Pierre Baker

See also: Pierre Baker (homonymy), Baker

Pierre Fournier (born the June 24th 1906 with Paris - died the January 8th 1986 with Geneva) was one of the great names French of the Violoncelle, at the sides of Maurice Maréchal, Paul Tortelier, Maurice Gendron and André Navarra.

Biography

Grandson of the Sculptor Léopold Morice (statue of the Place of the Republic, angels of the Bridge Alexandre-III), wire of a general, Pierre Fournier begins his musical studies with his mother who teaches him the Piano. But reached by the Poliomyelitis, it tests difficulties thereafter of actuating the pedals of the piano and must turn to another instrument: the Violoncello. Studying initially with the sister of Robert Krettly, it progresses very quickly and enters at thirteen years to the Conservatoire of Paris the class of violoncello of Paul Bazelaire, then of Anton Hekking. It obtains its first price in 1923 there, that is to say four years after its entry. He also studied during his years with the Academy the Chamber music near Camille Chevillard and Lucien Capet.

After its price, it starts to play in the cinemas (accompaniment of the silent films) and the bandstands. He is in particular the neighbor with the Théâtre of the Old man-Dovecote of Arthur Honegger which holds, him, the part of battery. He also plays within the Quatuor Krettly of 1923 to 1928, with which he creates in particular the Quartet of Gabriel Fauré. He begins his career of soloist in 1925 in the orchestra in the concerts Colonne.

He teaches during two years (of 1937 to 1939) with the Teacher training school of music of Paris, succeeding Pablo Casals. Besides Alfred Cortot and Jacques Thibaud invites it in 1943 to join them within their famous trio, after the departure of Casals in its property of Prades. In 1941, it is named professor of violoncello to the Academy of Paris. Associated with the pianist Artur Schnabel, the violonist Joseph Szigeti and the altist William Primrose, it makes an important round with the the United States in 1948. The success of this turns encourages it to give up its teaching activities with the Academy (1949) and to multiply engagements.

In 1956, it moves away from Paris, settling in Suisse (with Geneva) with all its family. But Pierre Fournier does not give up therefore his French citizenship.

In 1959, it makes its beginnings in the USSR, with Moscow where it plays the majority of the Concerto S standards of the repertory.

It begins again from 1976 of the activities of teaching, with Zurich in particular, at sessions of summer.

One finds it in 1984 in a recital with the Queen Elizabeth Hall of London; The virtuoso is then 78 years old; He dies out two years later, in 1986, succumbing to an attack of Hémiplégie in Geneva.

Others

Among the innumerable artists with whom Fournier will have played, let us quote the names of Wilhelm Kempff, Henryk Szeryng, Sviatoslav Richter, David Oïstrakh, Zino Francescatti, Herbert von Karajan, Rafael Kubelik, Sergiu Celibidache, Friedrich Gulda.

He also played and recorded towards the end of its life with his/her Jean-Pierre son, famous pianist under the name of Jean Fonda. His/her brother Jean Fournier was also musician (violonist). The woman of this one, Ginette Senior, was a recognized pianist.

The repertory of Baker covered all the times, of the baroque to the Modern music while passing by the traditional (it was one of the first to give to the honor the Concerto for violoncello in major D of Haydn). Many type-setters of its time dedicated works to him: Francis Poulenc its Sonata for violoncello (1948), Bohuslav Martinu its first sonata (1940), Albert Roussel, Arthur Honegger (1939), Othmar Schoeck (1947), Jean Martinon (1963), Frank Martin (1965-1966) their concertos. It has also created in 1937 Concertino d' Albert Roussel and in 1955 the second version of the Concerto of Bohuslav Martinù.

Within the framework of the international Contest of Rostropovitch violoncello organized by the town of Paris a special price Pierre Fournier for the best interpretation of the work of the 19th century is given.

Pierre Fournier was officer of the Légion of honor, officer of the Arts and the Letters and commander of the Ordre Léopold II.

Quotations

Maurice Maréchal would have said of Baker whereas this one left the Academy which he was “the violoncellist of the future”.
After a recital of Paul Tortelier, Pierre Fournier would have told him “Paul, I would like to have your left hand! ” and in Tortelier to answer “Pierre, I would like to have your right-hand man! ”. Baker was indeed famous for virtuosity and the ease with which it handled his bow.
Colette said of Pierre Fournier whom he “sang better than all that sings”.
Mstislav Rostropovitch, at the time of the celebration of the sixty-fifteenth birthday of Pierre Fournier in 1981 called it “friend, god and god”.
Among the various qualifiers applied to Fournier, one still finds “the prince of the violoncellists”, or “the aristocrat off the cello”.

Sources

Biography of Pierre Baker on musicologie.org
“Pierre Baker, Cellist” on cello.org
Article Pierre Baker (author: Alain Pâris) of the Encyclopedia Universalis

External bonds

Photographs of Pierre Baker

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