Ernest Ansermet À Travers Le Prisme Du Génie Musical

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Ernest Ansermet À Travers Le Prisme Du Génie Musical pages ouvertes / hommage Deuxième facette: le répertoire Puis suivront jusqu’en 2012 W. Sawallisch, H. Stein, Le répertoire d’Ernest Ansermet couvre toute l’histoire A. Jordan, F. Luisi, P. Steinberg et l’envoûtant M. de la musique de J.-S. Bach à W. Lutoslawski. Bien évi- Janowski. Ernest Ansermet à travers demment, il est très connu pour avoir créé ou interpré- De 2012 à 2018, malheureusement, cette période sera té les compositeurs français de son époque (C. Debus- une période de déclin jusqu’en 2016, date à laquelle le sy, M. Ravel...), russes (I. Stravinsky...), espagnols (M. De nouveau chef J. Nott reprendra en main la destinée de Falla...), hongrois (B. Bartok...) et suisses (F. Martin...), à l’orchestre. 6 le prisme du génie musical l’exception des compositeurs issus de l’atonalisme (cf. Résurrection? L’avenir nous le dira. ci-dessous). Notons encore que Ernest Ansermet fera «école» et 1 Le fondateur de l’Orchestre de la Suisse romande – OSR Il faut cependant remarquer qu’après ce long détour à aura des suiveurs: J.-M. Auberson, C. Dutoit (au Cana- travers les musiciens du XXe siècle, E. Ansermet est re- da) et A. Jordan à l’OSR lui-même. Le pédagogue tourné aux grands «classiques»: J.-S. Bach, J. Haydn, Quatrième facette: l’art d’Ernest Ansermet7 L. v. Beethoven, J. Brahms... et en a donné des interpré- Le pasteur A. Babel a écrit un ouvrage intitulé Les quatre hommes qui ont fait Genève2. tations profondément renouvelées. Ernest Ansermet a refusé catégoriquement l’étiquette Sa carrière discographique commence à New York en d’intellectuel froid. L’étude des partitions inclut le rôle J’ai toujours pensé qu’un cinquième personnage avait également participé à la 1916 et se termine à Londres en 1968. de l’intuition d’une part et le rôle de la compréhen- réputation internationale de Genève: Ernest Ansermet. En tout, 1280 œuvres inscrites à son répertoire dont sion d’autre part. L’intellectualisme n’intervient qu’au 296 de 63 compositeurs di¸érents, enregistrées. niveau de la compréhension lors de l’analyse qu’il lui Décrivons les six facettes de cet illustre musicien possédé par le «virus pédagogique». arrivera de discuter avec les compositeurs eux-mêmes Troisième facette: l’OSR (C. Debussy, F. Martin). Ernest Ansermet recherchait le De 1918 à 1967: Ernest Ansermet crée en 1918 un pre- sentiment juste à travers l’écriture musicale. Il s’agissait Dr Roland Hafner mier Orchestre romand à Genève (OR) de 63 musiciens. – disait-il – de faire entendre la voix du compositeur En 1932, une convention avec Radio Genève prévoit la lui-même, de découvrir le sens de l’œuvre et sa ligne di¸usion de tous les concerts. Puis en 1935, Lausanne directrice. Le disque consacré à la présentation de l’ou- a vie d’Ernest Ansermet contredit l’adage qui af- compositeurs de son temps ainsi que celles de l’histoire exige que l’orchestre se fixe dans cette ville. Ernest verture de Manfred de R. Schuman aux jeunes, est dans firme que nul n’est prophète en son pays... c’est de la musique. Ansermet est alors contraint de fonder un nouvel or- ce sens un témoignage irréfutable (cf. ci-dessous). Lpourtant possible, mais au prix d’une lutte inces- En 1918, c’est la première de l’Histoire du soldat3 et sur- chestre à Genève. Voilà à quoi mène la guerre entre Ernest Ansermet refusait également – et le public avec sante. Ernest Ansermet avait une volonté de fer pour tout la création de l’OSR. ces deux villes! Les démarches pour l’installation de ce lui – l’étiquette de son «incompétence» à interpréter les œuvres des grands classiques. Bien au contraire, Ernest vaincre, contre vents et marées, les multiples obstacles De 1920 à 1938 commence sa grande carrière interna- nouvel ensemble à Genève dureront trois ans. En réali- Ansermet, dans la dernière partie de sa vie surtout, reli- d’ordre historique – le calvinisme –, culturel, politique, tionale dans les villes musicales les plus connues et il té, la vraie naissance de l’OSR aura lieu en 1940 (84 mu- ra L. v. Beethoven ou d’autres classiques d’une manière social et financier, en bref, les obstacles liés à la