Internet Cello Society Archives

A Cello Journalist’s Journey

In 2001, I found myself sharing a taxi with Dutch cellist, Anner Bylsma, who was perhaps best known and loved for his performances and recordings of the Bach Cello Suites. We were on our way to the Royal Northern College of Music’s Cello Festival in Manchester, which was the première cello celebration in the world at the time. As we discussed what his detractors were saying about his book, Bach, The Fencing Master, I couldn’t help but note how surreal it was that this was actually happening – that I was spending time with one of my cello idols. It had been 15 years since my cello professor and former Leonard Rose student, Toby Saks, had first played his revelatory 1979 Bach Suite recording for her studio. Having grown [...]

By Tim Janof|2024-07-05T19:57:40-04:00August 7th, 2023|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision|Tags: ICS, Journalism, Cello Journalist, Pablo Casals, Janos Starker, Anner Bylsma, Mstislav Rostropovich, Internet Cello Society, Tim Janof|

A Biography of Gregor Piatigorsky (August, 2000)

by Robert Battey One of the pre-eminent string players of the 20th century, Gregor Piatigorsky was born in Ukraine in 1903, and died in Los Angeles in 1976. His international solo career lasted over 40 years, and especially during the 1940's and early 1950's he was the world's premier touring cello virtuoso -- Casals was in retirement, Feuermann had died, and the three artists who were to succeed Piatigorsky (Starker, Rose, and Rostropovich) were still in their formative stages. His one true peer, Fournier, was limited in his travelling abilities by polio. Thus, Piatigorsky had the limelight almost to himself. He was gregarious, loved to travel and perform anywhere, and he hobnobbed as easily with farmers in small towns as he did with Toscanini, Stravinsky, rubinstein, and Schoenberg. It [...]

By Robert Battey|2024-07-05T20:12:09-04:00March 16th, 2022|Categories: Biography, Historical, Internet Cello Society Archive|Tags: Jascha Heifetz, Nathan Milstein, Robert Battey, Artur Rubinstein, Internet Cello Society, Don Quixote, ICS, USC, Biography, Carl Flesch, Gregor Piatigorsky, Vladimir Horowitz|

Master Class Reports: Janos Starker’s 75th Birthday Celebration (September, 1999)

by Tim Janof The following are my notes from the master classes in Bloomington, Indiana during the 75th Birthday celebration for Janos Starker (September 12-14, 1999). Please note that, though certain ideas are discussed in terms of specific points in the music, some ideas may be applied in a more general sense. Maria Kliegel's Master Class: Bach c minor Prelude The dotted notes shouldn't come out like triplets (i.e. m. 8). It is important that one learn about Baroque performance practice. Come in on the opening C's with confidence, though not necessarily with a bang. The G in measure 1 continues what the C is doing, so be sure to connect it to the previous C. One gets better articulation in the dotted eighth-sixteenth passages (i.e. m. 6) if one [...]

By Tim Janof|2024-05-20T13:39:49-04:00November 18th, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Janos Starker, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: Master Class, Mstislav Rostropovich, Maria Kliegel, Internet Cello Society, Gary Hoffman, Master Class Reports, Janos Starker|

Cello Esprit de Corps

In 1994 I started up the Internet Cello Society. I was the director for 12 years, after which Tim Janof continued to lead ICS. During the recent process of gifting the Internet Cello Society (cello.org) to the wonderful CelloBello organization, Paul Katz asked that I write a few words about ICS and its humble beginnings. During this pandemic, I first dismissed the idea as a personal nostalgic indulgence; however, as with all history, there are things past that inform our present state of affairs. So, if you will allow, here is a brief recount… In 1994, when I first browsed the internet on a Mosaic browser app, the first word I typed into the search was “cello”. I was ecstatic to get 4 hits! Two entries mentioned the cello as [...]

By John Michel|2020-09-17T02:34:13-04:00May 13th, 2020|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision|Tags: cello, cellist, Internet Cello Society|

Conversation with Hans Jorgen Jensen (April, 2006)

Interview by Tim Janof Hans Jørgen Jensen is currently Professor of Cello at Northwestern University and a faculty member of both Meadowmount School of Music and The National Arts Center's Young Artist Program. Mr. Jensen received a Soloist Diploma from the Royal Academy of Music in Denmark as a student of Asger Lund Christiansen and studied with Leonard Rose and Channing Robbins at the Juilliard School. In addition, he studied with Pierre Fournier in Geneva, Switzerland. At Juilliard he studied chamber music with Robert Mann and Earl Carlyss. From 1979 to 1987 he was Professor of Cello at the School of Music at the University of Houston. He has been a guest professor at the School of Music at the University of Southern California, the Tokyo College of Music, and [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-03-10T14:57:41-04:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: Beethoven, Hans Jorgen Jensen, bow, CelloMind, vibrato, Christiansen, Northwestern, tennis ball, competitions, adapting, height, Internet Cello Society, hand size, Pedagogy, ICS, Bach, Hans Jensen|

