Robert Casadesus
Encyclopedia
Robert Casadesus was a renowned 20th-century French
pianist
and composer
. He was the most prominent member of a famous musical family
, being the nephew of Henri Casadesus
and Marius Casadesus
, husband of Gaby Casadesus
, and father of Jean Casadesus
.
and studied there at the Conservatoire
with Louis Diémer
, taking a Premier Prix (First Prize) in 1913 and the Prix Diémer in 1920.
Robert then entered the class of Lucien Capet
, who had exceptional influence. Capet had founded a famous quartet that bore his name (Capet Quartet
) and in which two of Robert’s uncles played: Henri and Marcel.
The Quartet often rehearsed in the Casadesus home, and so it was that Robert was initiated into chamber music. The Beethoven Quartets held no secret for him—he knew them backwards and forwards without ever having played them!
Beginning in 1922, Casadesus collaborated with the composer Maurice Ravel
on a project to create piano rolls of a number of his works. Casadesus and Ravel also shared the concert platform in France, Spain
and England
.
Casadesus toured widely as a piano soloist. He often performed with his wife, the pianist Gaby (L'Hôte) Casasus
, whom he married in 1921.
From 1935 Casadesus taught at the American Conservatory at Fontainebleau
. He and his family spent the Second World War years in the United States and had a home in Princeton, New Jersey
. He and Gaby established the Fontainebleau School at Newport, Rhode Island after the fall of France. In 1942 the Fontainebleau School was moved to Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. After the war, in 1946, Robert Casadesus, now Director of the American Conservatory oversaw its return to Fontainebleau. He taught a notable group of future piano performers and teachers from all over Europe and the United States, including Claude Helffer
, Grant Johannesen
, Monique Haas
, Mary Louise Boehm
and William Eves (who appeared in the Bell Telephone Hour documentary and was a longtime piano instructor at Bowdoin College
.)
A product of the school of French pianism, his style of playing was classical and restrained with a very delicate approach to melody and line. He is especially noted as an interpreter of Mozart
. Among his other recordings are those of the complete piano music of Ravel
(for which he was awarded the Grand Prix de l'Academie Charles Cros and the Grand Prix de l'Academie du Disque,) and the Beethoven
Violin Sonatas with Zino Francescatti
(of which the Kreutzer Sonata was filmed and has been released on DVD). The Bell Telephone Hour produced a one hour television film, in 1967, on Robert, Gaby and their son Jean
, titled "The First Family of the Piano."
Casadesus recorded several of Mozart’s piano concertos with George Szell
and the Cleveland Orchestra
(sometimes billed as the Columbia Symphony
for contractural reasons). Casadesus was joined by his wife Gaby and their son Jean
in recordings of Mozart's concertos for two and three pianos, accompanied by the Philadelphia Orchestra
conducted by Eugene Ormandy
. The recordings have been reissued on CD several times by Sony Classical. There were also recordings of four of Bach's two and three Keyboard Concertos, issued by Columbia, under the baton of Eugene Ormandy, Pierre Deveux and Edmund de Stoutz.
Robert and Gaby Casadesus had three children, Jean, Guy and Therese. Robert Casadesus died in Paris, September 19, 1972, after a brief illness and only a few months after the death of his son Jean in an automobile accident. Gaby Casadesus died in Paris on November 12, 1999. In her later years she edited the works of Ravel for G. Schirmer, Inc.
Concertante
Chamber music
Piano
Vocal
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. He was the most prominent member of a famous musical family
Casadesus
Casadesus is the surname of a prominent French musical family. Its members include:* Francis Casadesus , composer and conductor* Robert-Guillaume Casadesus , composer and singer known as "Robert Casa"...
, being the nephew of Henri Casadesus
Henri Casadesus
Henri Casadesus was a violist and music publisher. He was the brother of Marius Casadesus, uncle of the famous pianist Robert Casadesus, and granduncle of Jean Casadesus....
and Marius Casadesus
Marius Casadesus
Marius Casadesus was a French violinist and composer. He was the brother of Henri Casadesus, uncle of the famed pianist Robert Casadesus, and grand-uncle to Jean Casadesus....
