The prominent position which the French attained in respect to
Violoncello playing in the second half of the last century was
maintained by them subsequently. They exercised, however, with few
exceptions, no real influence in Germany after the period signalised
by Romberg’s appearance. On the contrary, this master influenced
in a certain way French Cello playing, as appears from a remark in
Baudiot’s school, mentioned on page 104, that Romberg had introduced
the use of the fourth finger in the thumb position. The sign Ϙ, by
which Romberg denoted the thumb position, also was adopted in France,
where, as in other places, it had been necessary until then to use a
variety of indications for it. In other respects the aim of the French
Violoncellists greatly inclined in the virtuoso direction, as was the
case with regard to violin playing, whereas in Germany greater stress
was laid on the more solidly musical aspect, without neglecting the
virtuoso side.
Taking up the thread again from the preceding section with France, the
first to be mentioned is
AUGUSTE FRANCHOMME. This artist, who belongs to the most important
masters of his department, was born at Lille on April 10, 1808, and
learnt the first elements of his instrument from a mediocre teacher
of his native town, whose name was Mas. In 1825 he went to the Paris
Conservatoire as pupil of Levasseur, and, after the latter retired
from his professorship, Norblin undertook his further instruction.
Franchomme’s great talent developed so rapidly, under the guidance
of these two masters, that immediately, during the first year of his
attendance at the Conservatoire, he gained the first prize at the
musical competition of the pupils of the establishment. He understood
how to extract from the instrument a full, sympathetic tone, and
possessed with an extraordinary intonation the rare gift of an
expressive and tasteful reading. He specially distinguished himself
by a charming _Cantilena_. It is easily understood that on his public
appearances he always aroused the greatest enthusiasm.
Franchomme filled various places successively in Paris. He at first
belonged, during the years 1825 and 1826, to the orchestra of the
Theatre “Ambigüe-Comique.” He then went over, in 1827, to the “Grand
Opéra,” but remained there only one year. He belonged for a longer
period to the Italian Opera, but he relinquished this position after a
few years. Instead, he established regular quartet evenings with the
famous violinist, Delphin Alard; and in 1846 he undertook the Cello
instruction at the Paris Conservatoire. He died on January 21 or 22,
1884. His compositions, consisting of a Concerto, Nocturnes, Etudes,
Variations, and a variety of smaller Drawing-room pieces, have still
some value for cello players. His best productions are the Twelve
Caprices (Op. 7), which for pieces of that kind have every claim to
consideration.
The best known pupils of Franchomme are VIDAL (the younger), JACQUARD,
and BARBOT.
LOUIS ANTOINE VIDAL, born at Rouen on July 10, 1820, devoted himself by
preference to the literary branch of music after he had finished his
Cello studies. By his valuable work, “Les instruments à archet,” he
attained to a prominent position among the French writers on music of
modern times.
The younger JACQUARD, whose Christian name was Louis Auguste, born on
December 26, 1832, at Pont-le-Roy, so distinguished himself as a scholar
of the Paris Conservatoire, that he gained in 1850 the second, and in
1852 the first prize. He is a permanent member of the Orchestra of the
Conservatoire Concerts.
JEAN FRANÇOIS BARBOT, born in 1847 at Toulouse, settled down in
his native town after he had completed his studies at the Paris
Conservatoire, and is still at the present time working there at his
profession as an artist. Other modern French cellists are--BATTANCHON,
SELIGMANN, DANCLA, LEBOUC, and JACQUARD THE ELDER. They were all
Norblin’s pupils.[126]
FELIX BATTANCHON, born on April 9, 1814, in Paris, frequented the
Conservatoire of his native town, and studied there under Vaslin and
Norblin, who turned him out as a clever Cellist. After he had worked in
various ways as a solo player, he was appointed in 1840 to the orchestra
at the Grand Opéra. His compositions consist of Etudes, which are fully
adapted to the object in view and of which several books have been
published; Caprices, Duets, Trios (for three Violoncellos), and light
pieces of various kinds. His Op. 4, which contains twenty-four Studies,
has been introduced into the Paris Conservatoire.
