DIRECTORY / LIBRARY OF FAMOUS HISTORICAL CELLISTS
Surname letter starting with G
** Domenico Gabrielli ‘Dominic of the Cello’
1651 – 1690
Italy
Important Activity:
Member Orchestra of the Church of San Petronio (Bologna), Accademia Filarmonica of Bolgna (member, later president). Court of Duke Francesco II d’Este of Modena..
Music/Publications:
Own original works for cello
** Fritz Gaillard
1875 – ???
Important Activity:
Principal cello Concertgebouw Orchestra (Amsterdam, 1905-20). Member Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.
Premieres:
D’Albert – Cello Concerto (American premiere in 1926).
Anecdotes:
* retired from the Los Angeles Orchestra after the 1938-39 season
** Domenico Galli
1650 – 1697
Italy
Important Activity:
cellist & composer
Music/Publications:
Own original pieces, including solo unaccompanied 12 sonatas (with unusual string tuning Bb, F, C, G) which were probably inspired by his association with Gabrielli.
** Stefano (or Salvatore) Galeotti
1700 – ????
Italy – also worked in England, France and Holland.
Important Activity:
cellist & composer
Music/Publications: wrote sonatas for the cello
Anecdotes:
* also known as ‘Galliot’.
INFORMATION BY CARLOS FRUTUOSO
** Moritz Ganz
1806 – 1868
Germany
Important Activity:
Member of Berlin Court Orchestra. Concert tours with brother. King of Prussia conferred the title of Concertmaster.
Music/Publications:
Original own works, including cello concertos.
Anecdotes:
* Brother of Leopold Ganz (violinist).
* Pupil of father and Stiastny.
** Raya Garbousova
1909 – 1997
Georgia (later Germany, France)
Important Activity:
Professor Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Professor at Hartt College of Music in Connecticut. Masterclasses in Aspen, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and Indiana University, as well as in China. She was a generous supporter of the Chicago Cello Society, also giving several Master Classes.
Premieres:
Martinu – 3rd Cello Sonata,
Prokofiev – Cello Sonata,
Barber – Cello Concerto, (also dedicated to her).
She also introduced works of Creston, Hindemith, and Lopatnikoff, and edited many new works for publication.
Dedications:
Rieto – Cello Concerto (1956),
Rathaus – Rapsodia Notturna (1950).
Friendships:
Emanuel Feuermann, Milstein, Horowitz, Piatigorsky, Rose, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Huberman, Szigeti, Morini, Stern, Oistrakh, Fournier, du Pré, Starker, Rostropovich, Nelsova, Greenhouse.
** Quirino Gasparini
???? – 1770
Italy
Important Activity:
1749 appointed Kapellmeister at the Court of Turin, where he remained until 1770
Distinguished cellist, but chiefly known as composer of church music (no cello pieces are known by him)
** José García Jacot
1855 – 1912
(Spain/Catalonia, later Argentina)
Important Activity:
Member ‘Chamber Music Quartet’ of Barcelona. Principal cello Theatre Orchestra and Royal Chapel, Madrid. Professor Madrid Conservatoire. Professor Liceo School, Barcelona. Principal cello Odeón Theatre Orchestra, Buenos Aires. Principal cello Opera Orchestra, Buenos Aires. Professor ‘Santa Cecilia’ Musical Institute, Buenos Aires. Professor ‘Thibaud-Piazzini’ Conservatoire, Buenos Aires. Professor ‘Beethoven’ Musical Institute, Buenos Aires.
Anecdotes:
* pupil of Fargas (in the Liceo Filarmónico-Dramático Barecelonés)
* perhaps his chief fame to posterior fame is that he was the teacher of Pau Casals in Barcelona. He also taught José María Castro, Athos Palma, Ennio Bolognini.
* at the very end of his life he lived shortly in Montevideo, Uruguay.
INFORMATION BY LEO VIOLA / ARGENCELLO
** Maurice Gendron
1920 – 1990
France
Important Activity:
Professor Paris Conservatoire, Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Menuhin School (England), and in Saarbrücken. Duo (vlc-pno) with Jean Françaix, Duo (vlc-pno) with Dinu Lipatti. Trio with Yehudi and Hepzibah Menuhin.
Premieres :
Jean Françaix – Variations de Concert,
Prokofiev – (1st) Cello Concerto (first West-European performance).
Friendships:
Jean Cocteau, Jean Neveu, Ginette Neveu, Picasso, Jean Françaix, Francis Poulenc, Pau Casals. (His idol was Emanuel Feuermann)
Anecdotes :
* taught at Paris Conservatoire 1970-90.
* serious doubts have recently been cast on his treatment of young student cellists of promise
** George Georgescu
1887 – 1964
Rumania
Important Activity:
Cellist and conductor.
