Andre Cluytens , born the March 26th 1905 with Antwerp (Belgium) and deceased the June 3rd 1967 with Neuilly-sur-Seine (France), was a leader French of Belgian origin . Outstanding figure of the French musical life of the years 1950 and 1960, it is particularly known for its interpretations of the French symphonic music (Berlioz, Franck, Ravel) and of the Germanic repertory (Beethoven, Wagner).

Career

After studies with the royal academy of Antwerp, he becomes chief of chorus in his birthplace and thinks of directing himself towards a career of pianist. In 1927, it is brought to direct the Fishermen of pearls of Bizet and is directed then towards the career of leader. It comes to France as from 1932 and directs to the Théâtre of Capitole of Toulouse, to the opera of Lyon and the national theater of the Op3era Comique, of which he is director of the music of 1946 to 1953. Naturalized French in 1945, it occurs regularly with the Orchestre of the Company in the concerts of the Academy as from 1946, in particular at the time of rounds in France and abroad, and it succeeds in 1949 Charles Münch the post of vice-president leader. It also directs to the national theater of the Opera, in particular Tannhäuser (1963) and Salome (1964), with Anja Silja, in the settings in scene of Wieland Wagner. In the years 1950, it very regularly directs the national orchestra of the RDF then of the rtf, in particular at the time of rounds to Germany in 1957, Soviet Union in 1959 and to the the Middle East and in Eastern Europe in 1960.

In 1955, he is the first French chief to occur with the Festival of Bayreuth, where he directs Tannhäuser . He will return in Bayreuth the following years, leader the Masters Singers of Nuremberg of 1956 to 1958 in the famous setting in scene of Wieland Wagner typical of the Nouveau Bayreuth, Parsifal in 1957, and Lohengrin in 1958, also at the time of a new setting in scene of Wieland Wagner. The enthusiasm of the public in 1955 makes it possible Cluytens to return to greet only, which a tradition prohibited Bayreuth.

In 1956, it codirige with Carl Schuricht the first round of the Philharmonic orchestra of Vienna to the the United States, two years after the disappearance of Wilhelm Furtwängler and a year after that of Erich Kleiber which was initially to direct the round. The American public is shown very reserved because of the attitude of the Austria before and during the Second world war. In November 1957, it directs a cycle in concerts to the head of the Philharmonic orchestra of New York, and directs on this occasion the First Symphony of Henri Dutilleux which will be broadcast. Between 1957 and 1960, it records with the Philharmonic orchestra of Berlin, which it directed as of the beginning of the year 1950, an integral of the symphonies of Beethoven, the first directed by a French chief and the first interpreted in studio by a Germanic orchestra.

In 1960, it returns to Belgium: it is named director of the National orchestra of Belgium, which is then reorganized to become the official orchestra of the capital Belgian. It preserves nevertheless bonds privileged with the orchestra of the Company in the concerts of the Academy, which it directs at the time of a series in concerts to Japan in April and May 1964 - the ultimate round of the orchestra - and at the time of a cycle devoted to Beethoven with the Théâtre of the Fields-Élysées to the autumn 1964.

Cluytens turns over to the Festival of Bayreuth in 1965 to direct Parsifal , where it succeeds Hans Knappertsbusch on the recommendation of this last, and Tannhäuser . Made without precedent with Bayreuth, the public applauds between the acts of Parsifal .

Reached by a Cancer during the winter 1965-1966, it must stop directing first once. It can go back to the desk in September 1966; its last recording is the Childhood of Christ of Berlioz. The disease stops its in March 1967 activity definitively whereas it was to make its beginnings with the Metropolitan Opera of New York; he dies on June 3rd, 1967, at the sixty two years age.

Style

Fleming of origin, German-speaking French of adoption and, Cluytens is located at cross great European musical traditions, combining elegance and clearness with a powerful control and a control of the architecture of works .

Wieland Wagner, which recognized it like Wagnerian high line, declared: “The sonority of Cluytens elegant, clear, moderate, is coloured and full with dignity, even in the exaltées orchestral apotheoses. Its technique of the rod is very personal, virile and completely stripped of conformism, it is a joy of observing it. Of an enthusiastic nature, it can communicate the joy of its art to the whole of the artists whom it directs and obtain from them performances of virtuosos. Chief full with intuition and a great clearness of vision, rythmician par excellence, Cluytens seems to us the ideal collaborator. ”

The professional singer Anja Silja, with whom it had a love affair the last year with her life, regarded it as “a large lord”, “elegant, refined, delicate, poetic”, “an extraordinary chief, one of largest than I know”. “It distilled its emotions with much smoothness and right measurement, never excessive and never miserly. This interior source of inspiration made him dare orchestral colors like anybody. ” Cluytens it is Ravel writing Jean Coat at the conclusion of a Parisian concert of the Company in the Concerts of the Academy… leading without rod, its hands speak and translate all subtleties of Ravel… without ostentation, with an infinite decency, without the least affection; Cluytens is made elegance man. Its face is the image of its art, race, filled up spirituality and deep .

It should be heard how Cluytens succeeds in making valser towards the abyss this Waltz of Ravel… and one can give only reason to this Belgian critic at the conclusion of an interpretation of the National orchestra of Belgium " at this time, no chief, of the whole world, can the égaler" .

Discography

André Cluytens leaves an abundant discography in spite of the brevity of his career. He in particular engraved an integral of the symphonies of Beethoven carried out with the Philharmonic orchestra of Berlin in 1957-1960, as well as a cycle of works of Ravel with the Orchestre of the Company in the concerts of the Academy recorded in 1961-1962. Dmitri Chostakovitch, which played in concert under its direction, was present at the meetings of recording of its Eleventh Symphony in Paris in 1958 and approved the interpretation of Cluytens; it also recorded its two concertos for piano with Cluytens.

Other famous recordings are devoted to Bizet, Debussy, Roussel, Berlioz - including one Fantastique in concert in 1964 - and Schubert - including one Inachevée in 1960 with Berlin coupled with the Preludes of Liszt.

It made many recording lyric, in particular French operas, a Boris Godounov , as well as a Hänsel and Gretel with the singers of the opera of State and the Philharmonic orchestra of Vienna. Its lives of Bayreuth was published in Compact disk. Appear, in particular in 2007, date birthday of its death in 1967, Atrs-Files publications in its Italian concerts of the Sixties, in collaboration with Spoke-Trade

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