Historical Events of April 25
25 April
** 1798 - birth of Jean Andries (Gent, Belgium) d.1872
violinist, cellist, composer, pedagogue & musicologist
** 1907 - birth of Isaac Mamott (Lutsk, Ukraine) d.1964
cellist & music educator {based Canada}
** 1927 - birth of Siegfried Palm (Barmen - now Wuppertal - Germany) d.2005
cellist, contemporary music specialist
** 1932 - first important Madrid concert for the Basque cellist Gandía Lahidalga, for the ‘Asociación de Cultura Madrileña’- he formed the Chamber Trio which, in addition to himself included Manuel Garijo (flute), and his San Sebastian colleague Nicanor Zabaleta (harp). They debuted at the Madrid ‘Musical Culture Association’ on April 25th, 1932, and then carried out an extensive tour of the Spanish provinces, programming (in addition to others) works of José María Franco, Salvador Bacarisse, and Mantecón.
** 1933 – the Gewandhaus Orchestra had contracted the young William Pleeth as cello soloist, but this performance seemed to have been postponed. The translation of their letter reads:
“Dear Mr Pleeth! Many thanks for your letter dated 25 April. At the present we cannot make any plans for the next winter. I also fear that it may not be possible to invite you. If it could be arranged, however, which would very much please me, we would write to you at the latest at the end of May. If you do not receive an answer, please assume that you have not been booked.”
William always believed this to be due to the fact he was Jewish, and of the Nazi’s rise to power in 1933. This is perhaps alluded to with the statement “I also fear it may not be possible to invite you”. Unfortunately, Julius Klengel - maintaining a vital presence throughout William Pleeth’s life - died later that year, on 27th October 1933, which would have made negotiations for a young cello soloist ever more difficult.
** 1954 - first performance of Hilding Rosenberg - Cello Concerto No.2
soloist and dedicatee - Massimo Amfiteatrof (Swedish Radio Orchestra, Stockholm)
** 1955 - birth of Michael Denhoff (Ahaus, Germany)
composer & cellist
** 1958 - first performance of Einojuhani Rautavaara - Modificata for cello, percussion and orchestra
(Helsinki)
** 1961 - birth of Truls Mørk (Bergen, Norway)
cellist
** 1969 - first performance of Helmut Lachenmann - Notturno for cello and orchestra
(Brussels)
** 1973 - on this day cellist Paul Tortelier finished recording 2 Tchaikovsky works - Rococo Variations and Pezzo Capriccioso, with the Northern Sinfonia of England conducted by Yan PascalTortelier (the other recording day was the previous day)
** 1987 - Bulgarian cellist Maria Nakeva (b.1943) was invited to perform in the inauguration of the ‘Palau de la Música de Valencia’, being offered a post of principal cello in the city two months later
** 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)
** 1988 - Pilar Serrano/cello and Luciano González Sarmiento/piano performed Roberto Gerhard - Sonata for cello and piano (1956) in the Caja Postal, Madrid, recorded live by Spanish National Radio.
** 1989 – on the 21st, 22nd and 25th of this month, cellist Lorne Munroe performed as invited soloist with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Herbig), in the Avery Fisher Hall (New York)
** 1992 - first performance of Lindberg - Duo Concertante for clarinet, cello, and eight players
(Theatersaal, Witten, Germany)
** 1995 - on this day cellist Daniil Shafran gave a recital in London’s Wigmore Hall with the pianist Anton Ginsburg (the programme included sonatas by Brahms, Shostakovich and Franck, with at least five encores!)
** 1997 – first performance of Dmitri Capyrin - Moment Musical (written 1997), for alto saxophone (or clarinet) and cello performed by Alexei Volkov and Alexander Zagorinsky, in Moscow
** 1997 – in a Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra concert in Hamburg (Musikhalle, Hamburg), Franz Bartolomey was invited soloist (with Rainer Küchl) in Brahms – Double concerto in A minor, Op.102. Orchestral music of Berlioz was also heard. Conductor: Simon Rattle
