Adolfo Odnoposoff


Adolfo Odnoposoff was an Argentine-born-and-raised cellist of Russian ancestry who performed in concerts for 5 decades in South, Central, and North America, the Caribbean, Europe, Israel, and the former USSR. He had performed as principal cellist in the Israel Philharmonic and many of the important orchestras of Latin America. He had soloed with major orchestras under conductors that include Arturo Toscanini, Erich Kleiber, Fritz Busch, Juan José Castro, Rafael Kubelik, Victor Tevah, Luis Herrera de la Fuente, Carlos Chavez, Paul Kletzki, Luis Ximénez Caballero :es:Luis Ximénez Caballero|, Willem van Otterloo, Sir John Barbirolli, Eduardo Mata, Antal Doráti, Jorge Sarmientos :es:Jorge Sarmientos|, Erich Kleiber, George Singer, Ricardo del Carmen, Anshel Brusilow, Pau Casals and Enrique Gimeno. He also performed a Khachaturian work under the direction of Khachaturian. Odnoposoff was tall.

Berthe Odnoposoff, ''née'' Huberman

Odnoposoff's wife, Berthe '' is a widely acclaimed piano virtuoso. Since 1941, when they met in Havana, until his retirement in 1988, she had been his accompanist and chief musical collaborator. In concerts and on recordings, they were often billed as a duo. Composers often inscribed dedications to both Adolfo and Berthe. She is also an influential piano pedagogue. Since 1976, she has been a member of the faculty at the University of North Texas College of Music. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences Degree, a Diploma in piano, and a Diploma in theory and harmony from the Ministry of Education, Havana, Cuba. She not only has mentored aspiring performing artists at the conservatory and collegiate levels, she has developed effective pedagogical approaches for gifted pianists at primary and secondary school ages.

Career

Formal education

Beginning around 1930, Odnoposoff studied with Emanuel Feuermann and Paul Grümmer at the Music High School in Berlin. 1930 coincided with the coup d'état in Argentina. In 1932, Odnoposoff moved to Paris, entering École Normale de Musique, where, in 1935, he earned a concert and teaching diploma. While there, he studied cello with Diran Alexanian, a colleague of Pablo Casals.

Israel

1936, Odnoposoff, seeking refuge from the Third Reich because he was a Jew, moved to Tel Aviv, where he became a founding member of the Israel Philharmonic for its inaugural 1936–1937 season. He had performed with the orchestra, then called the Palestine Symphony Orchestra, in various roles, including that of principal cellist and soloist. The orchestra was founded by Bronisław Huberman, a cousin once removed of Odnoposoff's future wife, Berthe Huberman.

Peru and Chile

From 1938 to 1941, Odnoposoff was principal cellist with The National Symphony Orchestra of Peru. In 1940, he was a founding member of the Chile Cuarteto de Cuerdas — with Willie McDermott, Raúl Martínez, Fredy Wang , sponsored by The Institute of Musical Extension at the University of Chile. He held that chair until 1944.

Cuba

From 1944 to 1958, he was principal cellist of the Orquesta Filarmónica de La Habana, when, then, was conducted by Erich Kleiber. Alexander Prilutchi was concertmaster and, from 1945 to 1953, J. Wolfgang Granat was first violist. Granat went to play viola with the Philadelphia Orchestra for 35 years, until he retired in 1991. In Havana, Odnoposoff had been a member of a trio of Sociedad de Música de Cámara — with Prilutchi and pianist Paquito Godino ''. In January 1959, Fidel Castro's revolutionaries overtook Havana. Within 6 months, Castro became the new president and restructured Cuba as a communist state.

Mexico and Puerto Rico

From 1958 to 1961, Odnoposoff was cellist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico. While in Mexico, he taught at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música. From 1964 to 1974, Odnoposoff, at the invitation of Pablo Casals, taught at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. For 10 years, he was head of the Cello Department and served as the right-hand man of Casals, director of the conservatory that he founded. Casals died on October 22, 1973.

