When I was a teenager, my cello teacher who played with the Toronto symphony, arranged for me to meet and play for the cello soloists who performed with the orchestra. As a result I met and played for Janos Starker, Jacqueline Du Pre, who I befriended and corresponded with, and Pierre Fournier! He was so sweet and kind and inspiring. He invited me to come to Europe and said that in exchange for taking cello lessons with him, I could live at his place with his wife and child and do some babysitting for them in return! Shortly after that I received an invitation to study in Dusseldorf, Germany in the Masterclass of Antonio Janigro. I received a Canada Council Grant to help make that happen and so that is where I went. To this day I wish I had chosen to study with Mr. Fournier. He had such an elegant sound, flawless technique and warm and friendly personality! I have been very blessed in my lifetime.
Wow! Fournier in the last few days since I discovered him, has become one of my all time favorite musicians. I have been listening the the Bach Cello Suites, I am moved so deeply, it is such a high state of beauty and perfection. And words of wisdom you remember from him you could share? How did he achieve such depth of expression? How did he become such an authentic and moving musical story teller?
You were lucky enough to meet great masters and human beings! I feel so sorry for the people that had to endure abusive teachers such as, apparently, Maurice Gendron and the like.
I performed with Fournier in 1965...which was an out-of-this-world experience. He was preparing the Shostakovitch Cello Concerto to play with The Cleveland Orchestra with Szell. I had 36 hours to learn the orchestra reduction, included in a program with E Minor Cello Sonata by Brahms, etc.
I was four years old in 1965, but I once heard Rostropovich (dedicatee) play the Shostakovich No. 1 with Chicago Symphony, then on the second half of the program sang in the chorus for Symphony No. 13 (Babi Yar), conducted by Rostropovich. Does that count? But seriously, Fournier was remarkable.
@@billcarson4187 Je me suis toujours demandé comment il a pu avoir le culot d'enregistrer le Kol Nidrei de Bruch après la guerre, et pourquoi Menuhin a accepté de faire des disques avec lui.
Incredible musician - I had a chance of hearing Fournier and Rostropovich one after another and I remember that it was hard to say who I liked more (they both played the Saint Saens).That was in Odessa in 1970.
Spent my youth listening to this man's DG LP recording of the Saint Saens and Lalo. I still find it to be one of the best; impeccable and balanced if sometimes understated. It's so wonderful to find the video on RU-vid, put a real smile on my face and provided for some nice surprises on bowing, if none on fingerings. He certainly gives the impression of being fully in control of his instrument and to my ears, really in the service of the composer.
This piece of music reminds me of the Punishment Children had to Endure in my past too I play the piano I've read Alice Miller who wrote books about how Children are abused and what it does to people in the long run And some knowledge of the abuse **of children in the 1800s and before it
Good LORD!! That level of playing.... Notice the lack of ‘acting’ in his playing. The pained expressions that are sooo prevalent today. Just his gorgeous sound. All my fav. Cellists are now dead. Thankfully we have these videos to remember what real artistry is or was....
At the Paris Conservatoire in 1969. The ensemble is the Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux, with conductor Jean Martinon. More at www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Australian%2BEloquence/ELQ4808926
Io non capisco questi che caricano i video senza mettere nessuna informazione: chi è il direttore d'orchestra? Che orchestra è? In quale sala si è tenuto il concerto? E in che data? L'unica informazione che c'è è la data in cui è stato caricato il video. Ma quella la mette RU-vid automaticamente.
