DIRECTORIO / BIBLIOTECA DE VIOLONCELLISTAS HISTORICOS  FAMOSOS

Apellidos empezando con A

** (Evaristo) Felice  dall’Abacco
1675 – 1742
Italy (later Germany and Holland)
Important Activity:
cellist & composer
Music/Publications:  
Own original pieces (for cello, including one with a date of 1748)
Anecdotes:
* Cellist from Verona.

** Joseph Marie Clémont Abaco (dall’Abaco)
1710 – 1805
Belgium
Important Activity:
Service of Prince-Elector, Bonn (Member court Chamber Orchestra, and later became artistic director). Member Philharmonic Academy (Verona).
Music/Publications: 
Own original works, including nearly 40 cello sonatas.
Anecdotes:
* Son of composer Evaristo Felice Dall’Abaco, who musically trained him.

** Philip Robert Abas {occasionally spelt Abbas}
1886 - 1945
Netherlands
Important activity:
cellist , viol player and music teacher;  first cellist in the Brighton Municipal Orchestra, from 1913-16 he was wa member of the Bournemouth Winter Garden Symphony Orchestra, In the season 1916/1917 Abas was cellist on the first desk of the Philadelphia Orchestra, later a member of Boston Symphony Orchestra. and principal cello of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Detroit Symphony String Quartet, which was complemented by the harpist Ostrowska to the Detroit Detroit Symphonique Ensemble. In 1926 he became a lecturer in the cello department of the Miami Conservatory, and teacher at the Kansas State Teachers College at Emporia, Kansas. He performed in the Philip Abas Ensemble, playing the viola da gamba in addition to the cello.
Anecdotes:
* the cellists Marcus Adeney , Wynn van Cronk, Arthur Bachmann and Ione Bryce were his students.

** Christian Ferdinand Abel
1682 – 1761
Germany
Important Activity:
Court of Cöthen (principal player)
Anecdotes:
* Virtuoso on both viola da gamba and the cello.
* Inspired J.S. Bach to write the ‘Suites’ for cello in c. 1720.

** Attilio Abiosti
1660 - ????
Italy (later Germany, Britain)
Important Activity:
Kapellmeister to the Elector of Brandenberg (Berlin).
Music/Publications:  
Own original compositions, including operas (but apparently no cello works)
Anecdotes:
* A Dominican monk (the pope  granted him a dispensation from the rule of his order, as without it, being a Dominican, he was forbidden to meddle with anything connected with the theatre.
* Also an accomplished performer on the viola d’amore.

** Claus Adam
1917 – 1983
Germany (later Turkey and Britain)
Important Activity:
Cellist (the second cellist member) in the Juilliard String Quartet. Composer
Anecdotes:
* born in Indonesia, lived as a youngster in Austria (Salzburg) then went to study in the USA.
* A cello pupil of Emmanuelle Feuermann
* last years of life were largely dedicated to composition, including a cello concerto and a string trio

** Joseph (Jozef) Adamowski
1862 – 1930
Poland (later USA)
Important Activity:
Principal cello Boston Symphony Orchestra. Professor Boston Conservatory. Adamowski Quartet and Trio. Professor New England Conservatory.
Dedications:
Arthur Foote – Cello Concerto Op.33
Anecdotes:
* Studied with Fitzenhagen and Tchaikovsky.

** Zofia Adamska
1903 – 1988
Poland
Important Activity:
Polish String Quartet. Professor Krakow Conservatoire.
Premieres:  
Bacewicz – String Quartet No. 3 (1947). 
Bacewicz – Piano Quintet No. 1 (1952).  
Music/Publications:  
own arrangements for cellists (published).
INFORMATION  BY  DOROTA PUKOWNIK

** Konrad Henryk Adamus  
1880 – 1950  
Poland  
Important Activity:  
Cellist, composer and conductor. A member of the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra (1899–1904 and 1909–1911), cellist of the Grand Theatre Orchestra in Warsaw,  principal cello of the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra 1905–1911. Conductor and music director of the Kalisz Music Society & founder/director of a music school there.  Choir director of the Warsaw Opera.
Anecdotes:  
* pupil of Klengel
*  He wrote in a romantic style - operas, ballets, symphonic poems, sacred and instrumental pieces, as well as theatrical music - most music has not survived
* He compiled the textbook " Exercises with the Big Finger for Cello" (circa 1915) 
* he was awarded the Polish Silver Cross of Merit in 1933
* He died completely forgotten . He is buried at the Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw 

