playing. These attributes define his true sphere of excellence, particularly in works of the ‘gallant’ style. Beethoven suits him wonderfully as well, demonstrating his considerable musical intelligence.”

In 1918, Joseph Press joined the faculty of the Kyiv Conservatory, where his students included the future Soviet cellist L.V. Berezovsky, concertmaster of the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR. Later, he also taught and performed in Odessa.

In 1921, Press embarked on an international tour, performing with great success in Europe and America and gaining recognition as a distinguished representative of the Russian cello school.

Press taught at the Eastman School of Music, which had recently opened in Rochester, New York. Unfortunately, his time abroad was brief, as he passed away on October 4, 1924, in Rochester at the age of 44.

Numerous obituaries in Soviet and foreign press praised his artistry. The Pravda newspaper noted:
“Joseph Press, one of the finest Russian cellists, has died at the age of 44. The deceased was equally esteemed as a solo virtuoso, ensemble member, and pedagogue.”

Another obituary in a Leningrad newspaper remarked:
“With his passing, our musical world has lost a great virtuoso and one of the most vigorous proponents of Russian music abroad. Joseph Press was a first-rate cello virtuoso, a refined and impeccable interpreter of both classical and contemporary music. He excelled especially in classical works, delivering them in their true style.”