He was particularly noted for his partnership with the violinist David Oistrakh and the pianist Lev Oborin in a renowned piano trio from 1940 until his death.
[1] His sonata performances with Oistrakh were considered the equal in their day of the later duo of Sviatoslav Richter and Mstislav Rostropovich.
[1] His pupils there included the cellists Stefan Popov, Mikhail Khomitser and Yevgeny Altman,[6] and the double bassist Rodion Azarkhin.
[8] Cello concertos were written for him by: Other composers who wrote for him were Sergei Vasilenko and Alexander Goedicke.
Sviatoslav Knushevitsky was an alcoholic,[5] which, along with his frenetic lifestyle, contributed to his early death at the age of 55 in 1963, in Moscow.