Home > Ernest Ansermet

A contemporary of Wilhelm Furtwangler and Otto Klemperer, and like them a conductor of 20th century music, Ansermet represents a very different tradition and approach. A native of the Romande region (French-speaking) of Switzerland, he was originally a mathematics professor who took to conducting locally. Travelling in France he met both Debussy and Ravel and consulted them on the performance of their works. During the First World War he met Stravinsky who was exiled in Switzerland, and began a lifelong association with Russian music.

In 1918 he founded his own orchestra, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. He travelled widely in Europe and America and became famous for accurate performances of difficult modern music, making first recordings of several works such as Stravinsky's Capriccio with the composer as soloist.

Ansermet was one of the first in the classical music field to take the new jazzFor other article subjects named Jazz see jazz (disambiguation). Jazz is a musical art form characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and improvisation. It has been called the first original art form to develop in th music seriously, and in 1919Events January January 1 Edsel Ford succeeds his father as head of the Ford Motor Company January 5 Spartacist uprising Socialist demonstrations in Berlin turn into attempted communist revolution with Spartacist League in the forefront January 9 Spartacus wrote an article praising Sidney BechetSidney Bechet ( May 14, 1897 May 14, 1959) was a Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. From a young age Bechet quickly mastered any musical instrument he picked up. Some New Orleanians remembered him as a corn.

After World War IIWorld War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the world's nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The war was fough Ansermet and his orchestra rose to international prominence through a long-standing contract with Decca Records, and between then and his death he recorded most of his repertoire, often two or three times. His interpretations were widely regarded as admirably clear and authoritative, though they were not without their detractors, and differed notably from those of other famous 20th century specialists, notably Pierre MonteuxPierre Monteux ( April 4, 1875 July 1, 1964) was an orchestra conductor born in Paris, France. Monteux studied violin from an early age, entering the Paris Conservatoire at the age of nine. He became a proficient violinist, good enough to jointly win the and Stravinsky himself. Ansermet disapproved of Stravinsky's practice of revising his works and always played the original versions. Although famous for performing much modern music by other composers such as Arthur HoneggerArthur Honegger ( March 10, 1892 November 27, 1955) was a composer, born to Swiss parents, but more closely associated with France. He was a member of Les Six. His most frequently performed work is probably the orchestral work Pacific 231 which imitates t and Frank MartinFrank Martin ( September 15, 1890 November 21, 1974) was a Swiss composer. Born in Geneva, his better known compositions include: Le Vin Herb (1938) Petite Symphonie Concertante (1944) Concerto for seven wind instruments, timpani and strings (1949) Quatre, he avoided altogether the music of Arnold SchoenbergArnold Schoenberg (the anglicized form of Schonberg Schoenberg changed the spelling officially when he became a U. citizen) ( September 13, 1874 July 13, 1951) was a composer, born in Vienna, Austria. He is particularly remembered as one of the first comp and his associates, even writing a long book (Les Fondaments de la Musique dans la Conscience Humaine) in which he sought to prove that Schoenberg's idiom was false and irrational.

Ansermet was an ardent man who argued his opinions vehemently. He was notable in Britain for his argumentative rehearsals with British orchestras, who were used to the more jovial style of Thomas Beecham and Adrian Boult. His last recording, typically of Stravinsky's Firebird, was made in London with the New Philharmonia Orchestra, and a recording of the rehearsals and sessions was made as a memorial to him.