All Things Strings: Cello-Repertoire Editors, Part Two

A Who's Who for Cellists

What qualified these cello-repertoire editors to arrange and even rewrite the works of the masters? Part Two of our series.

by Jeffrey Solow

Julius Klengel took cello
composition to new heights.

Read Part One on-line.

When choosing and comparing cello and chamber-ensemble repertoire, you’ve no doubt noticed differences between one edition and the next—in some cases between the score and the parts in a single edition. The variances may be as subtle as suggested bowings or fingerings; or you may discover that whole lines have been rewritten or "corrected" by a well-meaning editor. This attention to detail might cause you to pause and consider the identities of the editors and arrangers whose names appear on the available editions. Just who were these fellows? What qualified them to select, edit, and sometimes arrange and rewrite the works of the masters?

In Part One (see the end of this article), we covered cellist editors from A through H. Here is Part Two, J through Z. As before, some of these characters are obscure—detailed biographical information is hard to come by. In some cases, for example, we have a birth year but no year of death. Edmund Kurtz and Nathan Stutch are still alive (still editing, in fact), but all the others listed here are deceased.

Organist, composer, and writer Friedrich Gustave Jansen (1831–1910) taught in Göttengen and was organist and royal music director for the Verden Cathedral. Jansen published cello-piano arrangements, now the standard versions, of Romberg’s Sonatas Op. 38 (originally for solo cello plus viola and cello) and Op. 43 (for two cellos).

Joachim’s pupil Gustave Jensen (1843–1895) taught at the Cologne Conservatory, composed his own works, and edited Klassiche Violinmusick for Schott, including Handel’s Cello Sonata in C, now reattributed to Johann Matthias Leffloth (1705–1731).

Hans Kindler (1892–1949) soloed with the Berlin Philharmonic at 18, taught in Berlin, and in 1914 became principal cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski. Founding conductor of the National Symphony in 1931, he orchestrated and recorded Cassadó’s "Frescobaldi Toccata." Kindler’s death in Watch Hall, Rhode Island, was believed to be suicide.

Julius Klengel (1859–1933) joined the Gewandhaus Quartet at 15, advanced to solocellist (as European orchestras called their one or two principal cellists)) at 22, and remained with the orchestra until 1924. He toured internationally as a soloist, including many trips to Russia, where he introduced the Haydn D-Major Concerto Royal professor at the Leipzig Conservatory from 1881 until his death, Klengel had students including Piatigorsky, Feuermann, Paul Grümmer, Joachim Stutschewsky, Pleeth (Du Pre’s teacher), and Edmund Kurtz. His cello compositions so favor the highest register that Adolf Brodsky offered to transcribe one for violin, only an octave lower!

Violinist, pianist, and brother of Julius, Paul Klengel (1854–1935) was a choral conductor, teacher at the Leipzig Conservatory, editor of Kammersonaten for Breitkopf, and a "house arranger" for Simrock, Brahms’ publisher. His Brahms arrangements include the G Major Violin Sonata Op. 78, transposed to D for cello. Klengel’s name was inadvertently left off the first printing, in 1880, and International republished it as arranged by Brahms.

Cellists know Johannes Klingenberg (1852–1905) through his revision of Dotzauer’s Method and 113 Etudes. Early-music specialists remember his advocacy for the viola da gamba and his important collection of early cello and gamba music. He was a longtime Brunswick Hofkapelle solocellist and editor for Collection Litolff. Klingenberg disappeared while hiking in the mountains—the police presumed he was robbed and murdered.

Dutch cellist Jacques van Lier (1875–1951) toured Europe, was a solocellist and teacher in Berli, where he founded the Holländisches Trio. Uprooted by the Nazis at age 64, Van Lier escaped to England in 1939.

Edmund Kurtz (b. 1908) made his 1945 American solo debut playing Dvorák with Toscanini. He was solocellist in Europe and, from 1936, with the Chicago Symphony. Kurtz continues to edit for International. He is possibly Klengel’s last surviving student.

