Description

ZARA NELSOVA (WINNIPEG, CANADA, DECEMBER 23, 1918 – NEW YORK CITY, OCTOBER 10, 2002)

 

 

 

 

Nelsova was born as Sara Katznelson in Winnipeg, Canada, to parents of Jewish-Russian descent. Nelsova first performed at the age of five in Winnipeg. She eventually moved with her family to London, England, where she studied at the London Cello School with its principal, Herbert Walenn. She was heard by Sir John Barbirolli and introduced by him to Pablo Casals from whom she received additional lessons. In 1932, aged only 13, she gave a London debut recital and appeared as soloist with Sir Malcolm Sargent and the London Symphony Orchestra. During World War II she was principal cellist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and in 1942 made her United States solo debut at Town Hall in New York. From 1942 to 1944, she was cellist of the Conservatory String Quartet.

In 1949 Nelsova moved to London, where she introduced to Britain new works by Samuel Barber, Paul Hindemith, Dmitri Shostakovich and Ernest Bloch, who dedicated his three suites for unaccompanied cello to her. She premiered Hugh Wood’s concerto at the 1969 Promenade concerts. In 1955 she became an American citizen and performed as a soloist for major orchestras, including Boston, Winnipeg, Montreal and the New York Philharmonic. She also toured extensively, and in 1966 was the first North American cellist to play in the Soviet Union. Nelsova promoted the Elgar Cello Concerto when it was rarely heard, long before Jacqueline du Pré, in concert and in recital with a piano reduction of the orchestral score. From 1966 to 1973 she was married to the American pianist Grant Johannesen, with whom she often performed and recorded. Her dignified, introspective readings of Bloch’s Schelomo and Barber’s Cello Concerto were both recorded with the composers conducting and later recorded Schelomo under Ernest Ansermet, also for the Decca-London label.)

She played a Stradivari cello, the “Marquis de Corberon” of 1726. She taught at the Juilliard School from 1962 to 2002, the year of her death.

In 2002, Nelsova died in New York City, aged 83.

An award was given in Nelsova’s name at the 2008 Naumburg International Violoncello Competition; the winner was Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir, from Iceland. At the 2011 International Cello Festival of Canada an award in her name was presented to Se-Doo Park.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Barber, Boyd Neel Conducting The Boyd Neel String Orchestra, Bloch, Aaron Copland, Zara Nelsova And Ernest Bloch – Music Of The Twentieth Century

Label: Decca – LX 3042

Format: Vinyl, LP, 10″, Mono

Country: UK

Genre: Classical

A1 Adagio For Strings, Opus 11

A2 Prayer

B1 Four Piano Blues

B2 Jewish Song

B3 Supplication

 

Dvořák, Zara Nelsova With Josef Krips Conducting London Symphony Orchestra – Concerto In B Minor For Violoncello And Orchestra Opus 104

Label: Decca – LXT 2727, Decca – LXT.2727

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono

Country: UK

Released: Sep 1952

Genre: Classical

Concerto In B Minor For Violoncello And Orchestra Opus 104

A First Movement: Allegro

B1 Second Movement: Adagio Ma Non Troppo

B2 Third Movement: Allegro Moderato

Recorded At – Kingsway Hall

Printed By – Mears & Caldwell Ltd.

Conductor – Josef Krips

Orchestra – London Symphony Orchestra

Violoncello – Zara Nelsova

LABELS:

– Orange label with gold lettering and gold ring around circumference

– Labelography code: EY1

– “MADE IN ENGLAND” around circumference at 12 o’clock

– DECCA logo / “LONG PLAYING UNBREAKABLE MICROGROOVE full frequency range recording” above spindle hole

– ffrr ‘ear’ logo at 2 o’clock

– Matrix numbers at 3 o’clock

– Circular “LONG PLAYING 33⅓ RPM” logo at 10 o’clock

SLEEVE:

– Not laminated flipback

– Circular “LONG PLAYING 33⅓ RPM” logo on front cover (lower left)

– DECCA logo “FLEXIBLE Long playing microgroove full frequency range recording” on front cover (bottom centre)

– ffrr regd trademark with large ear on front (lower right)

– Liner notes (uncredited) in English on back

– ”Printed in England Mears & Caldwell Ltd., Crammer Road, London, S.W.9 on bottom flipback

CATALOG NUMBERS:

– LXT 2727 on sleeve

– LXT.2727 on labels

OTHER

– Recorded 21-22 Nov 1951

– Released September 1952

– UK Purchase Tax Code CT which was valid from 9 Apr. 1948 to 29 Dec. 1950 as Decca did not use DT

