Pablo Casals Essay Example for Free

Pablo Casals Essay Pablo Casals, one of the most recognizable cellists in history, was born December 29, 1876. His career was unsurpassed by any other cellist during the first half of the twentieth century. He is known for the multiple recordings throughout his career which included solo, chamber, and orchestral music, as well as recordings while conducting. For most cellists his most notable accomplishment was his recordings of the incomparable Bach Cello Suites which were recorded from 1936 to 1939. His early years in his native Catalonia, Spain were spent being educated in music by his father who was a parish organist and choirmaster. As would be clearly seen in his later years, his understanding of music was amazing. Today his master classes on the cello are available for cellists to observe on YouTube. His ability to demonstrate proper tempo and rhythm as well as the use of dynamics is still a benefit even in the age of famous cellist, YoYo Ma His father’s techniques included he and his brother listening to, and name notes on the piano by ear. Although his father’s methods may have seemed extreme, they served only to further young Pablo’s musical ability. By the age of four he was playing the flute, piano and violin and by age six was proficient enough to perform a public solo on the violin. It is amazing to know that his first exposure to any cello like instrument was that of a street performer that had been fashioned from a broom handle! His first personal experience with the cello was much like my own. At fourteen I asked for a cello and was allowed by my father to borrow a very broken down cello. Casals was given an instrument made from a gourd by his father as his first cello. When he was eleven he heard some travelling performers and saw a real cello for the first time. After that, the cello was his instrument of choice. Although I play other instruments, as Casals did, it was hard to deny that I wanted to be known as â€Å"a cellist†! The Cello Suites composed by J. S. Bach were discovered by Casals in 1890 in a second hand music store. He was thirteen at the time and spent the next thirteen years practicing and perfecting them and then finally performing them in public. He graduated with honors from Escola Municipal de Musica in Barcelona, having made impressive progress, at age nineteen. His professional career began when he moved to Paris in 1895 and played second cello in a theater orchestra. In 1895 he returned home to Catalonia and was appointed to the faculty of his own Escola Municipal de Musica. He was also made principal cellist in the orchestra of Barcelonas opera house, the Liceu and in 1897 he performed as soloist with the Madrid Symphony Orchestra, and was awarded the Order of Carlos III from the Queen of Spain. His later career found him conducting master classes, as mentioned earlier, throughout the world. Some of the master classes were actually televised in the 1960’s and are still available for budding cellists. It was at this point in his career that he created unique versions of the six Brandenburg Concerti. To add this to his already amazing recordings of the Bach Suites truly showed the depth of his musical abilities! In addition to performing remarkable renditions of famous pieces he was a wonderful composer in his own right. One of his most notable works was La Sardena, composed for a cello ensemble. The completion of his composing career was a piece titled â€Å"Hymne of the United Nations† which he performed in 1971, at a special event, for the United Nations shortly before his 95th birthday. Looking back with appreciation to a man who died many years before I was born, I am humbled by his talent and personality. He had the opportunity to perform before queens, presidents and dignitaries. His performances took him around the globe and his influence is felt to this day. His unique recordings and master classes continue to inspire and delight cellists and cello music lovers alike. In 1963 the world lost PabIo Casals at the age of 96 while residing in Puero Rico where he was buried. I am happy to say that I have been fortunate enough to observe a number of his master classes and hear recordings done almost a century ago that have stood the test of time.