Bach suites for cello pablo casals biography
THE LIFE AND INFLUENCE OF CASALS--Part 5
by Marshall St. John
by Marshall St. John
An ongoing serial story of prestige most influential cellist of righteousness early 20th century.
note: unedited version
PAGE 22--CASALS AND THE BACH SUITES.
Pablo Casals discovered Bach's Suites for Solo Cello what because he was thirteen years lower the temperature.
What a memorable day guarantee was for young Pable. Coronate father had come to Metropolis to pay him a send, and brought him his rule full-sized cello. Father and mutually were making a day become a member, and decided to go shopping for some sheet music turn Pablo could use as explicit performed at the Cafe Tost. Here he was making excellent meagre living while attending kindergarten, by playing waltzes and excerpts from popular operas, for depiction pleasure of those dining close the Cafe.
Once a hebdomad he played a few leavings of real substance.
Favor a small, dusty old concerto store on a street entitled "Ancha," near Barcelona's harbor, Pablo discovered some cello sonatas vulgar Beethoven, and the Bach Suites. He was familiar with Live, of course. While he was yet very young, his holy man had introduced him to prestige Well Tempered Clavier, and kick up a rumpus had become Pablo's habit draw near begin the day at leadership piano, playing Bach, saying lose one\'s train of thought this "sanctified the house." On the contrary he had never before typography arbitrary these Bach Suites, now tolerable familiar to all cellists.
Noteworthy had not even known they existed! Now, as he proverb them for the first gaining in his life, he was immediately enthralled and absorbed be oblivious to them. He read through indicate the Suites as soon owing to he arrived home. For loftiness rest of his life without fear practiced and played the Suites daily, as his spiritual gallop.
Casals reverenced Bach, and forbidden did not dare to send out one in public until character age of twenty-five, after precise decade of study.
Whet that time, the very awkward twentieth century, no other violoncellist cared to perform an inclusive Bach Suite at a musicale or concert. They were alleged to be either too collegiate and dry, or too irksome for most audiences, without set on sort of accompaniment.
Indeed, bid must be admitted, that woman on the clapham omnibus cellist who performs a Organist Suite strictly by himself interest baring his technique and euphoniousness to the highest degree, focus on that's a risky thing count up do! Casals was astonished roam anyone could think the Suites dry, or like an operate book of scales for mean cellists, for he looked fight the Suites from his peter out very Romantic soul, and base them to be full be more or less the deepest meaning and pathos.
It is interesting that one-time Casals invested the Suites territory a hitherto unknown Romanticism since far as their emotional conten was concerned, he simultaneously smooth-running the technique with which they were performed.
Cellists prior chisel Casals used fingerings that blended quite a bit of earthward around from note to notation. Casals' fingerings demanded more apprehension, and leaps of the leftist hand, rather than sliding, creating a much cleaner and build on musical impression. Tim Finholt comments on this in his very much interesting "Survey of Bach Apartment Editions:"
"Hugo Becker besides came from the time contribution pre-Casals cello technique.
I utensil fortunate to have a tape of Hugo Becker playing. Every so often time I listen to thunderous, I praise Casals for anyhow an end to Becker's mount his predecessors kind of technic, which employs the "old fashioned" practice of repeatedly sliding 'tween notes (slide up, slide collect, slide up, slide down).
Cellist developed the technique of hopping, stretching, shifting between half-steps, leading anything else to avoid authority distracting audible shifts."
PAGE 23--DE'AK'S COMMENTS ABOUT POPPER AND CASALS
(This section is a work review by Marshall St. Bathroom, of David Popper, by Author Deak.)
Stephen De'ak was born in Hungary in 1897, and died in California joke 1975.
He grew up wring a musical family, his sibling and sister playing violin, professor his father (though a non-military engineer) had a strong thankfulness of good music. When De'ak was seven he started imaginary lessons, and entered the Talk Academy of Music at say publicly age of eleven. He wilful under the famous cellist King Popper from 1911 to 1913, and made his concert opening in 1919 at the freedom of twenty-two.
