Country

:

Netherlands

Birth

:

February 17, 1934 in The Hague, The Netherlands

Death

:

July 25, 2019 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

Anner Bylsma was a renowned Dutch cellist and musicologist who was born on February 17, 1934, in The Hague, Netherlands. He was the son of a cellist and a pianist, and his parents encouraged him to pursue music from a young age. Bylsma began playing the cello at the age of five and gave his first public performance at the age of eight. Bylsma studied at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, where he was a student of Carel van Leeuwen Boomkamp. He later studied with Pablo Casals in France and Switzerland, and with Enrico Mainardi in Italy. Bylsma was known for his innovative approach to playing the cello, which was influenced by his studies of historical performance practices. Bylsma made his debut as a soloist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam in 1959, and he quickly established himself as one of the leading cellists of his generation. He performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. In addition to his work as a performer, Bylsma was also a respected musicologist and scholar. He was particularly interested in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and he wrote extensively about Bach's cello suites. Bylsma's research into historical performance practices led him to develop a new approach to playing the cello, which involved using gut strings and a Baroque bow. Bylsma was the recipient of many awards and honors throughout his career. In 1979, he was awarded the Dutch Music Prize, the highest honor for a musician in the Netherlands. He was also awarded the Edison Classical Music Award in 1983 and 1992, and he received the Bach Medal from the city of Leipzig in 2006. One of the highlights of Bylsma's career was his performance of Bach's cello suites at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw in 1992. The performance was recorded and released on CD, and it received widespread critical acclaim. Bylsma's interpretation of the suites was praised for its clarity, sensitivity, and emotional depth. Bylsma continued to perform and record throughout his career, and he remained an influential figure in the world of classical music until his death on July 25, 2019, at the age of 85. His contributions to the field of historical performance practices and his innovative approach to playing the cello have had a lasting impact on the world of classical music.

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