Zara Nelsova
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ISSN 2047-2226 •IEBS NEWSLETTER• The International Ernest Bloch Society iebs newsletter issue 8 AutuMn 2013 President: steven isserlis CBe ‡ Chairman: malColm trouP ‡ seCretary: J. audrey ellison • greAt bloch interpeters • Zara Nelsova Few cellists have become as he was now known) adapted closely identified with a piece music for his daughters and of music as Zara Nelsova within two years Zara was with Bloch’s Schelomo. This playing with her sisters as the archetypally Jewish work Canadian Trio. In 1928 the seemed perfectly poised family came to Britain, Zara between a sort of archaic studying with Herbert Walenn dignity and a vibrant, highly at his London Violoncello charged emotionalism when School and taking private she played. Having studied and lessons from John Barbirolli recorded it with the composer and Mischel Cherniavsky. at a key stage in her career, she was always able to find Attracting attention more in the score. Nelsova was Following their Wigmore Hall born in Winnipeg, Canada, recital in 1929 the Nelson girls on 23 December 1918 into an were soon giving concerts exceptionally musical family and broadcasts. Zara played of Russian origin; her father for Casals in March 1930, Gregor Nelsov was a flautist made her first appearance and her grandfather an opera with orchestra at the Royal singer. Gregor encouraged College of Music, and in 1932 his three daughters to learn played Lalo’s Concerto with the different instruments so that LSO under Malcolm Sargent. they could perform together: She was rewarded with the Ida got the violin, Anna the gift of a Gagliano cello from Above: Zara Nelsova piano and baby Zara a cello. Lady Parmoor, mother of Sir Right: A 5CD set of her recordings The instrument’s size defeated Stafford Cripps. issued by Decca would seem no longer to be available. This 5 CD set her, but using a viola strung On the outbreak of war, includes From Jewish Life, Voices in like a cello she made rapid she returned to Canada and the Wilderness and Schelomo. strides and found an excellent adopted the original family teacher in Dezsö Mahalek, name, calling herself Nelsova. engagements with the Boston a Hungarian pupil of David She became principal with the Pops under Arthur Fiedler Popper. Gregor Nelson (as Toronto Symphony and found and then with the Boston Symphony under Charles At The Boston Symphony Munch. (In 1953 she took US citizenship.) She studied at the same hall, a rare with Gregor Piatigorsky but occurrence in those days. perhaps even more important Nelsova spent time with was the influence of Casals in 1948, an experience Emanuel Feuermann, whose about which she always spoke recordings she monitored with humility and exhilaration minutely. Eventually she – she particularly credited had lessons prior to his early Casals with helping her to death. ‘Even today, there is vary her vibrato. ‘He taught not a performance when I me to be myself.’ A chance do not feel Feuermann is meeting with Colin Hampton, close to me,’ Nelsova said cellist of the Griller Quartet many years later. Piatigorsky led her to travel to Oregon helped prepare her New York to study Bloch’s cello music Ernest Bloch with a group of players and others connected with the Boston recital début in 1942, at Town with the composer. In April Symphony Orchestra (1939). Hall; and she also gave an 1949 she played Voice in the By kind permission of The Bloch family unaccompanied programme Continued on page 4 ☛ • editoriAl notes • Preparing New Ground for Bloch in ✿This eighth issue of the IEBS Switzerland newsletter may seem to be A brief history of the Association BloCH looking back – but happily to a golden age of interpretation and musical writing. We have The origins of the Association concert uniting the Quatuor a major article on the great BloCH were in the 2008 Terpsychordes and Swiss Canadian cellist – Zara Nelsova. international conference composer Daniel Weissberg Her recorded legacy includes no The Cavatina String Quartet, winners held in Cambridge initiated with Ernest Bloch’s 1st piano less than three performances of of the 2013 Bloch competition by the Jewish Music quintet (Cedric Pescia, piano), Schelomo as well as other pieces Britain, and the second to the Institute devoted to Ernest the 2nd string quartet and a by Bloch. Marko Rothmüller flautist Daniel Shao. Much Bloch. The conference, newly commissioned work has previously been featured further afield there has been uniting leading scholars by Daniel Weissberg. The in our pages. A fine singer the very first fully staged USA and descendants to reflect concert was held on December and teacher, Rothmüller also professional production of on Bloch’s life and work, 11, 2011 in Zurich, within authored The Music of the Jews, Bloch’s Macbeth. Leading roles contributed impressively to the framework of the 70th from which we have