** John Adaskin
1908 – 1964
Canada
Important Activity:
Canadian conductor, radio producer, administrator – and cellist …

** Marcus Adeney
1900 – 1998
Great Britain, later Canada
Important Activity:
Member Detroit Symphony Orchestra(1922). Member Toronto symphony Orchestra (1928-1949). Founder and conductor of Beaches Concert Orchestra (Toronto). Cellist Solway String Quartet (1948-58). Member CBC Symphony Orchestra (1952-63). Cellist Marcus Adeney String Quartet (1950s). Professor Hambourg Conservatory (1928-51). Professor University of Toronto (1953-63). Founder/director of the Inverness Music Camp (Muskoka). Professor at the TCM (RCMT) 1944-85. Music critic, programme note writer, contributor to the Strad magazine.
Music/Publications:
Book ‘Tomorrow’s Cellist: exploring the basis of artistry’ (1984). Has also composed songs and cello pieces.
Anecdotes:
* studied with J. Bartmann, Leo Smith, Boris Hambourg, Philip Abbas, Arnold Trowell (London) and Percy Such (New York). 
* Has produced many later cellist members of Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
* Also was a music critic, programme note writer, contributor to ‘The Strad’ magazine, and wrote a novel which won a national prize in 1931.
* His life is featured in a 1994 video “The man who couldn’t lose” by Cayle Chernin.
INFORMATION  BY  THE CANADIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA
Article in JOHNSTONE-MUSIC

** Esprit Aimon
1754 – 1828
France (later Denmark)
Important Activity:
Conductor Orchestra of Count Rantzau.
Anecdotes:
* Formerly acknowledged as a clever cellist.
* Later was based in Marseilles.

** François (Pamphile Leopold) Aimon
1779 – 1866
France
Important Activity:
French cellist and conductor

** Isaac Albeniz
1860 – 1909
Spain
Important Activity:
The famous Spanish composer and pianist was said to be a second study cellist ! 

** Ippolito Albertelli
1901 – 1938
Italy
Important Activity:
Professor Parma Conservatoire. Professor Florence Conservatoire.
Concert work in Italy and Germany
Anecdotes:
* pupil of Crepax (in Rome) and Hugo Becker (Berlin, during 1921-26).
INFORMATION  BY  CARLOS FRUTUOSO

** Eugenio Albini
1881 – 1966
Italy
Important Activity:
Cellist, viola de gamba player and composer.
Anecdotes:
* Important student of Francesco Serato

** Francesco Alborea    ‘Francischello’
1691 – 1739
Italy (later Austria)
Important Activity:
Imperial chamber musician, Vienna.
Anecdotes:
* Naples cellist. An early cello virtuoso at a time when many still favored the Gamba. His extraordinary performances led to the viola de gamba almost entirely disappearing from Italian orchestras by 1730. 
* A direct influence on the young French school – Barrière, Berteau, Duport (senior) etc.

** Joseph Alexander
1770-1840
Germany
Important Activity:
A notable cellist based around Duisburg, noted for beauty of sound.
Anecdotes:
* He wrote study books and original pieces for violoncello
* His pupils included Johann Hermann Kufferath and Jacques Offenbach.

** Diran Alexanian
1881 – 1954
Turkey (Armenian descent) – later France, U.S.A.
Important Activity:
Assistant to Casals in The Ecole Normale de Musique  Paris,  Professor Peabody Institute in Baltimore,  Professor Manhattan School of Music in New York City.
Friendships: 
Brahms, Joachim, Casals, Enescu
Music/Publications: 
Own original pieces, and important Cello treatise.  Developed new aspects of cello playing close in line to Casals.

** Francisco Aliani
1762 - 1812
Italy
Important Activity:
He was a major figure in the musical life of Piacenza in the early 19th century. In service to Ferdinand, Duke of Parma. Five years later, he returned home and was appointed first cellist of the orchestras of church and theatre at Piacenza. 
He was celebrated as a teacher of his instrument. He wrote three books of duets for two cellos.

** Bernardo Maria Aliprandi
1747 – 1801
Italy
Important Activity:
Responsable for instrumental ensembles in Venice. Member Munich Court Orchestra.
Music/Publications:  
Own original pieces (mainly for cello).
Anecdotes:
* Son of an opera composer. 

** Ladislav Alois
1860 – 1917
Bohemia
Important Activity:
Professor Institute of Music of the Musical Society, Kiev. Principal cello Imperial Theatre, Warsaw. Professor Warsaw Conservatoire.
Anecdotes:
* Own original works.
* performed the Tchaikovsky ‘Rococo Variations’ with the composer conducting.
INFORMATION  BY  DOROTA PUKOWNIK

** Hendrik Altink
1888 – 1966
Holland
Important Activity:
Multi-musician: pianist, singer, hornist, conductor, composer – and cellist …

** Filippo Amadeo     ‘Sigr Pippo’  or ‘Pippo del Violoncello’
1665 – c. 1725 
Italy (later Britain)
Important Activity:
Member Orchestra of Cardinal Ottoboni.  Accademia di Santo Cecilia.  Later worked with Handel and Bonocini in London.  
Anecdotes:
* Glowing contemporary reports as to his playing
* in London he was Principal cello of the Royal Academy of Music Opera Orchestra (N.B. not the conservatoire, but an association of noblemen, supported by the king, founded in 1719 for the promotion of Italian opera).