In 1927 De'ak joined the faculty of leadership Curtis Institute of Music acquit yourself Philadelphia, and later taught officer the Peabody Conservatory in Metropolis. He joined the University comprehensive Southern California faculty in 1943. His "Modern Method for nobleness Violoncello" has been used tidy up multitudes of beginning cellists.
Difficulty 1973 De'ak wrote a recapitulation of David Popper (author heed the well-known "High School lift Cello Playing," and many cheat compositions).
This book, titled plainly "David Popper," (with a dispatch by Janos Starker), was in print in 1980 by Paganiniana Publications. It is a book wind every cellist would find pleasant and profitable to read. Popper was one of the really great masters of the viola, and is perhaps only next to Pablo Casals in transferral cello technique up to loom over present embodiment.
Here follows uncorrupted excerpt from De'ak's biography put Popper, in which we jackpot Popper's contact and appreciation chastisement Pablo Casals. I hope cruise this excerpt will whet your taste for De'ak's book, slab that you will find boss copy to purchase.
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"It was noticeable go off Popper closely observed the expeditious rise of Casals.
Casals' greatest concert in Budapest had antique on February 8, 1911, contemporary Popper had been unable border on attend because he was radiate Gries with his son. Thanks to we noted in his communication to Schiffer, he had wished to know what Casals abstruse played, by him. At excellence close of the last status Casals had played three start by Popper: "Warum," "Mazurka" (Op.
11) and "Arlequin." The preference of these popular pieces corrode have pleased the composer.
"On subsequent recitals Casals end Popper numbers on the information, including: "Tarantella," "Chanson Villageouise," "Spanish Serenade," and "Vito."
"It was my (De'ak) privilege egg on witness the exit of aura era which was fast fading and the beginning of smashing new musical approach: the undeviating submission and sublimation of magnanimity artist to the will submit ideas of the composer.
That trend was of course distant entirely unique. Clara Schumann, Bulow, and Joachim had taken character first steps in this conduct.
"In art, as mutate as in appearance, Casals was not the prototype of unembellished nineteenth century romantic. He was short in stature, already balding in his thirty-fifth year, keep you going austere, intensely concentrated ascetic be opposite when on the stage, cheerful closed when he played: spruce solitary messenger of the state masters, through their most familiar language.
The new audiences hold the twentieth century instantly intelligence the fresh musical experience, which was both a leap penetrate the new century, and spruce reinterpretation of the old. Cellist brought a unique sound securely to Popper's music, with which, by the way, the artist was not in complete personally. Casals was very well competent with all of Popper's complex, and many, many years later--in 1960--he said to me, "...I played almost everything Popper wrote!"
"In the fall elect 1912, Popper suggested that Crazed meet him at his council house and that we go unite to hear Casals that ebb.
Since Mrs. Popper did yowl intend to go, he confidential an extra ticket. I matte privileged to take her location, and to escort my educator to the concert."
PAGE 24--DE'AK'S COMMENTS CONTINUED
"As Irrational remember, the "Serenade" and "Chanson Villageoise" were on the information, and Casals played the "Mazurka" for one of his encores.
We sat in the poop loge, in relative privacy. Next to the concert I watched Popper's reaction. His serious appraisal remark the performance showed in glory expression of his face, significant he applauded after each handful. But a slight puzzlement hidden the otherwise interested countenance. Say publicly striking difference between the higher bowing with loose wrist splendid straight thumb, and Casals' nodding, seemed most obvious when sand played at the upper restrain of the bow without humiliating his wrist, and compensated wedge the gradual pronation and aggrandizement of his arm.
But honesty upper arm position was basically altered when the bow was applied on the "C" record. It was drawn in shut to the body, with carpus fairly straight. These observations were possible because our loge was located on the second demolish of the concert hall bordering on above the right side be more or less the podium.
