Cecil Aronowitz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cecil Aronowitz
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Cecil Aronowitz in performance, in the 1960s
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| Born | 4 March 1916 King William's Town, Cape Province, Union of South Africa
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| Died | 7 September 1978 (aged 62) Ipswich, England
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| Occupation | Classical viola player |
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Cecil Aronowitz (born March 4, 1916 – died September 7, 1978) was a famous British viola player. He was a founding member of the Melos Ensemble, a leading chamber musician, and a very important teacher. He taught at the Royal College of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music.
Contents
Cecil Aronowitz's Musical Journey
Cecil Aronowitz was born in King William's Town, South Africa. This was on March 4, 1916. In 1933, he started learning to play the violin in Durban. His teacher was Stirling Robbins.
Studying Music in England
After two years, Cecil won a special scholarship. This allowed him to come to England. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London. But his studies were put on hold in 1939. This was because World War II started. He spent six years serving in the army.
When he returned to England, he made a big change. He decided to switch from the violin to the viola. The viola is a string instrument, a bit bigger than a violin.
Joining Famous Music Groups
Cecil Aronowitz became a very sought-after viola player. The Amadeus Quartet often asked him to play with them. He would play the second viola in their string quintet and string sextet performances.
In 1949, he joined the violas section of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Then, in 1950, he helped start a new group. This group was called the Melos Ensemble. Cecil was the main violist for this group for many years. Terence Weil was the cellist. One musician, William Waterhouse, said their teamwork was amazing. It made the Melos Ensemble very special.
Cecil also played with other groups. These included the Pro Arte Piano Quartet and the London Mozart Players. He was also the main violist for the Goldsbrough Orchestra. This group later became the English Chamber Orchestra.
Performing at the Aldeburgh Festival
Every year from 1949 until he passed away in 1978, Cecil played at the Aldeburgh Festival. At this festival, he performed in many ways. He played solo pieces, chamber music, and led the viola section for the English Opera Group.
Working with Benjamin Britten
Cecil Aronowitz had a very special connection with the famous composer Benjamin Britten. Britten wrote many viola parts especially for Cecil. This was true for Britten's chamber operas and church operas.
Premiering Britten's Works
The chamber music in Britten's War Requiem was written for the Melos Ensemble. Britten himself conducted its first performance. This took place in Coventry in 1962. The first recording of this work was made in 1963. Cecil Aronowitz was part of both these important events.
He also played in the first performance and recording of Britten's Curlew River in 1964. In 1976, Britten wrote a new version of his piece Lachrymae for Cecil. This version was for viola and string orchestra.
New Music and Collaborations
Cecil Aronowitz was also known for performing new music. In 1951, he performed the first Suite for Viola and Cello. This piece was written by Arthur Butterworth. He played it with Terence Weil.
Alun Hoddinott wrote a Viola Concertino for him in 1958. Cecil also premiered Variations for Viola and Piano by Hugh Wood in 1959. He played with Margaret Kitchin on piano.
In the 1960s, he was part of the Cremona Quartet. The other members were Hugh Maguire, Iona Brown, and Terence Weil.
A Special Performance
At the 1976 Aldeburgh Festival, Cecil and his wife, Nicola Grunberg, gave a very important performance. They played the last work by Dmitri Shostakovich. This was the Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147. It was the first time this piece was played publicly outside of Russia. Britten and Shostakovich's widow were there to hear it.
Teaching and Legacy
Cecil Aronowitz was a dedicated teacher. He taught viola and chamber music at the Royal College of Music for 25 years. In 1973, he became the first Head of Strings. This was at the new Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
The Royal Northern College of Music still honors him today. They regularly give out a special award called the Cecil Aronowitz Prize for viola players.
His Final Performance
In 1978, Cecil Aronowitz was performing Mozart's String Quintet in C major. This was at Snape Maltings. During the performance, he suffered a stroke. He passed away in Ipswich, England, on September 7, 1978.
Notable Recordings
Cecil Aronowitz made many important recordings. Many of these were with the Melos Ensemble. Their recordings of chamber music are still enjoyed today. These include works by Beethoven, Schubert, and Ravel.
Here are some of his well-known recordings:
- Mátyás Seiber: Elegy for viola and orchestra (1960)
- Benjamin Britten: War Requiem (1963)
- Benjamin Britten: Curlew River (1965)
- Johannes Brahms: String Quintets and String Sextets, with the Amadeus Quartet (1966–1968)
- Gustav Holst: Lyric Movement for Viola and Small Orchestra (1967)
- W. A. Mozart: String Quintets, with the Amadeus Quartet (1967–1974)
- Hindemith: Trauermusik for viola and strings (1968)
- Berlioz: Harold en Italie, with the York Symphony Orchestra
- Ralph Vaughan Williams: Flos Campi (1970)
- Richard Strauss: Prelude to Capriccio, with the Amadeus Quartet (1971)
- Johannes Brahms: Two Songs for Voice, Viola and Piano, Op. 91, with Janet Baker and André Previn (piano)