Anecdotes:
* at first a serious cellist, and a pupil of Hugo Becker (Berlin). He soon after replaced Becker as cellist of the Marteau Quartet.
* After early professional promise a hand injury (from a railway carriage door) led him to seek a conducting career. Both R. Strauss and A. Nikisch befriended him, giving him chances with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He became conductor of the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra, and regular invitations abroad.
** Jean Gérardy
1877 – 1929
Belgium
Important Activity:
Trio (with Karl Flesch and Schnabel). Soloist – American tours etc.
Premieres:
Joseph Jongen – Cello Concerto (1900, Paris).
Anecdotes:
* studied at Verviers Conservatoire
* teacher of Hans Kindler.
* Gerardy gave up concertizing in later life.
* With the outbreak of the First World War, Gérardy (a Belgian) left the trio as he could no longer remain in Germany; Becker replaced him in the trio (and then Piatigorsky took over from Becker).
** Francois-Auguste Gevaert
1828-1908
Belgium
Important Activity:
Professor Brussels Conservatory (1870-1907). Not specifically a cellist.
Anecdotes:
* Editor of Ancient music.
* Edited/arranged in 1890 the formerly popular, but today little-used version of Haydn – Concerto in D major.
* Wrote an organ method
* Wrote the National Anthem for Belgian Congo !
Article in JOHNSTONE-MUSIC
** Georgio Frederico Ghedini
1892 – 1965
Italy
Important Activity:
Composer and conductor. Composition and academic Professor at Turin Conservatory, Parma Conservatoire and Milan Conservatory. Second study cellist!
** Luigi Stefano Giarda
1868 – 1953
Italy (later Chile)
Important Activity:
Principal cello La Scala Opera Orchestra, Milan. Professor Padova Musical Institute. Professor Naples Conservatoire. Ferni String Quartet.
Music/Publications: various compositions and a harmony treatise.
Anecdotes :
* pupil of Magini (Milan).
* performed as soloist in different European cities.
* in about 1920 he emigrated to Chile.
INFORMATION BY CARLOS FRUTUOSO
** Fritz Giese
1859 – 1896
Holland
Important Activity:
Concert tour through Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Principal cello Amsterdam Park Orchestra. Mendelssohn Quintet Club of Boston, Massachusetts. Member of the Philharmonic Club and its successor, the Boston Symphony Orchestra (1884-1889). Member Kneisel Quartet (Boston). Professor National Conservatory of Music in New York.
Anecdotes:
* son of cellist Joseph Giese. So advanced as boy that he publically performed Romberg’s 2nd cello concerto at aged 10!
* studies with Friedrich Grützmacher in Dresden and Léon Jacquard in Paris.
* A successful performance before the King earned him the title ‘Solo cellist to His Majesty’ (Holland)
* Despite his phenomenal successes, Fritz Giese’s short life must have been sad. The effects of alcohol abuse became audible in his playing, and were the cause of his untimely death at age 37, in 1896.
INFORMATION BY TERRY KING
** Joseph Giese
1821 – 1903
Germany
Important Activity:
Concert tours through France and Switzerland. Professor Royal School of Music (The Hague). Principal cello French Theatre (The Hague).
Anecdotes:
* pupil of Moritz Ganz
* teacher of many students, including Anton Hekking, Henri Bosmans (father of composer Henriette Bosmans) and his only son Fritz.
** Lev Solomonovich Ginsberg
1907 – 1981
Bielorussia
Important Activity:
Professor Moscow Conservatoire.
Music/Publications:
wrote books on a number of important historical string players.
Anecdotes:
* pupil of Semyon Kozopulov. Gained degree by a dissertation on Boccherini, and doctorate for early historic investigation of the cello.
** François Joseph Giraud
???? – c. 1788
France
Important Activity:
Member Paris Opera Orchestra. Chamber musician to King (Académie Royale de Musique), Paris. Member Concert Spiritual.
Music/Publications:
Own original works. He composed, in conjunction with Berton, the ballet- opera of ” Deucabon et Pyrrha,” which was performed in 1755, and considered his most successful work. In 1762, he composed an opera . Also wrote 6 cello sonatas, interesting slow movements, but less so the faster movements.
Anecdotes:
* in royal service 1752-76.
** Dorothy Godfrey
1902 – 1975
Scotland
Important Activity:
Cellist of the Falconer String Quartet
** Jozef Goebelt
1826 – 1892
Poland
Important Activity:
Principal cello Teatro de Opera, Warsaw.
Anecdotes:
* also a cello professor.
INFORMATION BY DOROTA PUKOWNIK
** Daniel van Goens
1858 – 1904
Holland
Important Activity:
Cellist & composer
Music/Publications:
many own works for cello, including 2 cello concertos and the famous ‘Scherzo’.