Conversation with Alban Gerhardt (April, 2003)

Interview by Tim Janof After winning several international competitions early on (Wettbewerbserfolgen 1990 at the ARD, and the Leonard Rose International Competition in 1993), Alban Gerhardt has established himself as one of the world's leading cellists. His career-launching debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra has led to performances as soloist with such orchestras as the NDR Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, and Frankfurt Radio Orchestras, Bamberg Symphony, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Dresden, Hamburg, and London Philharmonic Orchestras, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony, BBC Philharmonic, Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, National Symphony, Houston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestre National de Belgique, St. Petersburger Philharmonikern, Shinsei Symphony Orchestra Tokyo and Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, as well as the chamber orchestras of Lausanne, Amsterdam, Cincinnati, and St. Louis. Among the [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-08-10T13:30:54-04:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: etude, soloist, regimen, Alban Gerhardt, ICS, interview, Internet Cello Society, Gerhardt, Concerto, Janoff, Haydn, Germany, Practice, Helmerson, Dvorak|

Conversation with Aldo Parisot (May, 2001)

Interview by Tim Janof Long acknowledged as one of the world's master cellists, Aldo Parisot has led the career of a complete artist —as concert soloist, chamber musician, recitalist, and teacher. He has been heard with the major orchestras of the world, including Berlin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Rio, Munich, Warsaw, Chicago, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, etc. under the batons of such eminent conductors as Stokowski, Barbirolli, Bernstein, Mehta, Monteux, Paray, Carvalho, Sawallisch, Hindemith, and Villa-Lobos. As an artist seeking to expand his instrument's repertoire, Mr. Parisot has premiered numerous works for the cello, written especially for him by such composers as Carmago Guarnieri, Quincy Porter, Alvin Etler, Claudio Santoro, Joan Panetti, Yehudi Wyner, and Villa-Lobos, whose Cello Concerto No. 2 (written for and dedicated to him) was premiered by Mr. [...]

By Tim Janof|2023-03-13T23:04:01-04:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: interview, Hindemith, premiere, Barber, Tim Janoff, Internet Cello Society, ICS, Starker, Parisot, cello ensemble, Aldo, Feuermann, Yale, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Brazil|

Conversation with Frans Helmerson (May, 2001)

Interview by Tim Janof Swedish cellist Frans Helmerson studied with Guido Vecchi in Göteborg, Guiseppe Selmi in Rome, and William Pleeth in London. Other important musical influences came through contact with conductor Sergiu Celibidache, with whom he worked as principal cellist in the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in the early 1970's, as well as significant guidance and support from Rostropovich. Frans Helmerson has performed with many of today's finest conductors and orchestras, touring throughout Europe, the USA, South America, Asia, and Australia since the late 1970's. His love for chamber music led him to take the position of Artistic Director of the Korsholm Chamber Music Festival in Finland as well as appearing at many other renowned festivals. Since 1992 Frans Helmerson has held a Professorship at the Musikhochschüle [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-03-10T14:56:11-04:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: William Pleeth, Frans Helmerson, Vecchi, Rostropovich, Truls Mork, Tim Janoff, barenboim, dupre, Internet Cello Society, ICS|

Conversation with Gary Hoffman (September, 1999)

Interview by Tim Janof American cellist Gary Hoffman was born in Vancouver, Canada, in 1956. At 15 he made his London recital debut in Wigmore Hall; his New York recital debut occurred in 1979. At the age of 22 he became the youngest faculty appointee in the history of Indiana University School of Music, where he remained for eight years. Mr. Hoffman, who is frequently invited to hold master classes, has coached cellists at numerous institutions and festivals, including Aspen, the Gregor Piatigorsky Seminar at the University of Southern California, the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, the Casals Festival in Prades, the Eastman School of Music, Schleswig-Holstein, Verbier, Ravinia, etc. He achieved international renown following his victory at the Rostropovich International Competition in Paris in 1986. He has appeared as soloist [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-03-10T14:56:58-04:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: Dvorak, Baroque, Tim Janoff, Bach, Internet Cello Society, expression, Concerto, ICS, Janos Starker, Gary Hoffman, performance, Lalo, Technique, Starker|

Conversation with Paul Katz (October, 2005)

Interview by Tim Janof Paul Katz is known to concertgoers the world over as cellist of the Cleveland Quartet, which during an international career of 26 years, made more than 2,500 appearances on four continents. As a member of the celebrated ensemble from 1969-1995, Katz performed at the White House and on many television shows, including "CBS Sunday Morning," NBC's "Today Show," "The Grammy Awards" (the first classical musicians to appear on that show,) and in "In The Mainstream: The Cleveland Quartet," a one hour documentary televised across the U.S. and Canada. In collaboration with the country's largest PBS station, WGBH Boston, and the New England Conservatory of Music, Katz has recently embarked on an extensive DVD/Website project on cello pedagogy, an endeavor that will occupy much of his next [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-08-03T09:05:46-04:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: Internet Cello Society, string quartet, Cleveland Quartet, ICS, Greenhouse, Schoenfeld, chamber music, Victor Sazer, Starker, Primrose, Heifetz, USC, Piatigorsky, Casals, Lesser, Paul Katz, Tim Janoff, Gabor Rejto, New England Conservatory|