drawn were taken by Nmon Ford his commemoration. It was anniversary of the association a section devoted to Bloch. and Suzan Hansen in three decided to form associations “omanut”, dedicated to Jewish Rothmüller’s fame derives sold out performances by dedicated to Ernest Bloch in culture in Switzerland. in considerable part from Long Beach opera. The opera countries with which he had his performances in Sacred was condensed and presented been connected with the aim Collaboration with Galatea Service. But he was not its first in a single act in a highly of organising cultural events String Quartet interprete r in Britain. Its first abstract production. Such was in 2009/10 for the 50-year There has been a highly performance was in 1938 and it its success that the production anniversary of his death. successful and ongoing was broadcast by the BBC. We moves to Chicago in autumn Initially the Association collaboration with the Zurich include a contemporary review 2014 for the first performances BloCH with Oliver Margulies based Galatea String Quartet by that doyen of musical critics, in America’s Mid-West. as its active chairman, held has evolved. The Association Ernest Newman. ✿Finally, we are delighted two meetings a year in Bern BloCH contributed to the ✿We have unfortunately not to include an article about to discuss how Ernest Bloch quartet’s CD production been able to obtain a review our sister organization in could become better known Landscapes (Sony Japan), of the most recent Bloch Switzerland, the Association in Switzerland, given that dedicated entirely to Ernest competition but can report BloCH. Hopefully this his oeuvre could only on Bloch’s music, including some that the first prize went to will be the beginning of a rare occasions be spotted of his unpublished works. The Cavatina String Quartet, fruitful collaboration with on concert programs. The This CD has received the a group made up of graduates musicians and scholars in association was originally Echo Deutscher Musikpreis of musical conservatoires in Bloch’s native land. intended to last for one year in the category Chamber but decided to continue its Music Recording for Strings, Self portrait in Brussels 1898 work thereafter. Dr Alex 20th/21st Century. One of Knapp, a leading member of the Association’s goals is to the IEBS joined the committee further this collaboration in of the Association BloCH. anticipation of a new integral recording of Ernest Bloch’s Coordinating cultural string quartets and piano events quintets. The association acts as The initiative and an initiator but also as a activities of the association platform to coordinate and have received generous announce events, which support from Swiss cultural include works of Ernest foundations, such as the Bloch in Switzerland. Ernst Göhner Stiftung, the During the 2009/2010 Paul und Renée Eisen-Piccard season, Association BloCH’s Foundation and the Alfred members managed to initiate, und Ilse Stammer-Mayer promote and coordinate Foundation. The Association over 20 cultural events BloCH would like to thank which included works by the IEBS for creating a Ernest Bloch from chamber space of its own in the IEBS’ music recitals to symphonic newsletter. In coming issues, concerts, presentations to the Association BloCH will exhibitions. These activities be contributing articles on are documented on the Ernest Bloch with a focal Association’s website, www. point on his life and work in Bloch's career might have evolved differently! In 1897 Bloch went to ernest bloch.ch. Among its Switzerland. Brussels to study with the eminent violinist Eugène Ysaÿe. main achievements was a Oliver Margulies By kind permission of The Bloch family • cd reviews • Bloch: Violin Sonata No. 1; Violin Sonata No. 2, ‘Poème mystique’; Nigun; Pärt: Fratres. Elsa Grether, violin; Ferenc Vizi, piano Fuga Libera FUG711 instruments well. They respond with a beautiful the disc by Bloch’s most famous Elsa Grether’s fine-boned performance. violin piece, Nigun, very well playing is absolutely right for The First Sonata of 1920 is played. I would have liked to the Poème mystique, as Bloch a ‘bigger’ work, especially in have its companions from dubbed his 1924 Second Violin its outer movements. Ference Three Pictures of Chassidic Sonata. The music is in his Vizi, who has previously Life, but I can understand that most exotic, rhapsodic vein, recorded Beethoven’s Op. 111 the artists wanted to include a following on from Debussy, and Schumann’s Fantasy, has more contemporary piece. drawing on similar sources no trouble in raising his game. They have chosen Arvo Pärt’s of inspiration to those of For Elsa Grether, I sense that most popular work, Fratres, French violinist and French- Szymanowski and alluding to more effort is required, but she which they play to the manner trained Romanian pianist Bloch’s Jewish style in places. It comes through heroically.