Anecdotes:
* studied in Paris Conservatoire.
** Georg Goltermann
1824 – 1898
Germany
Important Activity:
Music Director in Würzburg, Municipal Theater Stadttheatre in Fankfurt-am-Main (Deputy Music Director, later Kappellmeister-Main Director)
Dedications:
Popper – Cello Concerto No.1 in D minor, Op.8 (1871)
Music/Publications:
Many own original pieces and arrangements
Friendships:
Grieg
Article in JOHNSTONE-MUSIC
** Johann August (Julius) Goltermann
(note: not to be confused with George Goltermann, cellist and composer)
1825 – 1876
Germany
Important Activity:
Professor Prague Conservatoire (1850-1862). Principal cello Stuttgart Orchestra (1862-1870).
Dedications:
Eckert – Cello Concerto in D minor, Op.26
Anecdotes:
* Pupil of Kummer and Auguste Christian Prell
* Teacher of David Popper
** Albert Gowa
1843 – ???? (at least 1895)
Germany
Important Activity:
Principal cello Buckeburg Court.
Anecdotes:
* pupil of Fr. Grutzmacher and Davidov.
* soloist appearances in Germany, Denmark and Britain.
** Johann Andreas Grabau
1809 – 1886
Germany
Important Activity:
Member Gewandhaus Orchestra (Leipzig).
Anecdotes:
* pupil of Gustave Knoop (Meiningen).
* A well-esteemed string quartet player.
** Gebhard Graf
1843? 1848? – ????
Bavaria
Important Activity:
Principal Cello Princes’ Kapelle, Sondershausen. Principal cello Bilse Orchestra. Service of Grand Ducal Kapelle at Strelitz. Principal cello Grand Ducal Orchestra, Brunswick.
Anecdotes:
* pupil of Hippolyte Muller.
* was 14 years in Brunswick post.
** Nicolai Graudan
1896 – 1964
Russia (later Germany, Britain, USA).
Important Activity:
Principal cello Berlin Philharmonic. Principal cello Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. Professor Aspen Festival and Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara. Member Festival Quartet (with William Primrose).
Anecdotes:
* when Hitler came to power, Graudon left Germany to go to London and then to the USA
** Markus Heinrich Graul
???? (1st half 18th C.) – ????
Important Activity:
Member Royal Orchestra at Berlin.
Music/Publications:
Own original compositions (not published)
Anecdotes:
* living and working in Berlin during the 1760s.
** Carlo Graziani
1725 – 1787
Italy
Important Activity:
Member Court Orchestra of Prussian king. Tutor/Instructor to the Crown Prince of Prussia (later to be Frederick William II).
Music/Publications:
Own original works, published in Berlin (1780) and afterwards in Paris.
These include various sonatas, a concerto and a caprice.
Anecdotes:
* When the French violoncellist, Duport (the elder), came to Berlin, in 1773, Graziani lost his post at the Prussian Court ! He died in Potsdam in 1787.
INFORMATION BY CARLOS FRUTUOSO
** Marcus (Markus) Heinrich Graul
1742 – 1798
Germany
Important Activity:
Member Royal Orchestra, Berlin.
Music/Publications: own original pieces for cello (not published).
** Eleanor ‘Kitty’ Gregorson
1903 – 2004
Scotland
Important Activity:
Played in the Reid Orchestra and with the BBC Scottish Orchestra; important Scottish cello teacher
Anecdotes:
* Pupil at the Royal College of Music, London, but was forced to give up studies at the institution
* she was described as she “threw herself into her life’s work of teaching the cello”.
* she lived over a hundred years and was very active in older age
** Julius Griebel
1809 – 1865
Germany
Important Activity:
Sub-principal cello Berlin Hofkapelle (alongside Ganz). Zimmerman String Quartet.
Anecdotes:
* Pupil of father and Max Bohrer.
** Johann Benjamin Gross
1809 – 1848
Germany
Important Activity:
Member Konigstadt Theatre Orchestra, Berlin. Liphart String Quartet. Principal cello Imperial Theatre, St. Petersburg.
Music/Publications:
Own original works, including two cello concertos, cello and piano recital works, cello duos, chamber music (especially string quartets), and songs.
Anecdotes:
* regarded as one of the best and most infallible German cellists of his time, and a superb quartet player.
* He was a virtuoso cellist, but not in the manner which lead to a ‘fan club’; he played correctly, poetically and dreamily.
INFORMATION BY DR. FOLCKERT LÜKEN-ISBERNER
** Heinrich Grosse
1764 – 1806
Germany
Important Activity:
Member Royal Orchestra, Berlin.
Anecdotes:
* pupil of Duport (the younger).
