Role

:

Composer Conductor Performer

Country

:

Switzerland

Birth

:

November 11, 1883 in Vevey, Switzerland

Death

:

February 20, 1969 in Geneva, Switzerland

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

Ernest Ansermet was a Swiss conductor and musicologist who made significant contributions to the world of classical music. He was born on November 11, 1883, in Vevey, Switzerland, to a family of musicians. His father was a composer and his mother was a pianist. Ansermet showed an early interest in music and began studying the violin at the age of six. Ansermet's musical education continued at the Lausanne Conservatory, where he studied composition, conducting, and music theory. He also studied with the renowned composer and conductor, Gabriel Fauré, in Paris. Ansermet's early career was marked by his work as a music critic for various Swiss newspapers. He also conducted the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, a Swiss orchestra, for the first time in 1912. Ansermet's career as a conductor took off in the 1920s, when he began conducting the Ballets Russes, a famous ballet company founded by Sergei Diaghilev. Ansermet's work with the Ballets Russes brought him international recognition and led to his appointment as the conductor of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in 1918. He held this position for over 50 years, until his retirement in 1967. Ansermet's conducting style was characterized by his attention to detail and his ability to bring out the nuances of a piece of music. He was known for his interpretations of the works of composers such as Stravinsky, Debussy, and Ravel. Ansermet was also a champion of contemporary music and premiered works by many modern composers, including Bartók, Hindemith, and Honegger. One of Ansermet's most significant achievements was his work on the complete recordings of the orchestral works of Debussy. Ansermet conducted the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in these recordings, which were released between 1950 and 1955. The recordings were praised for their clarity and sensitivity to the nuances of Debussy's music. Ansermet's work with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande also led to his appointment as the conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1953. He held this position until 1958, and during his tenure, he conducted many important performances, including the premiere of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem. Ansermet was also a respected musicologist and wrote several books on music, including a biography of Stravinsky. He was a member of the International Musicological Society and served as its president from 1952 to 1955. Throughout his career, Ansermet received many honors and awards for his contributions to the world of classical music. He was awarded the Légion d'honneur by the French government in 1953 and was made an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music in London in 1956. He was also awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1963. Ernest Ansermet died on February 20, 1969, in Geneva, Switzerland, at the age of 85. He left behind a legacy of excellence in conducting and musicology, and his contributions to the world of classical music continue to be celebrated today.

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