United States

During the 1975–1976 academic year, Odnoposoff became a visiting professor at the University of North Texas College of Music following an extensive tour of the Soviet Union — while still holding the post as Professor of Cello and Chamber Music at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. He and his wife soon became a full-time professors at North Texas. In 1977, his friend, Eduardo Mata became the conductor of the Dallas Symphony. Odnoposoff remained active teaching and concertizing until his retirement in 1988, whereupon North Texas awarded him Professor Emeritus status. His wife, Berthe, is still a professor of music at North Texas.

Legacy in Latin American classical music

Odnoposoff was an influential exponent of Latin classical music, notably works by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Alberto Ginastera, Blas Galindo Dimas, Rodolfo Halffter. He presented numerous lectures, master classes, and concerts throughout the Western Hemisphere on that theme.

Selected discography

  2. Alberto Ginastera, "Pampeana No. 2" for cello and piano, Op. 21
  1. José Ardévol, "Sonatina For Cello And Piano"
  3. Amadeo Roldán: Two Popular Songs
  5. Aurelio de la Vega, "Legend of Ariel Criollo"
  6. Pedro Menéndez, "Black Canto"
  8. Harold Gramatges, "Serenade For String Orchestra"
  10. John White, "Elegy"
  1. Halffter: "Sonata," Op. 26
  3. Vega :de:Aurelio de la Vega|: "Legend of Ariel Criollo"
  5. Ginastera, "Pampeana No. 2"
  7. Sergio Cervetti :es:Sergio Cervetti|, "Cinco Episodios Para Trio"
  9. Salas, "Trio" Op. 58
  2. Luis Antonio Ramírez : "Sonata Elegiaca," for cello and piano
  4. Hector Campos Parsi: "Petroglifos," for violin, cello and piano
  1. Galindo: "Sonata"
  2. Ponce: "Tres preludios"
  4. Halffter: "Sonata," Op. 26
  6. Revueltas: two selections from "Siete canciones"
  8. Sandi: "Hoja de albúm"
Works dedicated to Adolfo and Berthe Odnoposoff
Cuban composers
Mexican composers
Argentine composers
Puerto Rican composers
Elsewhere
Adolfo was one of three children born in Buenos Aires to the marriage of Mauricio Odnoposoff and Juana .
Alolfo's brother, Ricardo Odnoposoff :de:Ricardo Odnoposoff|, was the former concertmaster of Vienna Philharmonic.
Adolfo's sister, Nélida Odnoposoff, was a critically acclaimed Argentine concert pianist whose European debut was in 1935 in Berlin. Growing up in Buenos Aires, she had been a protégée of the Argentine pianist Edmundo Piazzini :es:Luis Piazzini|, and in Berlin, she studied with Hansi Freudberg. Nélida concertized until the late 1950s. During the early 1940s, was associated with the Opera and Ballet of Montevideo and had soloed with important orchestras of Latin America.
Mauricio Odnoposoff had emigrated from Russia to Argentina with his father. When Ricardo, Adolfo, and Nélida were studying music in Germany, Mauricio and Juana Odnoposoff moved to Germany.
Adolfo met his wife, Berthe in Cuba in 1941, when he was principal cellist with the Havana Symphony. Berthe was a young aspiring concert pianist. She is a first cousin once removed of the violinist Bronislaw Huberman and also the sister-in-law of Mexican poet Angelina Muñiz-Huberman, PhD.
Adolfo, his wife, and his brother performed their final concert together in May 1987— and billed it as a farewell — playing Beethoven's Triple Concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra of Guatemala under the direction of Ricardo del Carmen.
Adolfo Odnoposoff maintained his Argentine citizenship; although, in 1977 Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe made him an honorary citizen of the State of Texas, and presented him a commemorative plaque.
The surname, Odnoposoff, has various spellings. But under this particular spelling, the name faces extinction in the Western Hemisphere. Of the two males born to Mauricio and Juana Odnoposoff, Ricardo Odnoposoff :de:Ricardo Odnoposoff| and his wife Hilde had one daughter, Henriette Helene Odnoposoff, who, in 1978, married David Mark Hume ; Adolfo and Berthe had one daughter, Alina M. Odnoposoff, who married Mark J. Heller.

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