Historical Events of May 2
2 May
** 1707 - birth of Jean-Baptiste Barrière (Bordeaux, France) d.1747
cellist and composer
A notable French cellist and composer, considered one of the first in France to publish solo music for the cello, during a time when the cello was gaining popularity over the viol in France. In 1731, he went to Paris and secured a position at the Académie Royale de Musique. In 1733, King Louis XV granted him special privileges to compose and publish several instrumental works. He was a virtuoso cellist who composed four books of sonatas for cello and basse continue, along with other instrumental works. Despite his significance, much of his music is now rarely performed.
** 1814 - Bernhard Romberg makes his first appearance on British soil, playing a string trio of Beethoven, and participating in his own string sextet alongside the British cellist Frederick William Crouch.
** 1853 - first performance of Bernhard Molique - Cello Concerto
soloist - Alfredo Piatti (Philharmonic concert, London)
** 1894 - first performance of d’Indy - Lied, Op.19 in version for cello and piano
Parisian private concert - ‘Séance de Musique’ by cellist Cornélis Liégeois and Vincent d’Indy
** 1899 - cellist May Mukle, just 19 years old, gave a recital including the cello sonata in F major Op.6 by Richard Strauss and Léon Boëllmann's Variations Symphoniques on her programme, the "Times" already emphasized, “how fully the young artist realizes the necessity of bringing forward interesting music” (Times May 2, 1899)
** 1901 - Hugo Becker (cello) and Andrew Black (vocal) were soloists with the Queen’s Hall Concert Orchestra, conducted by Herr Weingartner. The programme also included the first English performance of Weingartner - Symphonic Poem ‘Das Gefilde der Seligen' Op.21.
** 1907 - cellist Gerard Hekking performed as soloist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, in Bruch – Kol Nidrei, Op.47 and Saint-Saëns – Cello Concerto No.1, Op.33. Concert in Amsterdam, conducted by Willem Mengelberg
** 1911 - first performance of Holst - Invocation, for cello and orchestra
soloist - May Mukle with New symphony Orchestra, conducted by Landon Ronald (Queen’s Hall, London). The music was not published until 1983.
** 1913 - cellist Gerard Hekking performed as soloist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, in Strauss – Don Quixote, Op.35. Three concerts, in Amsterdam (17th and 20th April) and Paris (2nd May), conducted by Willem Mengelberg
** 1927 - birth of Anna Shuttleworth (Bournemouth, England) d.2021
cellist and professor
She studied cello at the Royal College of Music, London, and later became a professor at the same college. Her pupils have included A. Baillie, N. Clein and F. Brikcius. A founding member of the Vivien Hind String Quartet. She was once affectionately referred to as "The Swellest Cellist" by Vaughan Williams!
** 1931 - The great affection and respect which Casals formerly had for his prize student was most clearly displayed on 2nd May, 1931, when the the Orquesta Pau Casals featured the Spanish premieres of two of Gaspar Cassadó's works. Casals conducted the Rapsodia Catalana, and Cassadó was the soloist in ‘his’ Arpeggione concerto
** 1965 - birth of Matthew Barley (Sheffield, England)
cellist, improviser and contemporary/electronic
** 1966 - birth of Kristin (Gräfin) von der Goltz (Würzburg, Germany)
cellist, specialist baroque music {based Germany-Norway}
** 1974 - birth of Martin Rummel (Linz, Austria)
cellist and professor {based New Zealand}
** 1976 - “Hommage à Paul Sacher” - 12 Hommages à Paul Sacher premiered in Zürich, 12 pieces for cello or cello ensemble composed to celebrate cellist Sacher’s 70th birthday: Puneña no. 2 by Alberto Ginastera; Thema und Variationen für Violoncello solo by Wolfgang Fortner; Capriccio by Hans Werner Henze; Drei Epigramme für Violoncello solo für Paul Sacher by Conrad Beck; 3 strophes sur le nom de Sacher by Henri Dutilleux; Sacher-Variationen by Witold Lutoslawski; Les mots sont allés by Luciano Berio; Variationen über das Thema eSACHERe by Cristóbal Halffter; Tema “Sacher” by Benjamin Britten; Transpositio ad infinitum für ein virtuoses Solocello by Klaus Huber; Chaconne für Violoncello solo by Heinz Holliger & Messagesquisse pour 7 violoncelles by Pierre Boulez
(Tonhalle, Zürich, Switzerland)
** 1980 – on the 24th, 25th, 26th, 29th of this month, plus the 2nd May, cellist Lorne Munroe performed as invited soloist with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Mehta), in the Avery Fisher Hall (New York)
** 1985 – on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th of this month, cellist Lorne Munroe performed as invited soloist with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Mehta), in the Avery Fisher Hall (New York)