, husband of Gaby Casadesus
Gaby Casadesus
Gaby Casadesus was a French classical pianist and teacher born in Marseilles, France. She was married to the famous French pianist Robert Casadesus, and their son Jean Casadesus was also a notable pianist....
, and father of Jean Casadesus
Jean Casadesus
Jean Casadesus was a French classical pianist. He was the son of the renowned pianists Robert and Gaby Casadesus, and grandnephew of Henri Casadesus and Marius Casadesus.Jean Casadesus was born in Paris...
.
Biography
Robert Casadesus was born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and studied there at the Conservatoire
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
with Louis Diémer
Louis Diémer
Louis-Joseph Diémer was a French pianist and composer.- Life :Diémer studied at the Paris Conservatoire, winning premiers prix in piano, harmony and accompaniment, counterpoint and fugue, and solfège, and a second prix in organ...
, taking a Premier Prix (First Prize) in 1913 and the Prix Diémer in 1920.
Robert then entered the class of Lucien Capet
Lucien Capet
Lucien Louis Capet was a French violinist, pedagogue and composer.-Career:Capet came from the Paris proletariat. By the age of fifteen, he had to maintain himself by playing in bistros and cafes...
, who had exceptional influence. Capet had founded a famous quartet that bore his name (Capet Quartet
Capet Quartet
The Capet String Quartet was a French musical ensemble founded in 1893, which remained in existence until 1928 or later. It made a number of recordings and was considered one of the leading string quartets of its time.- Personnel :...
) and in which two of Robert’s uncles played: Henri and Marcel.
The Quartet often rehearsed in the Casadesus home, and so it was that Robert was initiated into chamber music. The Beethoven Quartets held no secret for him—he knew them backwards and forwards without ever having played them!
Beginning in 1922, Casadesus collaborated with the composer Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
on a project to create piano rolls of a number of his works. Casadesus and Ravel also shared the concert platform in France, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Casadesus toured widely as a piano soloist. He often performed with his wife, the pianist Gaby (L'Hôte) Casasus
Gaby Casadesus
Gaby Casadesus was a French classical pianist and teacher born in Marseilles, France. She was married to the famous French pianist Robert Casadesus, and their son Jean Casadesus was also a notable pianist....
, whom he married in 1921.
From 1935 Casadesus taught at the American Conservatory at Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
. He and his family spent the Second World War years in the United States and had a home in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
. He and Gaby established the Fontainebleau School at Newport, Rhode Island after the fall of France. In 1942 the Fontainebleau School was moved to Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. After the war, in 1946, Robert Casadesus, now Director of the American Conservatory oversaw its return to Fontainebleau. He taught a notable group of future piano performers and teachers from all over Europe and the United States, including Claude Helffer
Claude Helffer
Claude Helffer was a French pianist noted particularly for his advocacy of 20th-century music.-Biography:...
, Grant Johannesen
Grant Johannesen
Grant Johannesen was an American concert pianist.He was born in Salt Lake City and discovered at the age of five by an irate teacher who lived across the street. He imitated whatever he heard her play, and she did not appreciate it.He studied with Robert Casadesus, Roger Sessions, and Nadia...
, Monique Haas
Monique Haas
Monique Haas was a French pianist.Born in Paris, she studied at the Conservatoire there with Joseph Morpain and Lazare Lévy, taking a Premier Prix in 1927. She went on to study with Rudolf Serkin and Robert Casadesus. She was married to the French-Romanian composer Marcel Mihalovici...
, Mary Louise Boehm
Mary Louise Boehm
Mary Louise Boehm was a pianist and painter who was born on July 25, 1928 in Sumner, Iowa and died on November 29, 2002 in Spain.Mary Louise Boehm was a descendant of Joseph Böhm, a piano maker active in Vienna during the early 19th century. Born in Iowa, her early aptitude for the piano earned her...
and William Eves (who appeared in the Bell Telephone Hour documentary and was a longtime piano instructor at Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
.)