In 1837, August Lindner (1820–78) became solocellist in Hanover and remained there his entire life. His Corelli D-Minor Sonata and Handel Sonata editions make Lindner, to the best of my knowledge, the earliest-born cellist-editor still in print.

When Russian-born Joseph Malkin (1879–1969) became solocellist for the Berlin Philharmonic, General von Moltke, adjutant to Kaiser Wilhelm, presented him with a fine cello. Malkin made his American debut in 1909, played principal with the Boston and Chicago Symphonies, and formed a trio with his brothers. In 1933, the family founded the Malkin Conservatory, which Joseph directed for ten years. He then joined the New York Philharmonic, retiring in 1949. His colleague, Nathan Stutch, recalls that Malkin never spoke about his orchestral experiences but loved to reminisce about his solo career.

A student of Jules Leopold-Loeb (1857–1933), Maurice Marechal (1892–1964) entertained his comrades during World War I on a cello made from a gunpowder case. Marechal concertized extensively in the 1920s and ’30s, including tours in the U.S. and Russia, and joined the Conservatoire in 1942. After Marechal premiered the Sonate for Violin and Cello, Ravel wrote to congratulate him for "an amazing first performance." Saint-Saëns gave Marechal carte blanche to "arrange for cello anything you like."

Benedetto Mazzacurati (born around 1915 or 1920) taught in Turin, was solocellist of Orquestra Radio Italia, and played with I Virtuosi di Roma. Founded in the late 1940s by Renato Fasano, the group helped popularize Baroque music—especially Vivaldi. Fasano’s cello-concerto transcription of Bach-Vivaldi BWV 592, which International publishes in Piatigorsky’s arrangement, is really Bach and Johann Ernst, Prince of Sachsen-Weimar, not Vivaldi. Mazzacurati collaborated with editor, violinist, and composer Ettore Bonelli.

After composition studies in Berlin, Scottish musicologist Alfred Moffat (1866–1950) served as an editor for Schott’s Kammersonaten and Simrock’s Meisterschule du alten Zeit. The Library of Congress acquired much of his large collection of early music.

Andreas Moser (1859–1925) abandoned engineering and architecture to study with Joachim. Arm problems curtailed his playing career, most likely because he adopted Joachim’s low-elbow, active-wrist bowing method. Moser became Joachim’s assistant and biographer, edited his letters, collaborated in the Joachim-Moser Violin Method, and even named his son Hans Joachim.

Swiss-born Hans Münch-Holland (1899–1971) succeeded Julius Klengel in the Gewandhaus Quartet. In 1940, he played in a trio with pianist Claudio Arrau.

Alfredo Piatti impressed Felix Medelssohn, but not George Bernard Shaw.

At 17, Alfredo Piatti (1822–1901) shared a concert with Liszt, who gave him an Amati cello. In 1844, he impressed Mendelssohn by sight-reading the D-Major Sonata from manuscript. Mendelssohn began to compose a concerto for Piatti, which (alas!) was lost in the mail and abandoned. Highly esteemed by Brahms, Piatti performed throughout Europe but eventually settled in London. A "perfect" but rather dry cellist, Davidoff quipped, "Piatti is a great player, but not a true Italian!" He could have an off day, though. George Bernard Shaw reviewed an 1889 Beethoven Septet performance: "Signor Piatti was out of sorts, and got quite amazingly out of tune in the trio." He was the last great cellist to play without an endpin.

Eugene Ysäye finally completed his Meditation, Op. 16, at the insistence of Fernand Pollain (1879–1955). The piece was one of Ysäye’s favorite compositions—he had begun it while on tour with Belgian cellist Jean Gérardy. Pollain formed a trio with Ysäye and Raoul Pugno, and he toured the U.S. with Ysäye and soprano Mary Garden.

