On this cello day

** 1852 - first performance of William Sterndale Bennett - Sonata Duo for cello and piano, Op.32
(London)

** 1859 – it seems that attractive lady cellists have always suffered a certain ‘sexism’. The announcement of a concert in Pest of Hungarian cellist Rosa Suck anticipated: "Several young gentlemen can hardly wait for the time to admire the adorable 17-year-old lady in her charms" (Humorist, March 16th, 1859).

** 1869 – on this date Adolfo Baci finished composing "Melodia per Violoncello con accompagnamento di Pianoforte” in Bb Major.

** 1871 - first performance of Johan S, Svendsen - Cello Concerto, Op. 7 in Leipzig – the work had been written the previous year. It was dedicated to Emil Hegar (1843-1921) and published the same year.

** 1879 - birth of Franz Borisch (Kottbis, Prussia)
cellist, principal cello Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, royal chamber musician, member of Royal Chapel of Berlin & professor

** 1885 - first performance of Franz Liszt - Die Zelle in Nonnenwerth, for piano and violin or cello
(Budapest)

** 1889 - at the Crystal Palace Saturday Orchestral Concerts (South London) the featured invited soloists on this day were Mr Edward Lloyd (vocal) and Mons. Ernest Gillet (cello).

** 1891 - birth of Dezyderiusz Danczowski (Battonya, Poland) d.1950
cellist, orchestra principal cello and music educator

** 1893 – cellist Bruno Stendel gave the United States premiere of Volkmann – Concerto in A minor, Op.33, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Theodore Thomas

** 1901 - the date of the first ever cellist to make a ‘commercial’ recording; and the cellist was Alex Heindl

** 1905 – on this date the premiere was heard of Georg Wilhelm Rauchenecker’s Cello Concerto in D minor, in Elberfeld Stadthalle. It was dedicated to Henri Son

** 1923 – in a Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra concert, Friedrich Buxbaum was cello soloist in Strauss – Don Quixote, Op.35 on this day. The whole programme was dedicated to the composer Richard Strauss.
Conductor: Richard Strauss (?) / Place: Musikverein, Golden Hall, Vienna

** 1927 - Alexander Fachiri (cello) and Angus Morrison (piano) gave a recital in the Bourne Music Club (England).

** 1929 – in a Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra concert (today and tomorrow), Friedrich Buxbaum performed as cello soloist in Bloch - Schelomo.  Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwangler / Place: Musikverein, Golden Hall, Vienna

** 1930 - British cellist Felix Salmond finally had the opportunity to perform Elgar - Cello Concerto in E minor in New York, with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra under Artur Bodanzky. The concert took place at the Mecca Auditorium. There was rather a ‘muddled’ review in The New York Times the following day:
“whatever the auditors’ reaction to the modern ’cello concerto of Elgar, which has at least the merit that it helps performers on the violoncello to eke out their scanty repertory, there can be no division of opinion regarding the musicianship and artistic sincerity of Mr Salmond’s playing”

** 1937 – Raya Garbousova gave a cello recital at Bennington College Music (USA) with pianist Leo Toumarkin, featuring:
Sonata in D minor - Andrea Caporale // Concerto in C major – Haydn // Sonatine – Weber // Rococo Variations – Tchaikovsky // Largo and Rondo – Weber // Nocturne – Chopin // Zapateado - Sarasate.

** 1956 - on this day cellist Pierre Fournier finished recording the Schumann - Cello Concerto in A minor, and the Tchaikovsky - Rococo Variations in the Kingsway Hall (London), with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Sargent

** 1968 – at Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra concerts (on 16th and 17th March), cellist Emanuel Brabec played as soloist in Strauss – Don Quixote, Op.35 in an all-Richard Strauss programme. Conductor: Lorin Maazel / Musikverein, Golden Hall, Vienna

** 1971 – on this day James Kreger made his official debut, performing at the Carnegie Recital Hall, whilst still a student at the Juilliard School (student of Rose and Shapiro). The performance (including Gregor Piatigorsky in the public) was said to have been sensationally good!
Reviews in the New York Times were almost ‘rave’:
“Mr. Kreger, who will be 24 years old on March 30…but his playing on this occasion was so masterful in every way that it is difficult to imagine just what he has left to learn”.
and:
“Kreger’s playing resembles that of Mstislav Rostropovich and Jacqueline du Pre in that it is strong, vigorous and impassioned. But in this recital, it was always firmly controlled, never losing musical or tonal focus, never splitting a sentiment to shreds.” 

** 1982 - first performance of William Walton - Passacaglia for solo cello
(London)

** 1994 - cellist Heinrich Schiff performed as soloist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, in Strauss – Don Quixote, Op.35. Three concerts in Amsterdam (16th, 17th and 18th March), conducted by Mariss Jansons