“The History of the Cello, Part I,” a recent Visions and Voices event at USC, illuminated for the audience what early cellos sounded like and what forces helped shape the instrument into what it is today. Ralph Kirshbaum, Chair of the Strings Department at the Thornton School of Music, invited a luthier, two Early Music specialists and several performers of the cello to give a detailed presentation of the instrument’s evolution from 1600 through 2015.
A highlight of the evening was Benning Violins luthier Eric Benning and his discussion of the cello endpin. A seemingly innocuous device, the innovation of the endpin drastically changed the course of the instrument’s history. He described how, in the early years, the cello was clutched between the legs rather than balanced on the ground. Because of the resulting spread-legged posture needed to play the cello, women were discouraged from playing it for fear of appearing indecent.
The endpin not only improved resonance and allowed for more advanced techniques, but it also allowed for greater equality among performers. Benning discussed Portuguese cellist Guilhermina Suggia (1885-1950) and how her brilliant career as a soloist paved the way for many other women cellists. He went on to describe how the new advanced techniques started to grab the attention of great composers. Dvorak, who initially felt that the cello was unfit as a solo instrument, was inspired to compose his famous cello concerto after hearing performers like countryman Hanuš Wihan, who had greatly improved the instrument’s capabilities.
Following an introductory performance by duo Jonathan Dormand and Sarah Rommel, Early Music specialists Susan Feldman and Leif Woodward contributed a richly illustrated presentation on precursors to the modern cello. Further musical examples were demonstrated on early and modern instruments by Frederic Rosselet and Michael Kaufman.
“The History of the Cello, Part I” is the first of two Visions and Voices events leading up to the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival. The Festival’s Gala Opening Concert at USC, at 4:30pm on May 15, 2016, is also a Visions and Voices event. For more information about “History of the Cello, Part II” click here. The event takes place on Tuesday, March 29 at 7:30pm, and is free; reservations can be made beginning March 2.