In addition to compiling his monumental Musiklexikon, Karl Wilhelm Julius Hugo Riemann, generally known as Hugo Riemann (1849–1919), wrote many other works. He taught (he was Reger’s main teacher), conducted, composed extensively, and edited Alte Kammermusik and the Collegium Musicum series.

Belgian Marie Roemaet-Rosanoff (1896–1967) studied with Willeke, Lief Rosanoff (whom she married), and then Casals. Marie and Lief founded a summer music school in Connecticut, where Stephen Kates worked with them. They sent another student, Martita Montañez, to Casals in Prades, and inadvertently became matchmakers for one of the world’s most famous May-December marriages.

Born in New York City, Gustav Saenger (1865–1935) played violin with the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and the New York Symphony, and conducted the Empire Theater orchestra. Carl Fischer’s editor-in-chief from 1907 until his death, Saenger composed and was a prolific transcriber, arranger, and editor—many editions appear under the pseudonym W.F. Ambrosio.

After training under Franchomme, Dutch cellist Joseph Salmon (1864–1943) concertized extensively, particularly in Russia. He premiered Enesco’s Symphonie Concertante and played with the Hayot String Quartet. Salmon edited more than 80 18th-century works.

Violist in the family quartet, Alwin Schroeder (1855–1920) was smitten with the cello and taught himself to play, so impressing his older brother, Karl, that with his encouragement (and some lessons) Alwin switched over. In 1885, Franz Kneisel, concertmaster of the Boston Symphony, invited him to join the Kneisel Quartet, America’s first great quartet; Alwin toured the U.S. with them. He became first cellist of the Boston Symphony and taught at the New York Institute for Musical Art. Alwin finished his career performing chamber music: He replaced Leo Schulz in the Margulies Trio and played with the Boston String Quartet.

Alwin Schroeder switched from viola to cello with the encouragement of his brother, Karl.

Alwin’s brother Karl Schroeder (1848–1935) became solocellist in Sondershausen at age 14. At 26, he was the Gewandhaus’ solocellist and professor at the Conservatory. Julius Klengel succeeded him in both positions when Karl decided to concentrate on conducting. He had appointments in Brunswick, Sondershausen, Leipzig, and Dresden, and opera posts in Rotterdam, Berlin, and Hamburg. After 1911, Karl taught and conducted at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin.

Following solocellist positions in Berlin and with the Gewandhaus, Leo Schulz (b. 1865) came to America in 1889. He spent a year in the Boston Symphony, played with the New York Philharmonic for 15 years, then joined Damrosch’s New York Symphony. Schulz taught at the National Conservatory, played with the Margulies Trio and the Mannes Quartet, and, in the 1920s, formed the Old Masters Trio with violinist Michael Press (who arranged Handel-Halvorsen’s Passacaglia for violin/cello). Orlando Cole heard him suffer a memory lapse during a recital encore, the Gigue from the C-Major Bach Suite: Schulze ripped his bow across the C string, cried, "I am shtuck!" and stalked off stage.

A private student of Dechert in Berlin, Walter Schulz (1893–1967) was sharing solocellist duties in 1925 for the Berlin Philharmonic under Wilhelm Fürtwangler; his colleague was 22-year-old Gregor Piatigorsky. Later, Schulz taught at Leipzig’s Staatlich Hochschule für Musik.

Born in Constantinople of Russian parents, Joseph Schuster (1903–69) formed a quartet at age ten that performed in Cossack dress. Another refugee from the Nazis, Schuster was solocellist in Berlin before coming to New York in 1936 as the Philharmonic’s first cellist. He had a distinguished solo career and made a number of recordings. His playing wasn’t always flawless, however. I remember a Los Angeles recital whose review had a most unpleasant headline: "Problems with Intonation."

Musicologist Max Seiffert (1868–1948) was an important writer and teacher. He lectured at the Berlin Hochschule, and edited for Breitkopf’s Collegium Musicum chamber-music series—notably Handel.