Matrix / Runout (Matrix on label side A): ARL.1099

Matrix / Runout (Matrix on label side B): ARL.1100

Matrix / Runout (Stamped runout side A): ARL 1099-4B I CT 3

Matrix / Runout (Stamped runout side B): CA ARL 1100-2A H CT 2

 

Kodaly, Reger, Bach, Zara Nelsova – Sonate Für Violoncello Solo Op. 8 / Suite Nr. 2 Für Violoncello Solo Op. 131 C / Bourée I Und II Aus Der Suite Nr. 3 C-Dur BWV 1009

Label: Decca – LXT 5252

Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono

Country: Germany

Released: Genre:

Classical Style:

Romantic, Baroque, Modern

A Sonate Für Violoncello Solo Op. 8

Composed By – Zoltán Kodály

B1 Suite Nr. 2 Für Violoncello Solo Op. 131 C

Composed By – Max Reger

B2 Bourée I Und II Aus Der Suite Nr. 3 C-Dur BWV 1009

Composed By – Johann Sebastian Bach

Cello – Zara Nelsova

This version has a different cover and orange and gold DECCA labels, as well as german titles and liner notes; liner foil cushened without inner.

Rights Society (boxed): BIEM

Zara Nelsova, The London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult – Saint-Saëns, Lalo – ‘Cello Concertos’

Label: London Records – LL 964

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album

Country: UK

Released: 1958

Genre: Classical

Style: Romantic

A Concerto No.1 in A Minor for ‘Cello and Orchestra, Op. 33

Concerto In D Minor For ‘Cello And Orchestra

B1 Movement: Lento-Allegro maestoso

B2 Intermezzo (Andantino Con Moto-Allegro presto)

B3 Andante-Allegro vivace

Cello – Zara Nelsova

Composed By – Camille Saint-Saëns (tracks: A), Édouard Lalo (tracks: B)

Conductor – Sir Adrian Boult

Orchestra – London Philharmonic Orchestra

Outer cover says “Printed in U.S.A.”

Record Label says “MADE IN ENGLAND”

Matrix / Runout (Side A): ARL-1958-ID R

Matrix / Runout (Side B): ARL-1959-ID R

Matrix / Runout (Side A (variant 1)): 2 SUS ARL 1959-2A 11 11

Matrix / Runout (Side B (variant 1)): 3 ARL 1958-1A N N

 

Bloch – Zara Nelsova With The London Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted By Ernest Ansermet – Voice In The Wilderness / Schelomo

Label: London Records – LL 1232

Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono

Country: US

Genre: Classical

Style: Modern

Voice In The Wilderness

A1 1st Mov. Moderato

A2 2nd Mov. Poco Lento

A3 3rd Mov. Moderato

A4 4th Mov. Adagio, Piacevole

A5 5th Mov. Poco Agitato (Cadenza)

A6 6th Mov. Allegro

Schelomo

B1 Hebraic Rhapsody For Cello And Orchestra

Cello – Zara Nelsova

Composed By – Bloch

Conductor – Ernest Ansermet

Orchestra – The London Philharmonic Orchestra

 

Rachmaninov, Zara Nelsova, Arthur Balsam – Sonata In G Minor For Cello And Piano Opus 19

Label: London Records – LL 1480

Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono

Country: US

Released: 1957

Genre: Classical

Sonata In G Minor For Cello And Piano Opus 19

A1 1st Mov.: Lento – Allegro Moderato

A2 2nd Mov.: Allegro Scherzando

B1 3rd Mov.: Andante

B2 4th Mov.: Allegro Mosso

Jacket reads “Printed in U.S.A.” but the LP label reads “Made In England”. Identical to a UK release on Decca from the same year.

Matrix / Runout (Side I Runout): ARL-3116-IA I R T U II I

Matrix / Runout (Side II Runout): CA ARL-3117-IA 21 R T U II I

Samuel Barber, Violoncello, The New Symphony Orchestra Of London – Concerto For ‘Cello And Orchestra’

Label: London Records – LPS 332, London Records – LPS.332

Format: Vinyl, LP

Country: US

Released: 1951

Genre: Classical

A1 1st Mov.: Allegro Moderato (Cadenza)

B1 2nd Mov.: Andante Sostenuto

B2 3rd Mov.: Molto Allegro E Appassionato Trattenuto

 

Dvořak, Nelsova, Jochum – Concerto Per Violincello Op. 104

Label:  Longanesi Periodici – GCL 31

Series: I Grandi Concerti – 31

Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono

Country: Italy

Genre: Classical

Style: Romantic

Concerto Per Violincello Op. 104

A1 Allegro

A2 Adagio Ma Non Troppo

B Allegro Moderato