Lucerne Festival Historic Performances: Pierre Fournier

Featuring

István Kertész
Pierre Fournier
Jean Martinon
Matthias Bamert
Schweizerisches Festspielorchester
Orchestre Philharmonique de la RTF

Festival Strings Lucerne
Antonín Dvořák
Camille Saint-Saëns
Miscellaneous
Anonymous (Christmas)

Did you know?

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Composer's Artistic Vision

While in America, Dvořák was inspired by the music of Native Americans, African American spirituals, and the songs of Stephen Foster, the 'American Schubert'.

Compositional Technique

Camille Saint-Saëns' First Cello Concerto in A minor is structured as a single movement with three interconnected parts, lasting less than twenty minutes.

Performer Biography

Pierre Fournier's recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's six solo suites is considered a benchmark in cello playing, and composers like Albert Roussel and Francis Poulenc dedicated works to him.

Cultural Impact

Pablo Casals, a cellist, transformed the Catalan Christmas carol 'El cant dels ocells' into a cello version, making it a symbol for refugees and emigrants longing for home.

Composition History

Antonín Dvořák composed his Cello Concerto in B minor in New York between 1894 and 1895, during his tenure as director of the National Conservatory of Music of America.

Performer Biography

Pierre Fournier, a French cellist born in Paris in 1906, was known as the 'aristocrat of cello playing' for his lyrical tone and fluid technique.

Performer Biography

István Kertész, a conductor born in Budapest in 1929, narrowly escaped the Holocaust and quickly rose to top positions in orchestras worldwide, admired for his boundless knowledge and analytical musicianship.