A product of the school of French pianism, his style of playing was classical and restrained with a very delicate approach to melody and line. He is especially noted as an interpreter of Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
. Among his other recordings are those of the complete piano music of Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
(for which he was awarded the Grand Prix de l'Academie Charles Cros and the Grand Prix de l'Academie du Disque,) and the Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
Violin Sonatas with Zino Francescatti
Zino Francescatti
René-Charles "Zino" Francescatti was a French virtuoso violinist.Zino Francescatti was born in Marseilles, to a musical family. Both parents were violinists. His father, who also played the cello, had studied with Camillo Sivori. Zino studied violin from age three and was quickly recognized as a...
(of which the Kreutzer Sonata was filmed and has been released on DVD). The Bell Telephone Hour produced a one hour television film, in 1967, on Robert, Gaby and their son Jean
Jean Casadesus
Jean Casadesus was a French classical pianist. He was the son of the renowned pianists Robert and Gaby Casadesus, and grandnephew of Henri Casadesus and Marius Casadesus.Jean Casadesus was born in Paris...
, titled "The First Family of the Piano."
Casadesus recorded several of Mozart’s piano concertos with George Szell
George Szell
George Szell , originally György Széll, György Endre Szél, or Georg Szell, was a Hungarian-born American conductor and composer...
and the Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...
(sometimes billed as the Columbia Symphony
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
The Columbia Symphony Orchestra was an orchestra formed by Columbia Records. It provided a vehicle for some of Columbia's better known recording artists to record using only company resources.-Bruno Walter:...
for contractural reasons). Casadesus was joined by his wife Gaby and their son Jean
Jean Casadesus
Jean Casadesus was a French classical pianist. He was the son of the renowned pianists Robert and Gaby Casadesus, and grandnephew of Henri Casadesus and Marius Casadesus.Jean Casadesus was born in Paris...
in recordings of Mozart's concertos for two and three pianos, accompanied by the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
conducted by Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy was a Hungarian-born conductor and violinist.-Early life:Born Jenő Blau in Budapest, Hungary, Ormandy began studying violin at the Royal National Hungarian Academy of Music at the age of five...
. The recordings have been reissued on CD several times by Sony Classical. There were also recordings of four of Bach's two and three Keyboard Concertos, issued by Columbia, under the baton of Eugene Ormandy, Pierre Deveux and Edmund de Stoutz.
Robert and Gaby Casadesus had three children, Jean, Guy and Therese. Robert Casadesus died in Paris, September 19, 1972, after a brief illness and only a few months after the death of his son Jean in an automobile accident. Gaby Casadesus died in Paris on November 12, 1999. In her later years she edited the works of Ravel for G. Schirmer, Inc.
Works
Orchestral- Suite No. 1, Op. 11 (1927)
- Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 19 (1934)
- Suite No. 2, Op. 26 (1937)
- Symphony No. 2, Op. 32 (1941)
- Suite No. 3, Op. 33 (1942)
- Symphony No. 3, Op. 41 (1947)
- Symphony No. 4, Op. 50 (1954)
- Trois danses (3 Dances), Op. 54b (1956)
- Symphony No. 5 "sur le nom de Haydn" (On the Name of HaydnJoseph HaydnFranz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
), Op. 60 (1959) - Septet for string orchestra, Op. 64 (1961); original for 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos and double bass
- Symphony No. 6, Op. 66 (1965)
- Symphony No. 7 for chorus and orchestra, Op. 68 (1967)
Concertante
- Concerto No. 1 for piano and orchestra, Op. 7 (1926)
- Concerto for violin and orchestra, Op. 15 (1931)
- Concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra, Op. 17 (1933)
- Concertstück (Concert Piece) for piano and chamber orchestra, Op. 27 (1937)
- Concerto for flute and chamber orchestra, Op. 35 (1942)
- Concerto No. 2 "for Dimitri Mitropoulos" for piano and orchestra, Op. 37 (1944)
- Concerto for cello and orchestra, Op. 43 (1947)
- Capriccio for piano and string orchestra, Op. 49 (1952)
- Concerto No. 3 for piano and orchestra, Op. 63 (1961)
- Concerto for 3 pianos and string orchestra, Op. 65 (1964)
Chamber music
- Introduction et polonaise for cello and piano, Op. 4 (1924)
- Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 6 (1924)
- Sonata No. 1 for violin and piano, Op. 9 (1927)
- Quintet for flute, violin, viola, cello and harp, Op. 10 (1927)
- Sonata for viola and piano, Op. 12 (1928)
- String Quartet No. 1, Op. 13 (1929)
- Piano Quintet, Op. 16 (1932)
- Sonata for flute and piano, Op. 18 (1934)
- Deux pièces (2 Pieces) for harp, Op. 20 (1935)
- Sonata for cello and piano, Op. 22 (1935)
- Sonata for oboe (or clarinet) and piano, Op. 23 (1936)
- Trois intermezzi (3 Intermezzi) for woodwind quintet, Op. 24 (1936)
- String Trio, Op. 25 (1937)
- String Quartet No. 2, Op. 29 (1940)
- Piano Quartet, Op. 30 (1940)
- Sonata No. 2 for violin and piano, Op. 34 (1942)
- Suite for 2 solo violins, Op. 39 (1944)
- Trio for oboe, clarinet and bassoon, Op. 42 (1947)
- Nonetto for string quartet, wind quartet and piano, Op. 45 (1949)
- String Quartet No. 3, Op. 46 (1950)
- Hommage à Chausson (Homage to ChaussonErnest ChaussonAmédée-Ernest Chausson was a French romantic composer who died just as his career was beginning to flourish.-Life:Ernest Chausson was born in Paris into a prosperous bourgeois family...
) for violin and piano, Op. 51 (1954) - Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 53 (1956)
- String Quartet No. 4, Op. 55 (1957)
- Sextet for woodwinds and piano, Op. 58 (1958)
- Fantaisie for flute and piano, Op. 59 (1959)
- Deux pièces (2 Pieces) for bassoon and piano, Op. 61 (1960)
- Septet for 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos and double bass (or string orchestra), Op. 64 (1961)
Piano
- Le voyage imaginaire (The Imaginary Trip), Op. 1 (1916)
- Six pièces (6 Pieces) for 2 pianos, Op. 2 (1920)
- Vingt-quatre préludes (24 Préludes), Op. 5 (1924)
- Trois berceuses (3 Lullabies), Op. 8 (1926)
- Sonata No. 1, Op. 14 (1930)
- Huit études (8 Études), Op. 28 (1939)
- Sonata No. 2, Op. 31 (1941)
- Trois danses méditerranéennes (3 Mediterranean Dances) for 2 pianos, Op. 36 (1943)
- Chant pour la libération de Paris (Song for the Liberation of Paris) for 2 pianos, Op. 38 (1944)
- Toccata, Op. 40 (1946)
- Sonata No. 3, Op. 44 (1948)
- Six enfantines, Op. 48 (1950)
- Variations d'après l'hommage à Debussy de M. de Falla (Variations on Manuel de FallaManuel de FallaManuel de Falla y Matheu was a Spanish Andalusian composer of classical music. With Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados and Joaquín Turina he is one of Spain's most important musicians of the first half of the 20th century....
's "Hommage à Debussy"), Op. 47 (1951) - Suite en La (Suite in A), Op. 52 (1956)
- Trois danses (3 Dances), Op. 54a (1956)
- Sonata No. 4, Op. 56 (1957)
- Sonata for 2 pianos, Op. 62 (1960)
- Trois berceuses (3 Lullabies), Op. 67 (1966)
- Impromptu, Op. 67 No. 4 (1967)
Vocal
- Spleen for voice and orchestra, Op.3 (1923)
- Trois rondels pour après for voice and piano, Op. 21 (1935)
- Sept épigrammes sur des tombeaux grecs for voice and orchestra, Op. 57 (1958)
External links
- Robert Casadesus site with a number of valuable features, including:
- Short (1-page) biography of Robert Casadesus
- Fuller (15-page) biography of Robert Casadesus, by Jacqueline Muller
- Chronology of events in life of Robert Casedesus
- Complete discography
- Brief biography, Recordings and discography including various LP issues (Youngrok Lee's Classical Music page)
- Brief biography, at Eroica Records
- Discography, at SonyBMG Masterworks
- Piano Rolls (The Reproducing Piano Roll Foundation)