TONY CLOSE (Violoncello)
The WIRELESS ORCHESTRA Conducted by JOHN ANSELL
CHERUBINI'S long life overlapped those of the groat Bach's sons and of Tchaikovsky, thus linking up nearly two centuries of music. His own work covered almost as wide a field as that long period suggests and it is all immensely dignified and sincere, singularly free from any mannerisms or of pandering to the popular taste of his ago. Anacreon was an Opera Ballet in two Acts, produced at the Paris Opera in October, 1803. Only the splendid Overture is now known, but it is likely to retain its place for all time among the great masterpieces.
BOCCHERINI, in his own day in the very front rank of violoncello players, was also a composer of immense industry. It used to be said of him that ho was a fountain of which it was only necessary to turn on the tap to produce a stream of music. Ho left no fewer than 467 instrumental works, including twenty symphonies, all of them marked by simple natural melodiousness, and by a dignified and courtly style. Ho and Haydn lind a great mutual regard, and the relation of Bocchcrini's music to that of the more famous master was characterised in the saying that ' Boccherini was the wife of Haydn.'
Much of his music for the violoncello demands technical skill of such an order that the present-day violoncellists realise very well how high a pitch of art Boccherini himself must have reached. It is sad to have to record that his last years were spent in something very like penury and distress. It was an age when Royal or noble patronage was almost necessary if a musician was to flourish, and though at one time Boccherini might truly call himself a friend of Princes, he realised in his latter years that one may not always count on friendships such as theirs enduring.
ALTHOUGH superlatives are as dangerous in music us in any other direction, no one has ever quarrelled with the bold assertion that Frescobaldi was the most distinguished organist of the seventeenth century. Like many another, even in our own age, who won fame as an all-round musician, ho began his career as a singer, and while still a boy had a singularly beautiful voice. For a good many years he was known both as singer and as organist and for a great part of his life he held tho post of Organist at St. Peter's, Home. His first appearance there, if older records are to be believed, drew an audience of no fewer than 30,000.
Most of his own compositions were for organ, nnd they are still justly treasured for their dignity and real beauty.
Cassado, who has arranged this Toccata for violoncello with pianoforte accompaniment, is known to listeners as a distinguished performer himself.