Historical Events of May 11
11 May
** 1821 - a two-part concert of predominantly eighteenth-century vocal music (in the style of the Concerts of Ancient Music), but with orchestral/instrumental items at the beginning of each part, was presented at the King's Concert Rooms, Hanover Square, London. Franz Cramer and Robert Lindley performed the solo obbligato violin and cello parts.
** 1875 - birth of Paul Hahn (Reutlingen, Stuttgart, Germany) d. 1962
cellist & businessman {based Canada}
** 1898 - a ‘Grand Afternoon Concert’ was given at Stafford House’, London, on 11th May 1898, for the benefit of Charing Cross Hospital. This was a two-part orchestral concert of vocal and instrumental solos, with various recitations and musical sketches. Instrumental soloists included Johannes Wolff (violin), Master H. Vernon Warner (piano) and Mr W.H. Squire (cello).
** 1901 – solo Belgium cellist Jean Gérardy arrived in Sydney, Australia, on today’s date, aboard the RMS Ventura (he had journeyed from San Francisco). He took the train to Melbourne about a week later. Supposedly a holiday, Gérardy could not resist playing numerous concerts there – in fact, between 30th May and 18th July, he is documented as giving almost twenty performances set between Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney!
** 1912 - cellist Gerard Hekking performed as soloist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, in Lalo – Cello Concerto. Concert in Amsterdam, conducted by Cornelis Dopper
** 1945 - birth of Ross Pople (Auckland, New Zealand)
cellist, orchestra principal Bath/Menuhin Festival Orchestra (1969-75), principal cello BBC Symphony Orchestra (1976-86), conductor & artistic director London Festival Orchestra, artistic director of ‘The Warehouse’; professor
** 1958 – the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performed in Hamburg (Musikhalle, Hamburg), with cellist Andre Navarra and violinist Christian Ferras featuring in Brahms – Double Concerto in A minor, Op.102, in an all-Brahms programme. Conductor: Karl Böhm
** 1968 - Pedro Corostola/cello and Francisco Corostola/piano performed Rodolfo Halffter - Sonata for cello and piano, Op.26, recorded live by Spanish National Radio
Auditorio del Ministerio de Información y Turismo, Madrid
** 1969 - cellist Siegfried Palm performed as soloist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, in Penderecki “Sonata”. Concert in Amsterdam, conducted by Edo de Waart
** 1970 - First performance of Francis Routh – Double Concerto for violin, violoncello and orchestra, Op.39, by Maria Lidka and Christopher Bunting (violin and cello soloists), with the London Mozart Players conducted by Andrzej Panufnik
South Bank, London
** 1977 - first performance of Rodrigo - Sonata a la Breve, for cello and piano, Xavier Monsalvatge - Microrapsòdia (A la memoria de Pau Casals): paráfrasis concertante (1976), and Joaquím Homs Oller - “In memoriam Pau Casals” for cello and piano, by Pedro Corostola/cello and Manuel Carra/piano, and the live concert recorded by Spanish National Radio.
(Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona) - pieces comissioned by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia through the Dirección General del Patrimonio Artístico y Cultural (Comisaría Nacional de la Música) to conmemorate the centenary of Pau Casals’ birth
** 1978 - birth of Perttu Päivö Kullervo Kivilaakso (Helsinki, Finland)
cellist (Apocalyptica)
** 1983 - Richard Talkowsky/cello and Ludovica Mosca/piano performed Jesús Rodríguez Picó - Fantasia for cello and piano (1982) [note: this ten-minute work received the First Prize at “Concurso de Jóvenes Compositores de Juventudes Musicales de Barcelona, 1982”]
Galería Maeght, Barcelona, Catalonia
** 1984 – on the 10th, 11th, 12th and 15th of May, cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed as invited soloist with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Leinsdorf), in the Avery Fisher Hall (New York)
** 1984 - release date (premiere), in France, of ‘Fort Saganne’ - a film about the French civilization in the desert. A French peasant serving the Foreign Legion in North Africa must confront his comrades in arms over their social differences, over a woman and his longing to be considered a hero. He catches the eye of Madeline, the daughter of the regional administrator. He leads a gallant defense against Sultan Omar, is awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, and marries Madeline. Then the Great War puts at risk his success and happiness.
A beautiful screen music score begins with a heartbreaking cello solo, which gives life to a melody full of feeling and affliction, but also romanticism. The composer alternates, henceforth, martial court music with dramatic themes, especially a requiem of singular delicacy. The music was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra, featuring Xavier Gagnepain as cello soloist.
An extended version was premiered on 10th January 1986 as a TV premiere
** 1987 - André Bak/cello and Rosalina Caballín/piano performed Patxi Larrañaga - Sonata for cello and piano, in a performance recorded by Spanish National Radio
Escuela Superior de Canto, Madrid
** 1998 - Multi-cellos: New works for eight cellos are performed for the first time, in Beauvais: Korót by Luciano Berio; Sonata à 8 by Betsy Jolas; and Neiges by Kaija Saariaho