** Morey Amsterdam
1908 – 1996     
U.S.A.
Important Activity:
A famous comedian, known as “The Human Joke Machine”.  Between the intense joke-filled acting sessions, he played novelty tunes with his cello in night-clubs!
The height of his popularity were the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s.

** Karl August Andersen
1903 - 1970
Norway
Important Activity:
Many consider him as the leading Norwegian cellist of his generation. Principal cello Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra for decades.

** Jean Andries
1798 – 1872
Belgium
Important Activity:
A true all-round musician - the Belgian composer Jean Andries was also a violinist, cellist, pedagogue and musicologist !

** Massimo Anfitheatrof (or Amfitheatrof)
1907 – 1990
Italy (son of Russian immigrants, born in Paris)
Important Activity:
Principal cello Turin RAI Orchestra.  Principal cello Rome RAI orchestra. Professor Naples Conservatoire. Duo with pianist Santoliquido.  Trio di Roma (+ quartet, with Pellicia and Bianchi).
Anecdotes:
* he was a pupil of A. Luis in St. Petersburg, and Crepax in Milan.
* in 1924 Arturo Toscanini appointed him principal solo cello at La Scala at the age of 17!
* although he was a classical musician, Massimo Amfiteatrof also provided his talent to pop music artists and records. 
* his nickname was the "Cellists' Caruso". (italian: il Caruso dei Violoncellisti)
* he died in Levanto in 1990; two years after his death, the town inaugurated the “Amfiteatrof Music Festival”, a classical and chamber music festival
WITH INFORMATION  BY  CARLOS FRUTUOSO

** Giorgio Antoniotti
1682 – 1776
Italy
Important Activity:
cellist & composer
Music/Publications:  
Own original pieces, plus a harmony treatise.

** Ernest Charles Appy
1834 – 1895
Holland
Important Activity:
Coenen String Quartet. Professor Maatschappij tot Bevordering van Toonkunst (Amsterdam).
Music/Publications: 
Own original works.
Anecdotes:
* Pupil of Charles Montigny and Merlen. 

** Iwan d’Archambeau
1879 – 1955
Belgium (later USA).
Important Activity:
Member of the Flonzaley Quartet (1902-1928); Stradivarius Quartet.  
Premieres:  
He was present in the American premieres of the following works:  Wolf – Italian Serenade, Schoenberg – D Minor Quartet, Stravinsky – 3 Pieces, and Milhaud etc. (?).
Anecdotes:
* He began formal study of the cello with Alfred Massau at the Liège Conservatoire, followed by training with Edward Jacobs at the Brussels Conservatoire, and with Hugo Becker at the Frankfurt Conservatory.
* In 1902, the violinist Alfred Pochon invited him to join the Flonzaley Quartet. d’Archambeau remained with the quartet until disbanded, by which time his brother Felicién had become the quartet’s violist.
* d’Archambeau joined Pochon in the Stradivarius Quartet in New York in 1935. In 1939, d’Archambeau began teaching in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where in 1943 he formed the Collegium Musicum with Wolfe Wolfinsohn (also a member of the Stradivarius Quartet) and Erwin Bodky.
* He remained in the USA until he returned to Belgium in 1950.

** Johann Gottfried Arnold
1773 – 1806
Germany
Important Activity:
Worked with uncle (Court and town musician at Wertheim).
Anecdotes:
* Pupil of Max Willan and Romberg.

** Charles Ashley
1773 – 1843 
Britain
Important Activity:
One of the original members of the Philharmonic Society (London).

** (Pierre François) Olivier Aubert
1763 – c. 1830
France
Important Activity:
Member Comic Opera (France)
Music/Publications:  
Own original works, including numerous sonatas, plus an instruction book. 
Anecdotes:
* Also guitarist. 
* Member of the Comic Opera Orchestra during 25 years.

** ?.  Auberti
???? -  c. 1805 
Italy (later France)
Important Activity:
Member Orchestra of Italian Theatre (Paris)
Music/Publications:  
Some own original compositions (solos and duets). 

** Theodore Edward Aylward (Jnr.)
1844-1933
Great Britain
Important Activity: 
Cellist of the Royal Italian Opera, London {son of organist William Price Aylward}