Stripped of his Soviet citizenship in the 1970s, Mstislav Rostropovich became a citizen of the world. And upon his death in April, Rostropovich, or Slava, as he was known to friends, was eulogized throughout the world as more than a musician—an underappreciated conductor, a talented piano accompanist, a sometime composer, and, oh yes, the most prominent cellist of the second half of the 20th century. Besides all that, and perhaps above all, he was lauded as a man who worked for justice and the improvement of the human condition.

Consider Rostropovich’s résumé as a humanitarian: defending dissident writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn in a series of acts that effectively ended the cellist’s career in the Soviet Union; giving an impromptu solo recital at the base of the newly crumbling Berlin Wall in 1989; standing alongside Russian President Boris Yeltsin in defiance of an attempted military coup; establishing a foundation to help eradicate childhood diseases in Soviet successor states.

No wonder Rostropovich’s death, at age 80 after a battle with intestinal cancer, and funeral, attended by thousands in Moscow, received international news coverage that surely would not be awarded any other classical musician today.

In Time magazine’s 2004 issue that focused on contemporary heroes, violinist Maxim Vengerov—who recorded, traveled, and performed frequently with Rostropovich in recent years—wrote of the maestro, “He believes that if you do something good, it will not only help in that instance, but serve as an example of how every human can make a difference. That’s why he gives so much time in his incredibly hectic schedule to projects like his vaccination program for children in Russia and elsewhere.”

As of April, through the auspices of the Vishnevskaya-Rostropovich Foundation, more than 5.6 million children and healthcare workers had been vaccinated against mumps, measles, rubella, and hepatitis B in the Russian Federation, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.

Continued Vengerov, “His work with these kids symbolizes all that is great about the Russian soul. For that reason, Russians love him—everyone knows him. You go to a remote village, they know of him. He reaches far beyond the music world. He has had more impact on the lives of ordinary Russians than many politicians. I particularly admire the way the program implements education and infrastructure, so the work can continue in that place without him.

“It epitomizes Rostropovich’s musical values—cultural enrichment, continuity, and improvement.”

But don’t forget the central fact: Rostropovich was a musician, one whose interpretations did not suit every taste, but whose personality, passion, and technique combined to make him a tremendously beloved and influential musical figure.

And not just among cellists.

Rostropovich was in the habit of locking some composer or other in one of his trademark bear hugs and insisting, “Must write piece for me!” As a result, Rostropovich inspired the creation of more than 240 works by such celebrated 20th-century composers as Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Britten, Bernstein, Messiaen, Dutilleux, Lutoslawski, Boulez, Berio, and Penderecki. Most notable among these are Shostakovich’s two cello concertos and Britten’s three solo cello suites, cello-piano sonata, and cello symphony.