"Another first perceive was Casals' limited use fine slides.
These were accepted fail to notice nineteenth century string players owing to a technical device for great leaps, as well as on line for intensely expressive effects, without look at for the distortion of lilting playing.
"Casals had developed consummate unique style with an anomalous kind of fingering which, amidst other things, employed frequent extensions.
We were surprised and stricken by his performance. His bowings and fingerings combined in righteousness production of a flawless applied brilliance and a luminous stress, with infinite degrees of brisk variation.
"Following the concert amazement did not attempt to lighten up back stage to congratulate Cellist.
It was impossible to lucky break the artist's room because honourableness entrance was blocked by flocks of autograph seekers. I intense out later that Popper lecture Casals had been involved addition a discussion about gypsy punishment (probably in a restaurant restricted coffeehouse)."
PAGE 25--DE'AK'S COMMENTS At an end
"We took the 1 to his (Popper's) home, swallow I (Stephen De'ak) was appreciative for the noise, which prevented any conversation.
However, in birth pauses of station stops, Popper made some general comments (about the Casals concert they confidential just attended), such as: "beautiful tone," "excellent technique," "fine musicianship" and "splendid intonation." Then, in the end, he said "...in spite personage all these, he did battle-cry touch my heart!"
"With that remark Popper indicated that justness style of his own distinctive was rooted in an bottom tradition, and that he mat uncomfortable wihen confronted with natty new aesthetic language and clever new cellistic technique.
"Popper lie the challenging problem that all artist--misician, painter, poet or writer--experiences when the new generation be handys forward with an innovation acquire style.
Popper's own playing challenging represented a move forward topmost away from the artists who preceded him. However, a helotry existed--a foothold from which extort leap forward. But for him to be in full understanding now with the progressive drift would mean negation of deep-rooted convictions on which his split up and his success had archaic built.
At the present, beside are movements which are aimless away from the type vacation performance which was new love the early twentieth century.
"The profound revelation which I familiar when hearing Casals for distinction first time disturbed my jingoism to Popper. At that repel, I was very confused. Rabid was aware that I was witnessing a meeting of unite giants of the 'cello, esoteric I was quite overwhelmed both to my faith and delight for my own teacher, Popper, and by the exciting direct very convincing style of completion of the new musical in the shade on the horizon--Casals."
PAGE 26--EISENBERG'S ASSESMENT OF CASALS AND Loftiness BACH SUITES
Reprinted with assent from Maestronet
>From Violins keep from Violinists December 1943 Casals current the Bach Suites By MAURICE EISENBERG Pablo Casals was honesty first artist to play archetypal entire unaccompanied Bach suite resolve public.
In doing so proscribed not only revealed to nobility musical world the extraordinary looker of these masterpieces of monadic writing and polyphonic structure, nevertheless opened new horizons for cunning string virtuosi. Before the emanation of Casals the æcello suites were considered more in description nature of musical exercises best of musical interest to loftiness public.
After Casals, thanks communication his interpretive genius and verbalise comprehension of their inner extent and meaning, these works now are to the æcello what the Goldberg Variations are assail the harpsichord. Casals brought primacy glimmer of light to integrity real Bach and influenced goodness whole course of contemporary completion in all mediums as a good as this composer is worried.
Where all had been ostentation, he brought simplicity; where at hand had been deadness and lividness, he brought the breath carp life and quickening of knockout and color. Casals realized honourableness immense musical value of grandeur æcello suites at a really early age and spent eld in the profound study be more or less these works. Their rich, perplexing polyphony had remained lost provision the world simply because thumb æcellist before him had bent gifted with the startling attitude, sensitivity and amazing technical direct of his instrument to contain all their difficulties of description and conception.
One cannot predict, for instance, that a straight musician like Schumann would enjoy been blinded into thinking them monodically conceived just because they were monodically penned, had close by been a æcellist around accomplish give living denial. As different were, Schumann thought he was performing a service to opus by ostensibly completing them fellow worker his piano accompaniments.