Master Class Report: János Starker 2/29/01

Benaroya Hall, Seattle, USA, 2/29/01 The following are my notes from the master class Janos Starker gave in Seattle. 10 minutes before the class was to start, Seattle experienced a 6.8 earthquake. Apparently, Janos Starker was calm as can be backstage when it happened. The class ended up starting only 1/2 hour late. —by Tim Janoff Left Hand Anticipated Shift -- Slide before the bow change and land on the note at the bow change. Delayed Shift -- Slide after the bow change. Thumb Placement in Thumb Position -- A hitchhiking thumb allows more overtones, but it is harder to play in tune. Placing the thumb on the neighboring string is more solid, but it allows fewer overtones. The technique of the future is to place the thumb beneath the [...]

By Tim Janof|2021-11-15T13:29:47-05:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Janos Starker, Self Discovery|Tags: Pedagogy, bow, Janos Starker, ICS, Technique, Philosophy, Starker, Masterclass, left hand, Internet Cello Society|

Conversation with János Starker (June, 1996)

Interview by Tim Janof János Starker is known throughout the world as a soloist, recording artist, and teacher. Born in Budapest in 1924, Janos Starker came to the United States in 1948, where he subsequently held the principal cellist chair in three American orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony under Fritz Reiner. Starker then resumed his international performing career in 1958. Since then he has performed thousands of concerts with orchestras and in recitals throughout the world. When not touring, János Starker holds the title of Distinguished Professor at Indiana University in Bloomington, where his classes have attracted talented string players from around the world. TJ: Is there such a thing as a student with no talent for an instrument? JS: I wouldn't say that a person has no talent, [...]

By Tim Janof|2022-01-17T11:12:43-05:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: Concerto, Leonard Rose, ICS, Janos Starker, Rubinstein, repertoire, golden era, talent, National Cello Congress, recordings, musicality, Tim Janoff, dupre, Interpretation, Internet Cello Society|

Conversation with János Starker (February, 2004)

Interview by Tim Janof "With his peerless technical mastery and intensely expressive playing, Janos Starker is universally recognized as one of the worlds supreme musicians." (New York Times) János Starker was born in Budapest in 1924 and began studying the cello at the age of six. By the age of eight he was coaching his first pupil, and by eleven he was performing in public. His early career took him through Budapest's Franz Liszt Academy, and on to positions of first cellist with the Budapest Opera and Philharmonic at the end of World War Two. In 1948 he emigrated to the United States where he subsequently held the posts of principal cellist with the Dallas Symphony, Metropolitan Opera of New York, and the Chicago Symphony under Fritz Reiner. In 1956 [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-03-10T15:02:17-04:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: Starker, soloist, Hungary, Tim Janoff, Concerto, Internet Cello Society, Leonard Rose, Janos Starker, ICS, repertoire, internment camp, Greenhouse, controversy, articulation|

Conversation with Mstislav Rostropovich (April, 2006)

Interview by Tim Janof Mstislav Rostropovich is internationally acclaimed and acknowledged as one of the world's greatest living cellists. He has given countless memorable performances and has inspired the world's leading composers to enlarge and enrich the standard cello repertoire with works specially composed for and dedicated to him. These include works by Britten, Bliss, Khachaturian, Lutoslawski, Prokofiev and Shostakovich. Rostropovich was soloist in the premieres of Prokofiev's second Cello Concerto in 1952, Shostakovich's two Cello Concertos in 1959 and 1966, Britten's Cello Symphony in 1964 and Bliss's Cello Concerto in 1970. Many other works have been written for him and today his repertoire includes more than 50 concertos, ranging from the baroque, through the classical and romantic periods, to the avant-garde. As a cellist, Rostropovich is noted for his [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-03-10T15:00:24-04:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: Rostropovich, Mstislav Rostropovich, Internet Cello Society, ICS, Mstislav|

A Letter from Tim Janof, Editor for the Internet Cello Society, December 2018

Dear ICS Friend, As you may already know, after more than twenty glorious years, the Internet Cello Society is saying good-bye: We now believe it is time to hand the reins over to somebody else, and CelloBello seems to be the perfect match. CelloBello has taken things to the next level, with videos and live presentations, in addition to publishing its own wonderful articles by acclaimed artists. It has been my view for quite some time that CelloBello has taken the baton from the ICS, but now it's time to make it official. —Tim Janof, Internet Cello Society CelloBello salutes ICS Founders John Michel and Tim Janof for their pioneering use of the internet, and for beginning a global community of cellists and cello lovers that thrives to this [...]

By Blogmaster|2019-08-06T21:17:28-04:00December 22nd, 2018|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, News|Tags: cellobello, Internet Cello Society, Tim Janof, cello.org, cellobello.org|