Luigi Silva (1903–61) was solocellist for the Rome Opera and played with the Quartetto di Roma. Having small hands, he approached playing rationally and efficiently, and was a tireless and influential teacher. After teaching all over Italy, Silva came to the U.S. in 1939 and served on the faculties of Eastman, Juilliard, Mannes, Yale, Hartt, and Peabody.

Cellist with the New York Philharmonic since 1946 and associate principal until 1990, Nathan Stutch (b. 1919) studied with Salmond at Curtis; then Feuermann gave him a private scholarship. He continues to edit for International.

Ukrainian cellist Joachim Stutschewsky (1891–1982) formed the Viennese Trio and Quartet with Rudolf Kolisch (a "backwards" violinist who played left-handed), specializing in the music of the New Viennese School. After the Nazi Anschluss in 1938, Stutschewsky fled to Tel Aviv. Personalized articulation markings clutter his editions.

English cellist Percy Such (b. 1878) worked with Hausmann and studied chamber music with Joachim. After his Berlin Philharmonic debut in 1898, Such was solocellist for the London Pops and often served as extra cellist with the Joachim Quartet. He edited the Beethoven sonatas with Sir Donald Francis Tovey.

Servais’ most prominent pupil, Jules de Swert (1843–91), toured Europe, was solocellist in Weimar, and became concertmaster of Berlin’s Hofkapelle and the Hochschule’s first cello professor. In 1873, De Swert retired from teaching to compose, but continued playing. He formed a trio with Auer and Clara Schumann, and Wagner appointed him organizer and solocellist of his Bayreuth orchestra.

New Zealand native Arnold Trowell (b. 1887) studied with Hugo Becker and toured Europe before settling in London in 1907, where he taught at the Guildhall School. During a recent concerto performance of mine, I discovered in the cello section one of Trowell’s students, who had taken his lessons during the London Blitz.

German cellist Walter Upmeyer (b. 1876) ) played in the Bayreuth orchestra. He contributed—with van Lier, Piatti, de Swert, Trowell, Ernest Cahnbley, and William Whitehouse—to Schott’s 18th-century Kammersonaten series.

Dutchman Cornelius van Vliet (1889–1963) played with the Concertgebouw and was solocellist in Leipzig and Prague. Settling in the U.S. in 1911, he joined the Minneapolis Symphony, played first cello with the New York Philharmonic for ten years—also forming the New York Trio—was principal in Pittsburgh, and retired in 1953 after teaching at the University of Colorado.

Swiss-born August Wenzinger (1905–96) was solocellist in Bremen and a member of the Basel Allemeine Musik Gesellschaft for 35 years. Wenzinger gave the European premiere of Hindemith’s Concerto, but was primarily devoted to early music. A Baroque cello performer, he taught at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and formed a gamba trio.

Favorite student of Alfredo Piatti, William Whitehouse (1859–1935) taught at the Royal Academy and Cambridge University. He had two famous students: Felix Salmond (who premiered the Elgar Concerto) and Beatrice Harrison (who recorded it with Elgar—twice). Whitehouse contributed "Notes on the Master’s rendering" to Piatti’s Caprices

At 14, Willem Willeke (1880–1950) played chamber music with Brahms. (He later played the Grieg Sonata with Grieg, the Strauss Sonata with Strauss, and the Saint-Saëns concerto with Saint-Saëns.) Willeke turned to medicine but, with Joachim’s encouragement, returned to music, playing principal cello with several important European orchestras and conducting throughout Europe. In 1907, Kneisel asked him to succeed Alwin Schroeder in his quartet. Later, Willeke formed the Elshuco Trio, an anagram taken from the name of patron-of-the-arts Elizabeth Shurtleff (Sprague) Coolidge. She sponsored the Berkshire Music Festival, which Willeke directed until his death.

Read Part One of this essay on-line. It originally appeared in Strings magazine, May/June 2001, No. 94.

Jeffrey Solow's extensive resource for cello and chamber-music repertorie, "Does It Exist? Where Can I Find It?" is also available on-line. Click here to read the story.