** Paul Grummer
1879 – 1965
Germany
Important Activity:
Kubelík Quartet, Busch Quartet, Principal cello Vienna Konzertverein (Opera Orchestra). Professor Vienna Music Academy, Professor in both Cologne and Berlin Hochschule. Played with Busch Quartet. Member Stross Quartet. Duos with harpsichordist Wanda Landowska. Visiting professor at Lisbon and Salzburg.
Dedications:
Reger – Suite for solo cello No.3.
Bortkiewicz – Three Pieces, Op.25 (1922) (vlc and piano)
Works by Wolf-Ferrari and Tcherepnin.
Music/Publications:
Own teaching pieces and methods. Edited Beethoven trios (with Carl Herrman). Published a ‘Viola da Gamba’ School (method book) in 1928. Also an autobiography ‘Encounters’ in 1963.
Anecdotes:
* Helped enormously the Viola da gamba revival in the 20th century.
** Heinrich (Jindrich) Grünfeld
1855 – 1931
Austria/Czech
Important Activity:
Principal cello Comic Opera Orchestra, Vienna. Teacher Neue Akademie der Tonkunst, Berlin . Organizer of Berlin ‘Trio Soirees’. Court cellist to King William of Prussia.
Dedications:
Popper – 2 Dances from Op.54 – L’Andalouse & Vito (1883-87)
Anecdotes:
* pupil of Hegenbarth (Prague conservatoire).
* brother of Alfred Grünfeld (Austrian pianist and composer).
* critics generally remarked on his ‘beautiful tone’.
** Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Grützmacher
1832 – 1903
Germany
Important Activity:
David String Quartet, Leipzig Theatre Orchestra, Principal cello Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Professor Leipzig Conservatoire, Principal cello Dresden Court Orchestra, Professor Dresden Conservatory. Professor Gürzenich Conservatory (Cologne).
Premieres:
Schumann – 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op.102,
Schumann – Fantasy Pieces (cello version),
Schumann – Adagio and Allegro (cello version), Schumann – 3 Romances (cello version),
Strauss – Don Quixote (in doubt – maybe premiered by his son!).
Beethoven – Violin Romances Op.40 and Op.50 (in his own versions).
Dedications:
Franz Neruda – Cello Sonata, Op.39, and also the ‘3 Pieces’, Op.39
Oskar Wermann – Sonata for cello and organ, Op.58 (1889)
Emil Hartmann – Cello Concerto in D minor, Op.26
Hans Huber – Cello sonata No.1, Op.33
Reinecke – Cello Concerto in D minor, Op.82 (1864)
De Lange – Cello Concerto No.1
Music/Publications:
Own original pieces, studies and arrangements for cello.
Friendships:
Clara Schumann, Grieg (performed cello sonata with composer), Brahms
Article in JOHNSTONE-MUSIC
** Leopold Grützmacher
1835 – 1900
Germany
Important Activity:
Member Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig, Principal cello Schwerin Hofkapelle. Principal cello Landestheater in Prague. Title of ‘chamber virtuoso’ in Weimar.
Well-known chamber musician.
Music/Publications:
Own original works, including 2 cello concertos.
Anecdotes:
* Brother of the more famous Friedrich.
** Alberico Guidi
1893-1976
Italy
Important Activity:
with his brother and sister the formed the Trio Guidi; Italian New York Chamber Music Society: 1923-1926 Member of the New York Symphony Orchestra (1924-1928/1924-1949, see anecdotes); New York Philharmonic (1929- 1949). He also was previously a member of the Musica String Quartet and for several years played with the Queen’s Hall Symphony Orchestra in London.
Anecdotes:
* he studied the cello with Achille Rossi in Venice and later worked with the Hungarian virtuoso Dezsö Kordy and, in London, with William E. Whitehouse.
* Alberico Guidi made his concert debut at Queen’s Hall in London when he was 18 and, which made frequent appearances in England and France.
*In 1924, he joined the New York Symphony Orchestra under Willem Mengelberg and continued with the orchestra after its merger as the New York Philharmonic until 1949.
** Jean Pierre Guignon
1702 – 1775
Italy (later France)
Important Activity:
At first a cellist, but switched to violin and abandoned the cello ! Later in service of king Louis XIV ‘Violons du Roi’’
** John Gun
1765 – 1824
Britain
Important Activity:
cellist and writer
Music/Publications:
Published formerly important Cello method in 1793, republished in 1794.
** Isadore Gusikoff
1900 – 1962
USA
Important Activity:
Principal cello Philadelphia Orchestra. Helper of Stokowski’s All-American Youth Orchestra.
Anecdotes:
* Brother of violinist Mishel (also Philadelphia Orchestra). Isadore was principal of Philadelphia during 4 years, but did not get on with conductor Eugene Ormandy, who fired him !