HIPPOLYTE PROSPER SELIGMANN, whose name suggests a German origin, was
born on July 28, 1817, in Paris, entered the Conservatoire there on
December 2, 1829, and had Norblin as his master for the Violoncello,
and Halévy for Composition. In 1834 he received the second prize and,
two years later, the first prize. After he left the Conservatoire, in
the middle of 1838, he played a great deal in public, and in course of
time made concert tours through Southern France, Italy, Spain, Belgium,
and Germany. For the beauty of his tone he is indebted to a valuable
Amati Cello of large size. As a composer, Seligmann only cultivated the
lighter kind of music. His Violoncello pieces are no longer used in solo
playing.
ARNAUD DANCLA, born January 1, 1820, at Bagnères-de-Bigorre, was
likewise Norblin’s pupil at the Paris Conservatoire. He was dismissed,
in 1840, with the first prize. Dancla distinguished himself especially
as a quartet player. In Cello compositions, he published Etudes (Op.
2), two books of Duets, a “Fantasia” on Themes from Auber’s “Sirène,”
“Melodies,” and a Cello School, “Le Violoncelliste moderne.”
CHARLES JOSEPH LEBOUC, born on December 22, 1822, at Besançon, attended
the Conservatoire in Paris, and at first had Vaslin as his teacher for
a short time, but subsequently Norblin. He also distinguished himself
in playing chamber music. Besides some pieces for Violoncello, with
piano accompaniment, he composed a “Methode complète et pratique de
Violoncelle.”
LEON JEAN JACQUARD, the elder, born on November 3, 1826, in Paris,
passed his youth at Pont-le-Roy, near Blois. Hus-Desforges had retired
thither, and from him Jacquard received his first cello instruction.
When Hus-Desforges died, at the beginning of 1838, a certain Levacq
undertook the further direction of Jacquard, until he went to Paris
to attend the Conservatoire. Here he was in Norblin’s classes. He so
distinguished himself amongst his fellow scholars that he received, in
1842, the second prize, and, in 1844, the first.
Jacquard enjoyed the reputation of a virtuoso-trained player. He
was, however, much appreciated as a member of the orchestra of the
Conservatoire Concerts, as well as of the chamber music concerts
instituted by the violinist, Armingaud, in which also the violinist,
Mas, and the tenor, Sabatier, took part. It is a proof of his
extraordinary ability, that in 1877 he was appointed teacher in that
institution as Chevillard’s successor, whose pupil he had been. Nine
years later (March 27, 1886) death summoned him away.
JACQUES OFFENBACH, the creator of the Stage productions which are known
by the name of “Bouffes Parisiens,” was born on June 21, 1819, at
Cologne, and occupied himself zealously with Violoncello playing in his
younger years. Partly to make himself more widely known, and partly to
perfect himself on his instrument, he went to Paris in 1842, and shared
for a time the instruction of the Vaslin Classes in the Conservatoire.
His efforts, however, to succeed as a Cellist were in vain; according
to the opinion of Fétis, because his bowing was inefficient. In
fact, he only succeeded in assisting in the orchestra of the Comic
Opera. This occupation did not please him for any length of time; he
withdrew and undertook the office, in 1847, of _Chef d’Orchestre_ at
the Théâtre Français. But Offenbach cherished more extensive plans,
which aimed at becoming a composer for the theatre. It is known that he
successfully attained to this, though not in the way of gaining a very
high reputation. Here, however, we are considering Offenbach solely
as a Violoncellist. Although he did not perform as such in any very
extraordinary manner, yet he possesses claims to be noticed in this
place, because he wrote a number of Cello compositions which gained
a certain amount of favour. Besides some light pieces he composed a
considerable list of Duets.
