On this cello day

** 1734 - birth of Prince Karol Stanisław Radziwiłł (Nieśwież, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) d.1790
Prince, nobleman, politician, diplomat …and amateur cellist, singer & composer!

** 1838 – birth of William James Kirkpatrick (Errigal, County Tyrone, Ireland) d.1921
An Irish-born American hymnwriter, producing over 1000 gospel hymn songs, and over 60 hymn books. He played cello, fife, flute, organ and violin.

** 1863 - first performance of David Popper - Andante and Rondo {these were to be the base of his Cello Concerto Mo.2. movements II and III}, with the composer as cello soloist {Musikverein Euterp, Leipzig, Germany)

** 1891 - 18-year-old English cellist Maud Fletcher performed on this day the Sonata in G minor Op. 5/2 by Beethoven, and Kol Nidrei Op.47 by Max Bruch

 ** 1892 - first performance of Bazzini - Concertstück for cello and orchestra
soloist - Hugo Becker, conducted by August Manns (London - Crystal Palace Concerts)

** 1903 - Danish cellist Agga Fritsche performed in Finland with pianist Télémaque Lambrino (1878–1930), appearing in a charity concert organized by the Fruntimmersföreningens in the Universitetets Solennitetssal. They performed performed Richard Strauss - Cello Sonata in F major, Op.6, the Cello Concerto in G minor, Op.29 by Fritz Kauffmann, Alfredo Piatti - Tarantella, Op.23 and César Cuis -Cantabile Op.36/2

** 1907 - birth of Massimo Amfitheatrof (Paris) d.1990
cellist, chamber musician

** 1925 – in a Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Radio Concert, Wilhelm Winkler performed Haydn – Cello Concerto in D Major. Music of Fuchs, J.S. Bach and Mozart was also heard. Conductor: Alexander Wunderer

** 1928 - cellist Julian Kahn made his New York debut under the auspices of the Naumburg Foundation on February 27th, 1928 in New York Town Hall. He received very fine reviews:
"The young 'cellist drew a tone of mellow quality, while his bowing was pleasingly firm and restrained. A deep insight into the music he played enhanced its effect, and a serious, intelligent attitude won the unreserved respect of his listeners." (Musical America)
and
"His performance last night marked him as an important addition to the ranks of fine cellists. A serious young artist with a musical mind and enviable accomplishment is Mr. Kahn." (New York Sun)

** 1937 - cellist Emanuel Feuermann performed as soloist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, in both C.P.E. – Cello Concerto in A major and Tchaikovsky – Rococo Variations, Op.33. Two concerts, in Amsterdam (25th February) and Den Haag (27th February), conducted by Bruno Walter

** 1938 - Marjorie Ballantyne was cello soloist in Robert Schumann - Cello Concerto in A minor, Op.129, at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh, with The Reid Symphony Orchestra conducted by Donald Tovey.

** 1950 - the first performance of Elliott Carter - Sonata for cello and piano was given by cellist Bernard Greenhouse with pianist Anthony Makas at the ‘Steinway Hall’ (New York). The recital also included works by J.S. Bach, Boccherini and Schumann.

** 1959 – Maurice Gendron returned to the US many times for concert performing. Some of his greatest triumphs were in 1959 - scoring a smashing success in an appearance with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra with Schumann's cello concerto in February 1959 and the same month – on 27th February 1959 – a recital together with pianist Philip Entremont.

** 1969 - first performance of Hoddinott - Nocturnes and Cadenzas, Op.62 for cello and orchestra
soloist Raphael Sommer with the BBC Welsh Orchestra, conducted by Norman del Mar

** 1975 - cellist Jean Decroos performed as soloist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, in Saint-Saens – Cello Concerto No.1, Op.33. Two concerts, in Amsterdam (26th and 27th February), conducted by David Zinman

** 1980 - at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (London) the London Chanticleer Orchestra, conducted by Ruth Gipps, featured cello soloist Alexander Baillie.

** 1980 – Mstislav Rostropovich and his wife Galina gave a free concert in honour of their friend Andrei Sakharov at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. Among the celebrities present were Arthur Rubinstein and future French president François Mitterrand.

** 1987 - cellist Daniil Shafran was soloist/director with the Concert Avenna Baroque Orchestra in Poland - in this programme he performed the J.C. Bach: Cello Concerto in C Minor and Vivaldi’s Cello Concerto in B minor, and played several encores

** 1991 - birth of Julian Schwarz (Seattle, Washington, USA)
cellist & teacher