ANDREAS TEN CATE, born in 1796, at Amsterdam. He was originally destined
for a commercial calling, but at the age of fourteen he decided for the
musical career, and became Jan Georg. Bertelmann’s pupil. In his riper
years he devoted himself chiefly to composition for the stage. He wrote,
however, some instrumental pieces; amongst them a couple of Violoncello
Concertos. He died on July 27, 1858.
JACQUES FRANCO-MENDÈS, who descends from a Portuguese family settled for
a long time in Amsterdam, has exercised a great, indeed the greatest
influence on Dutch cello playing. He was born in 1816[129] in the said
town, and in his earliest years began the practice of music. He received
instruction from Präger on the Violoncello, from Bertelmann in theory,
and, in order to educate himself still further in cello playing, he went
to Merk, at Vienna, in 1829.
Until then Franco-Mendès was undecided as to whether he should pursue
music for his pleasure or as his career. He soon decided for the latter,
and undertook with his brother Joseph, who was a gifted violin player,
a journey to London and Paris in the year 1831. He made his _début_ in
the former city at a concert given by Nepomuk Hummel and on his return
to Amsterdam he received from the King of Holland the title of Chamber
Violoncellist. In 1833 the brothers Franco-Mendès undertook together
a concert tour in Germany, and were heard with success in Frankfort,
Leipsic, and Dresden. In the following year Jacques was nominated
first solo Cellist of the King of Holland. In 1836 he again went
with his brother to Paris. The latter died in 1841, and this loss so
heavily affected Jacques that for a long time he could not resolve to
undertake any more art journeys but played only at a few concerts in
the chief towns of Holland. In 1845 the desire was again aroused in him
of making further efforts. He took part, in that year, in the musical
festival which was held at Bonn to celebrate the unveiling of the
Beethoven memorial, but on account of the overwhelming number of musical
productions he gained no success. In 1860 he took up his permanent abode
in Paris. As a composer, Franco-Mendès proved that to a certain extent
his aim was worthy of respect, for he occupied himself with chamber
music in its more serious aspect. He wrote two Quintets and a String
Quartet, one of which was distinguished by receiving a prize from the
Netherlands “Society for the advancement of Music.” He has also composed
a long list of Drawing-room pieces for his instrument, amongst them a
grand Duo for two Violoncellos, an Elégie, “Fantasias,” “Caprices,” and
more pieces of the same kind; some of them are still performed, as, for
example, the Adagio (Op. 48).
Among Franco-Mendès’ pupils,
CHARLES ERNEST APPY must be cited, who, springing from French parentage,
was born on October 25, 1834, at the Hague. His father was a tenor
player in the Royal band, but went away with his family to Amsterdam,
where his son at fourteen years of age began with piano playing under
Richard Hol. A year after he gave it up for the Violoncello, on which
the Belgian, Charles Montigny, and later, Merlen, the first cellist
at Amsterdam, gave him instruction. He received the final finish from
Franco-Mendès, under whom he also studied composition.
Appy began his work as a musician in 1851, as member of the Concert
orchestra at Zaandam. He soon received invitations to the provincial
towns of his Fatherland to assist as a solo player at concerts, and in
1854 he was engaged for six months by Joseph Gungl, as solo cellist for
Scotland. Two years later he was member of the Amsterdam Park orchestra,
as well as of the orchestra of the “Felix Meritis” Society. In 1857 he
worked for six months at the concerts of the London Crystal Palace,
and after his return he joined the orchestra of the “Cäcelia” Society
in Amsterdam. From 1862 he has belonged to the String Quartet of the
excellent violinist, Franz Coenen, for nine years, by which means he has
enjoyed the opportunity of playing with distinguished artists, such as
Ernst Lübeck, Alfred Jaël, and Madame Clara Schumann.
In the year 1864 Appy was appointed Cello teacher to the “Maatschappij
tot Bevordering van Toonkunst,” in which office he remained till 1883.
During this time, in 1871, he went for six months to New York, in order
to join in the Thomas Concerts as soloist. His substitute as teacher at
the Amsterdam Maatschappij was, meantime, Daniel de Lange.
Returned to Holland, Appy took up his residence in Haarlem, where he
gave lessons on the Cello and Piano. Thence he again went to Amsterdam
and opened there a prosperous music school, which he continues to
superintend at the present time. His cello compositions consist of
“Fantasias” on _Motifs_ from the “Freischütz” and “Robert le Diable,” as
well as some smaller light pieces.
The above-mentioned DANIEL DE LANGE, born about 1840, at Rotterdam, was
educated as a cellist by Simon Ganz and Servais, while Verhulst was his
master in theory. On the completion of his studies he travelled with
his brother, the pianist and organist, Samuel de Lange, through Austria
and went to the music school at Lemberg, to which he belonged for three
years. In 1863 he returned home and undertook the Cello instruction at
the Rotterdam Music School, which his master Ganz had until then carried
on. There is no further information regarding him.
JACQUES RENSBURG, born May 22, 1846, at Rotterdam, also began his
cello studies under Ganz in his ninth year, and continued them under
Giese, Daniel de Lange, and Emil Hegar.[130] Rensburg was destined
for a commercial and not an artistic career, but his inclination for
music so increased with time, that in 1867 he received permission from
his father to devote himself to Art. He now went about the middle
of the year named to Cologne, in order to pursue a course under the
talented Violoncellist, Schmitt. The latter, however, was already,
in consequence of a chest malady which, later, carried him off, so
suffering that Rensburg’s wish was not fulfilled of learning from him.