AUGUSTE TOLBECQUE, whose father was a distinguished pupil of Rudolphe
Kreutzer in violin playing, was born on March 30, 1830, in Paris, and
went in his eleventh year to the Conservatoire as a pupil of Vaslin.
In 1849 he obtained the first prize. Since 1858 he has been living and
working at Niort, the chief town of the Department Deux-Sèvres.
Two other French cellists are Lasserre and Boubée.
JULES LASSERRE, born on July 29, 1838, at Tarbes, went from 1852-1855
to the Paris Conservatoire, and was dismissed from there with the first
prize. He then successfully undertook journeys in France and Spain. In
1869 he settled down in London as his permanent residence, and became
first Cellist in the “Musical Union” as well as in Costa’s Orchestra. He
wrote several things for his instrument.
ALBERT BOUBÉE, born in 1850, at Naples, was originally destined for
commerce, and failing to persevere in this, it was intended he should
devote himself to teaching. But neither in this could he succeed, and
Boubée finally decided for the musical profession. The enthusiasm
excited in him by his cello teacher, Gaetano Ciandelli, and later on by
Servais and Piatti’s playing, really induced him to pursue the study of
music. In 1867 Boubée chose London as his residence, where since then
he has become completely naturalised, though from time to time he has
accepted engagements abroad. He worked on several occasions with the
orchestras at Spa and Scarborough, and travelled in Sweden, Norway,
and Denmark as a concert player, but he devotes himself chiefly to the
sphere of work which he has made for himself in the English capital. Of
his Cello compositions, which consist of several solo pieces, the best
known in England is “La Gymnastique du Violoncelliste.”
France possessed also a Violoncello virtuosa of reputation about the
middle of the century in LISA B. CRISTIANI, whose name really points
to an Italian descent. She played with delicate intonation charming
little pieces, pleasantly and gracefully, and performed them on her
journeys through Germany and Denmark to Russia, and also on October 18,
1845, at Leipsic. The general approbation which was everywhere lavished
upon her was substantially increased by her beautiful and imposing
appearance. Felix Mendelssohn considered it worth while to accompany her
performances on the piano at her Leipsic Concert, and to compose a “Song
without Words” for her. She was appointed Chamber Virtuosa by the King
of Denmark. In 1853 she died at Tobolsk, of cholera. She was born at
Paris, on December 24, 1827.
At the present time the best French cellists are: JULES DELSART, RABAUD
(both teachers at the Paris Conservatoire), LIÈGEOIS, LOEB, and BECKER.
Information regarding them is lacking up to the present time.
* * * * *
In Belgium and Holland the Violoncello was introduced about the same
time as in France, though it made, indeed, but slow progress in both
these countries. This may be concluded by the very modest number of
Belgian and Dutch Cellists worthy of mention in the last century, of
which there are only four to notice. The oldest of these,
WILHELM DE FESCH, born in the Netherlands towards the end of the
seventeenth century, was not only cellist, but organist. In the latter
capacity he worked at the Antwerp Cathedral until 1725, when he
undertook, as d’Eve’s[127] successor, the office of Choirmaster. But
as he treated somewhat roughly the boys of the church choir entrusted
to his direction, he was dismissed in 1731, when he betook himself to
London. He was still living there in 1757, as appears from the portrait
of him in that year by Lacave. Amongst his published compositions
mentioned by Burney as dry and uninteresting, there are also six
Violoncello solos printed at Amsterdam (Op. 8). After Fesch,
PETER WILHELM WINKIS must be mentioned. Born in 1735 at Liège, he did
not remain at home, but travelled to Germany, where for a few years he
was in the service of the Cassel Court, and then (at the beginning of
1788), as Gerber notices, became Chamber Musician and Violoncellist to
the “Kapellinstitut” of the Queen of Prussia. He well understood how to
accompany with “much taste and observation.”