Paul Tortelier Archives

Schools of Cello Playing: France

Reprinted with permission from Interlude. Martin Berteau Like the German school of cello playing, the French School had a centuries-long impact, which continues today. When we think of French playing, refinement, finesse, and elegance come to mind, but during the 18th Century in Northern Europe the cello was still considered a lowly, rudimentary instrument compared to the viola da gamba. The French cello school evolved due to the exquisite playing of Martin Berteau (circa 1700-71). Despite maintaining the underhand bow-hold of the gamba, his sweet tone and depth of expression greatly influenced his students, Jean Pierre Duport, Tillière, and Jean Baptiste Cupis. Berteau developed an effortless fingering system, incorporating the use of the thumb, and introducing the use of both natural and artificial harmonics, which was quite unusual [...]

By Janet Horvath|2024-07-05T20:11:43-04:00March 6th, 2022|Categories: Historical|Tags: Joseph Platel, Pierre Fournier, Adrien François Servais, Felix Salmond, Auguste Franchomme, Paul Tortelier, Chopin, Andre Navarra, Jules Delsart, Maurice Gendron, Paul Bazelaire, Frank Miller, Elsa Hilger, Eleanor Aller, French, French Cello School, Bernard Greenhouse, Jean Louis Duport, Leonard Rose|

Conversation with Arto Noras (April, 1998)

Interview by Tim Janof Arto Noras appears regularly with major orchestras throughout the world and has recorded extensively. A former student of Paul Tortelier at the Paris Conservatoire, he was a runner-up at the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1966. He is also well-known for his appearances as a distinguished chamber musician and is a founding member of the Sibelius Academy Quartet. He is also the founder and artistic director of the Naantali Music Festival, as well as founder of the International Paulo Cello Competition. Since 1970, he has been Professor of Cello at the Sibelius Academy. TJ: You studied with Paul Tortelier. Were you the student he worked with for six hours on the first note of Schelomo? AN: No, we did that with the opening scale of the Bach's Third [...]

By Tim Janof|2022-06-18T15:48:12-04:00May 31st, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Competition, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: Interpretation, vibrato, Paul Tortelier, Performance Practice, Bach|

Conversation with Gerhard Mantel (February, 2000)

Interview by Tim Janof Gerhard Mantel is perhaps best known as the author of the book, Cello Technique -- Principles and Forms of Movement. He recently published his second book, Cello Üben (Cello Practice), which is currently published in German by Schott, and has quickly become a standard text in German-speaking countries; an English version will soon be published as an "e-book" by http://www.rugeri.com. He has published a set of duos for students and teachers called "25 Duettudes," each of which addresses particular technical issues for intermediate students. He has also published a cello method for children, Cello mit Spass und Hugo. He is president of the German chapter of European String Teachers' Association (ESTA). After his studies with August Eichhorn, he continued working with Pierre Fournier, Paul Tortelier, Maurice [...]

By Tim Janof|2021-07-11T18:41:29-04:00October 27th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews, Performance|Tags: Pablo Casals, Technique, Gerhard Mantel, Paul Tortelier, Andre Navarra|