peti- se retrouve à la tête des orchestres les plus prestigieux; siciens), l’orchestre assurant les concerts de Genève, de très profonde. Son interprétation de la 4e Symphonie tesse et à l’étroitesse d’esprit rencontrées en Suisse ro- ceci lui donne l’occasion de dialoguer avec des compo- Lausanne, les services du Grand théâtre et les concerts de J. Brahms, par exemple, fera date dans l’histoire du mande, surtout. siteurs, des chefs d’orchestre et des solistes de renom. radiodi¸usés. disque. Nous pourrions plutôt parler d’incompétence Il avait compris la nécessité de créer une véritable vie De 1922 à 1969, il se rend, par exemple, régulièrement à Il aura fallu la ténacité hors du commun de ce chef musicale dans une ville au passé musical hétéroclite et pour venir à bout de son projet. mal intentionnée et stupide des journalistes et critiques la Philharmonie de Berlin. musicaux. anecdotique, ceci quitte à interrompre momentané- De 1923 à 1933, il dirige dix saisons d’été à Buenos Aires Dès 1940 commence alors le premier âge d’or de l’OSR. ment sa prestigieuse carrière internationale. Chez Ernest Ansermet, tout se fait avec passion et et dix saisons d’hiver à Genève4. Ce nouvel orchestre atteindra bientôt une réputation Ernest Ansermet: une vie hors du commun au ser- charisme. De Genève, il est un phare qui va irradier le Puis jusqu’en 1938, ce sera la création de l’Orchestre de internationale à travers son chef lui-même qui diri- vice d’un vaste répertoire recueilli en une discographie gera à l’étranger bon nombre d’orchestres réputés (à monde musical. Paris, le début du Festival de Lucerne et le déplacement étourdissante, fondateur de l’OSR, interprète à la hau- New York, Boston, Berlin, Amsterdam...) puis à tra- à Mexico. teur des plus grands, philosophe original aux multiples vers les tournées de l’orchestre et de son chef dans de Dès 1916 le catalogue des œuvres enregistrées ne cesse écrits et enfin pédagogue de tous les instants ayant soif nombreux pays (USA, Grèce, Japon...). Par ailleurs, dès de s’éto¸er. de communiquer sa passion aux autres. 1940, de grands artistes défileront à Genève. Pensons De 1949 à 1968 auront lieu les célèbres tournées de aux chefs (A. Toscanini, W. Furtwängler, F. Fricsay, Première facette: la carrière l’OSR à l’étranger. K. Böhm), aux solistes pianistes (A. Rubinstein, W. Kem- Ernest Ansermet est né le 11 novembre 1883 à Vevey. Enfin, c’est d’un hôtel à Hambourg, le 2 juin 1961, pf, R. Serkin ...) ou violonistes (D. Oïstrak, N. Milstein, Dès son enfance, il baigne dans un environnement qu’Ernest Ansermet écrit à son ami J.-C. Piguet: «Hier Y. Menuhin, H. Szeryng ...). Certains de ces musiciens musical et commence par des études universitaires. soir à minuit, j’ai écrit FIN au bas de ma dernière page deviendront d’ailleurs des amis très précieux. De grands À peine âgé d’une vingtaine d’années, il obtient sa li- de mon ouvrage, Les fondements de la musique dans orchestres seront aussi invités à Genève (Philharmo- cence en mathématiques et sciences physiques; cette la conscience humaine.» Cet ouvrage sortira de presse nies de Vienne, de Berlin, de Léningrad, de New York...). formation aura une importance particulière pour la à la fin de cette même année. Grâce à un concours de circonstances bienheureuses, rédaction de son œuvre philosophique. Mais déjà son Comment ce musicien au calendrier aussi chargé a-t- la salle de concert du Victoria Hall sera construite en choix est fait: il sera musicien et part se perfectionner à il trouvé le temps de réfléchir et d’écrire cette somme 1894 déjà et pourra ainsi devenir le lieu de résidence de Paris et à Berlin. monumentale? Mystère! l’Orchestre.5 De 1916 à 1923, ce sont les débuts du chef d’orchestre à Ernest Ansermet meurt à Genève le 20 février 1969. Il De 1967 à 2012 se déroule le second âge de cet or- Genève et en Europe. Il collabore avec S. de Diaghilev s’endort pour toujours un livre de philosophie dans ses chestre. Ernest Ansermet choisira lui-même son suc- et les Ballets russes et interprète ou crée les œuvres des mains. cesseur en la personne de P. Kletzki (1967-1970). 38 | Educateur 10 | 2019 Educateur 10 | 2019 | 39 Salt is becoming our partner. 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