Instead of becoming Schmitt’s pupil he was his temporary assistant,
as first Cellist in the orchestra of the Gürzenich Concerts, as well
as teacher in the Rhenish School of Music at Cologne. Both offices
were given over to him definitely on April 1, 1868, on account of his
valuable services, for, in the meantime, Schmitt had died. Besides his
official duty, Rensburg frequently performed with favourable success
in the tours of the Rhenish Provinces, as well as in North Germany,
and in 1872, also, in the Leipsic Gewandhaus as a soloist; but the
ceaseless application with which he practised his profession brought on
a nervous affection, which compelled him to retire into private life.
In the autumn of 1874 he went to his native town, and since the spring
of 1880 he has been living at Bonn, where he is partner in a mercantile
undertaking. Of his compositions have appeared: “Recitative, Adagio, and
Allegro, in the form of a Concerto.”
An excellent Dutch Violoncellist is LOUIS LÜBECK, born on February
14, 1838, at the Hague. His father, the “Hof-Kapellmeister,” Johann
Heinr. Lübeck, so highly esteemed by the Dutch musical world (died on
February 7, 1865, at the Hague), gave him his first regular instruction,
after he had up to his seventeenth year occupied himself with music
as a dilettante. In order still further to perfect himself he studied
from 1857-1859 under Léon Jacquard’s direction in Paris. He then made
successful journeys through France and Holland, took up his residence
in Colmar, where he often joined in concerts with Clara Schumann and
Jul. Stockhausen; in 1866 he was summoned to Leipsic as first cellist at
the Gewandhaus Concerts and teacher at the Conservatoire. He fulfilled
these duties until 1868, in which year he occupied a similar position
in Frankfort-on-the-Maine, and he also undertook fresh concert journeys
through Germany, Holland, and England. In the year 1871 Lübeck was a
member of the Carlsruhe “Capelle.” He did not, however, remain long in
this position, but he next went, in 1873, to Berlin and St. Petersburg.
From the latter place he went to Sondershausen, where he belonged to
the Ducal Band as soloist, and afterwards to North America. In the
year 1881 he returned to Europe, and was engaged as successor to the
Concertmaster, Jul. Stahlknecht, for the Berlin Royal Band, to which he
still belongs as solo cellist. Besides a collection of small pieces,
amongst which are some transcriptions, Lübeck has written two Concertos,
of which, however, only one has until now been published.
Bouman and Maaré belong to the younger Dutch Violoncellists who have
become prominent by their performances.
ANTOON BOUMAN, born in Amsterdam, in the year 1855, received his first
instruction from one of his brothers, with whom he later for some time
established regular Quartet Conversaziones. As a boy of twelve years
he was able to appear before the King, William III., as well as at the
public Concerts of his native city. In order to make further progress
he attended the Rotterdam Conservatoire and enjoyed there the cello
instruction of O. Eberle.[131] Returning home he again played before the
King, who granted him the means of continuing his studies. He thus was
able to work for some years in order to perfect himself, and had the
advantage of the advice of Aug. Lindner, in Hanover; Fr. Grützmacher, in
Dresden; Joseph Servais, in Brussels; and Léon Jacquard, in Paris. He
then travelled in Southern France and England, where, during a residence
of four years, he gave concerts with success. Since then he has
acquired for himself a lucrative sphere of work in Utrecht as Director
of the municipal concerts, as solo player and cello teacher. Besides
several smaller compositions, Bouman has written two Concertos for his
instrument.
From Eberle, who, as we have just seen, was for a time Bouman’s
master, TH. C. DE MAARÉ, born on January 14, 1863, also received his
education as a Violoncellist. In his twenty-second year he received the
appointment at the “Amsterdamsche Orkestvereenigung” of solo cellist,
when the place of first solo player at the Royal “Fransche Opera” was
also given to him, which position he still holds.
The two youngest cellists of Holland, of talent worth mentioning, are
Snoer and Smith.
JOHAN SNOER was born on June 28, 1868, in Amsterdam, and received his
first instruction from Alexander Pohle, a pupil of Fr. Grützmacher.
After Pohle’s death the younger Giese[132] was his master, and, when
the latter went out to America, Henry Bosman undertook his training.
Later on he learned the harp from Edm. Schuëcker, now teacher at the
Leipsic Conservatoire. Snoer began his active career as a volunteer in
the Amsterdam Park Orchestra. When he was dismissed from this he was
appointed Violoncellist and Harpist at the newly-erected Park Theatre at
Amsterdam. Since 1885 he has been first solo cellist and harpist at the
Amsterdam Orchestra Union.
JOHANNES SMITH, born on January 27, 1869, at Arnheim, received his first
Cello instruction from Heyn,[133] in Maestricht, where his father had
been placed in the Dutch service. Later on the Smith family resided
in Amsterdam and there Ernest Appy was the teacher of the artist boy,
who went to Dresden in 1883 in order to complete his training on the
Violoncello under Fr. Grützmacher and, in theory, under Felix Draeseke.
Since then Smith has appeared with great success in Leipsic, Dresden,
Berlin, and the Hague, as concert player.