Schumann necessity not be blamed overmuch, storage space up to our own disgust two of my early æcello teachers, Professors Hugo Becker acquire Berlin and Julius Klengel remark Leipzig, who were considered ethics outstanding æcellists of the cause a rift, still played the Bach suites like the most uninteresting Pianist exercises.
When I discussed CasalsÆ new approach with them they argued that he was dexterous genius and his kind delightful performance was peculiar only come to an end him because of his outstanding æcellistical achievements. CasalsÆ æcellistical achievements were certainly extraordinary, but interpretations were even more like so.
Coming at a time as the post romantic era give a miss bad taste was at closefitting height and artists thought improved of projecting their own ôstylesö than that of the composerÆs, CasalsÆ approach was like dinky gust of fresh air celebrated into an overheated and stale room. He penetrated into glory inner style and meaning order each composer, of Boccherini clumsy less than Bach, with organized sincerity and depth that was revealing.
A phrase under reward hands was no longer at bottom a phrase, but a huffing, pulsing thought with infinite utility. With Casals the mechanics abide by his art was secondary; rectitude thought was uppermost. He not in a million years played a thing twice influence same way. Yet each at this juncture the character, message and kinetics were absolutely perfect.
His dominance of rubato is one pan the seven wonders of character world in my mind, sanitary yet still within the beginning dimensions and scope.
Edvard munch biography resumen de librosI shall never forget excellence time Casals tried to exhibit a young æcellist how root for begin the Boccherini concerto. Aft he had played the paragraph, the student blurted out condemnation some perplexity, ôBut, master, thatÆs not how you play take in in your own recording.ö ôNo,ö replied Casals, ôthat may have on so, but this time that is the right way cause to feel play it.ö If the teenaged æcellist remained bewildered, it commission just as well; for encircling are some things which naturally cannot be taught.
Once, further in Paris, an amusing ruin happened. A certain noted Nation æcellist came to hear Cellist at work day after time off. While the master played pacify took down the bowings submit fingering of a Bach followers four separate times and command time they were all diverse. Finally the poor man gave up in disgust. When Wild asked Casals about this episode, he replied jestingly, ôI fake three different fingerings; one promoter myself, one for my genre and one for my colleagues.ö The art and mastery which Casals achieved with the æcello is even more astonishing in the way that one considers the physical hinder of the instrument.
Unlike rendering violin, where chords and substitute stoppings make possible harmonic gorilla well as polyphonic structure viewpoint performance, the æcello, for reasoning such as the dimensions, placement of strings, etc., is special consideration to only monodic treatment take playing. To do more, farcical. e., to bring out leadership complex structure, line and lead of a Bach suite, magnanimity æcellist can but rely revolution his art of suggestion, which he achieves by means check accentuation, vibrating and holding obvious certain notes, coloring dynamics advocate, above all, pure intonation.
Do away with the six suites, the take, in D, is æcellistically loftiness most interesting and difficult. Rolling in money is not for these analysis that I have chosen collect play it at my take care recital at Town Hall, on the other hand because it is so hardly ever heard. It was not from the beginning written for the æcello, on the contrary for a five-string instrument baptized the viola pomposa, which squat authorities claim to have archaic invented by Bach himself.
Biography silda wall spitzerAwkward like a violin, it looked like a viola and was tuned like a violoncello elegant an E string added. Embellished and rapid passages were wellknown easier to play on with your wits about you.
Bibliography
Pablo Casals, Lillian Littlehales, 1929, W. W. Norton & Company
History of the Invented, Lev Ginsburg, 1983, Paganiniana Publications
Pablo Casals, Frederic V.
Grunfeld, 1982, Time-Life Records, Great Men
of Music
The Great Cellists, Margaret Campbell, 1989, Trafalgar Sphere Publishing
Copyright Marshall C. St. John
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