Antoine-Pierre de Bavier
Encyclopedia
Antoine-Pierre de Bavier, often referred to as Antoine de Bavier, was a celebrated twentieth-century Swiss clarinettist and orchestral conductor.
De Bavier was a pupil of the clarinetist Luigi Amodio and of Wilhelm Furtwängler
. His earlier career was dedicated more particularly to his instrumental work as a clarinettist. He collaborated with the Végh Quartet
in their early recording of the Brahms clarinet quintet, and was among the very few soloists to have worked and recorded with the Quartetto Italiano, with whom in 1952 he recorded the Mozart clarinet quintet. In 1956 he made a landmark recording of the Brahms clarinet sonatas.
A live recording exists of his performance of the Mozart quintet with the Barylli Quartet
at the Salzburg Festival
in 1956. In that year he was also conducting in Mexico City
, for instance, in a performance of the Mozart flute and harp concerto with Gildardo Mojica (flute) and Judith Flores Alatorre (harp). He was for a time conductor of the Bilbao
Symphony Orchestra.
During the fifties, due to health problems, he was forced to leave his brilliant soloist career. He was persuaded by Wilhelm Furtwängler
to start a
new musical life as a conductor. As a matter of fact, he conducted important orchestras and worked with great soloists, among which the famous Italian
pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
(four concerts in Germany
and Italy
, from 1956 to 1961).
De Bavier taught chamber music at the Salzburg Mozarteum and at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana
in Siena
(Italy), and was on the international jury for German radio competitions. He gave concerts in the most famous European and American cities.
Later in his career de Bavier became particularly associated as conductor with the Suk Chamber Orchestra
of Prague
. At the Settimane Internazionale di Musica da Camera at Kastelruth
(Bolzano) in 1997 and 1999 (the XII and XIV Settimane) he was the guest conductor, on the former occasion dedicating the festival to the work of J.S. Bach. Similarly he took the Prague Chamber Orchestra, with Mirjam Tschopp as solo violinist, to the Teatro Filarmonico at Brescia
(a Mozart concert), and conducted Mirjam and Sibylle Tschopp with the Filarmonica at Verona
in 2002.
De Bavier conducted a performance of Mozart's serenade the 'Gran Partita' (K 361) at Villa Arvedi in Cuzzaro, Grezzana
, with a company of distinguished international instrumentalists, issued in 1999.
De Bavier was a pupil of the clarinetist Luigi Amodio and of Wilhelm Furtwängler
Wilhelm Furtwängler
Wilhelm Furtwängler was a German conductor and composer. He is widely considered to have been one of the greatest symphonic and operatic conductors of the 20th century. By the 1930s he had built a reputation as one of the leading conductors in Europe, and he was the leading conductor who remained...
. His earlier career was dedicated more particularly to his instrumental work as a clarinettist. He collaborated with the Végh Quartet
Végh Quartet
The Végh Quartet was a Hungarian string quartet founded in 1940 and led by its first violinist Sándor Végh for 40 years. The quartet was based in Budapest until it departed Hungary in 1946. It is particularly known for its recordings of the Beethoven and Bartók cycles...
in their early recording of the Brahms clarinet quintet, and was among the very few soloists to have worked and recorded with the Quartetto Italiano, with whom in 1952 he recorded the Mozart clarinet quintet. In 1956 he made a landmark recording of the Brahms clarinet sonatas.
A live recording exists of his performance of the Mozart quintet with the Barylli Quartet
Barylli Quartet
The Barylli Quartet was a celebrated Austrian string quartet classical musical ensemble. It was first brought together in Vienna during the War by Walter Barylli, Konzertmeister of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra from 1939, but was re-founded in 1945. The reformed quartet actually appeared in...
at the Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
in 1956. In that year he was also conducting in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, for instance, in a performance of the Mozart flute and harp concerto with Gildardo Mojica (flute) and Judith Flores Alatorre (harp). He was for a time conductor of the Bilbao
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
Symphony Orchestra.
During the fifties, due to health problems, he was forced to leave his brilliant soloist career. He was persuaded by Wilhelm Furtwängler
Wilhelm Furtwängler
Wilhelm Furtwängler was a German conductor and composer. He is widely considered to have been one of the greatest symphonic and operatic conductors of the 20th century. By the 1930s he had built a reputation as one of the leading conductors in Europe, and he was the leading conductor who remained...
to start a
new musical life as a conductor. As a matter of fact, he conducted important orchestras and worked with great soloists, among which the famous Italian
pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli was a virtuoso Italian classical pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century, as well as one of the most important Italian pianists along with Ferruccio Busoni and Maurizio Pollini.-Biography:Born in Brescia, Italy, he began...
(four concerts in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, from 1956 to 1961).
De Bavier taught chamber music at the Salzburg Mozarteum and at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana
Accademia Musicale Chigiana
The Accademia Musicale Chigiana is a music institute in Siena, Italy. It was founded by Count Guido Chigi Saracini in 1932 as an international centre for advanced musical studies. It organises Master Classes in the major musical instruments as well as singing, conducting and composition...
in Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
(Italy), and was on the international jury for German radio competitions. He gave concerts in the most famous European and American cities.
Later in his career de Bavier became particularly associated as conductor with the Suk Chamber Orchestra
Suk Chamber Orchestra
The Suk Chamber Orchestra is a classical chamber orchestra named after the composer Josef Suk.It was founded by the violinist Josef Suk in 1974, on the centenary of his grandfather, the composer Josef Suk. The orchestra currently serves as resident orchestra at the W.A. Mozart Festival...
of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. At the Settimane Internazionale di Musica da Camera at Kastelruth
Kastelruth
Kastelruth is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 70 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 20 km northeast of the city of Bolzano ....
(Bolzano) in 1997 and 1999 (the XII and XIV Settimane) he was the guest conductor, on the former occasion dedicating the festival to the work of J.S. Bach. Similarly he took the Prague Chamber Orchestra, with Mirjam Tschopp as solo violinist, to the Teatro Filarmonico at Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
(a Mozart concert), and conducted Mirjam and Sibylle Tschopp with the Filarmonica at Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
in 2002.
De Bavier conducted a performance of Mozart's serenade the 'Gran Partita' (K 361) at Villa Arvedi in Cuzzaro, Grezzana
Grezzana
Grezzana is a comune in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about 100 km west of Venice and about 10 km northeast of Verona...
, with a company of distinguished international instrumentalists, issued in 1999.