Adrien-François Servais (6 June 1807 – 26 November 1866) was one of the most influential cellists of the nineteenth century. He was born and died in Halle, Belgium. He is one of the founders of the Modern Cellistic Schools of Paris and Madrid, which began through collaboration with his friend Auguste Franchomme and his disciple Víctor Mirecki Larramat. His compositions are still studied, performed and recorded all over the world.[1] Two of his sons also had musical careers and performed his music.
Servais was originally trained as a violinist before switching to the cello. Known by his contemporaries for his virtuosity and excessive vibrato, he was given the gift of a Stradivarius cello from 1701, which today bears his name. He is also known as the first cellist to adopt the bassists' use of an endpin because of the large size of his Stradivarius.[2]
(The use of the endpin was, however, not generally adopted by most cellists until the early 20th century. For instance, Carlo Alfredo Piatti never used an endpin, though Lisa Cristiani's use of it in the 1840s and 1850s popularized the practice for female cellists.)[2]
Servais composed numerous works for his instrument, including four concerti and nearly twenty duos for two cellos or for cello and violin. Hector Berlioz referred to Servais as "the Niccolò Paganini of the cello".
In addition, Servais worked with French cellist and friend Auguste Franchomme and Spanish cellist Víctor Mirecki Larramat to found the Modern Cellistic Schools of Paris and Madrid. They influenced the development of future noted cellists, such as Pablo Casals and others from Spain.
Family and legacyedit
Servais and his wife, who had Russian ancestry, had several children, including two sons who also pursued musical careers.
Their daughter Zofia Servais married Cyprian Godebski, a Polish sculptor in the Russian Empire, who became a professor at the Imperial Institute of Arts in St. Petersburg. Zofia died in a nearby town shortly after the birth in March 1872 of daughter Maria Zofia Olga Zenajda Godebska, known as Misia. Godebski sent his daughter to Belgium to be cared for by her Servais family for several years. She was given early musical tranining and had precocious gifts. She became a pianist.
Later Godebski remarried and reclaimed his daughter; he enrolled her in a convent boarding school in Paris for eight years. Known best as Misia Sert, she was an important patron of Paris's early 20th century artistic community, which she encouraged through hosting numerous artists, writers and musicians at her salons.
Some years after his death in 1866, Servais was honored by his home town of Halle. His sculptor son-in-law, Professor Cyprian Godebski, created and installed a statue of him in front of the town hall on its central market square.
The South-West Brabant Museum in Halle has a collection on his life and work. It also holds material about his granddaughter Misia Sert and her father Cyprian Godebski.[3]
Worksedit
Own Compositions
Fantaisie sur un thème favori, Op. 1 for cello and piano - also for cello and harp
Souvenir de Spa, fantaisie, Op. 2 for cello and piano - also cello and quartet
Le Comte Ory. Caprice, Op. 3 for cello and piano - also for two cellos
Fantaisie et Variations brillantes sur la Valse de Schubert, Intitulée Le Désir, Op. 4 for cello and piano - also for cello and orchestra
Concerto (en Si mineur) Op. 5 for cello and piano - also for cello and orchestra
Le Barbier de Séville, Grande Fantaisie, Op. 6 for cello and piano - also for cello and quartet - also for cello and orchestra
Andante cantabile et Rondo à la Mazurka sur un Air de Balfe, Op. 7 for cello and piano - also for cello and orchestra
Fantaisie Characteristique sur deux célèbres Romances de Lafont, Op. 8 for cello and piano - also for cello and quartet - also for cello and orchestra
Fantaisie burlesque (ou le Carnaval de Venise), Op. 9 for cello and piano - also for cello and quartet - also for cello and orchestra
Souvenir de la Suisse. Caprice, Op. 10 for cello and piano - also for cello and quartet - also for cello and orchestra
6 Caprices pour Violoncelle, Op. 11 for 2 cellos
Grande fantaisie sur des motifs de l’opera Lestocq, Op. 12 for cello and piano - also for cello and quartet - also for cello and orchestra
Fantaisie sur 2 Airs russes, Op. 13 for cello and piano - also for cello and quartet
Morceau de Concert (deuxieme Concerto en Mi mineur), Op. 14 for cello and piano - also for cello and quartet - also for cello and orchestra
Souvenir de St. Petersburg. Fantaisie, Op. 15 for cello and piano - also for cello and orchestra
La Fille du Régiment. Fantaisie et Variations, Op. 16 for cello and piano - also for cello and quartet - also for cello and orchestra
O cara memoria: Fantaisie et Variations, Op. 17 for cello and piano - also for cello and orchestra
Concerto Militaire (en Ut mineur), Op. 18 for cello and piano - also for cello and orchestra
Grande Fantaisie polonaise sur des Airs du ballet ‘La Noce de Cracovie’, Op. 19 for cello and piano - also for cello and orchestra
Souvenir de Bade. Grande Fantaisie, Op. 20 for cello and piano - also for cello and orchestra
Souvenir de Czernowitz. Morceau de Salon sur des Airs Roumains, Op. 21 for cello and piano
Concerto (en La mineur) Op. posthumous for cello and piano - also for cello and orchestra
Servais & Joseph Ghys (cello & violin)
Variations brillantes et concertantes sur l’air “God Save the King”
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Fra Diavolo
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Le Prophète
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Norma
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Le Juif errant
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra L’Etoile du Nord
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Martha
Grand Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Il Trovatore
Grand Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra Le Pardon de Ploërmel
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Tannhaüser
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Der Freischütz (Robin des bois)
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Obéron
Grand Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Lohengrin
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Don Juan
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Euryanthe
Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra L’Africaine
Duo sur des airs espagnols
Duo brillant sur des motifs de l’opéra Preciosa
Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra Les Huguenots
Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra Les Puritains
Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra La Traviata
Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra Luisa Miller
Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra Rienzi
Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra Der fliegende Holländer (Le vaisseau fantôme)
Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra Aïda [Gregoir & Joseph Servais?]
Thèmes bohémiens
Thèmes russes
Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra La Somnambule
Duo sur des motifs de l’opéra Faust de Gounod [Gregoir & Joseph Servais]
La Muette de Portici, opéra d’Auber / Muette (Masaniello). Duo
Grand duo pour piano et violoncelle sur des motifs de l'opera Casilda
Un Ballo in Maschera. Opera de Verdi. Duo pour Piano et Violoncelle
Transcriptions of works by other composers
Elégie en ut pour l'Alto, J. F. Mazas, op. 73
La Romanesca, fameux air de danse de la fin du XVIme siècle
Le Lac de Côme. Barcarolle composée par Mr. G. Alari
Souvenirs élégiaques de A. Bessems
Regrets, Pensée musicale à la mémoire de la Reine des Belges, par J. Grégoir
La Veillée, Pastorale de B. Damcke
Etudes de Rhythme par L. J. Meerts. Transcrites pour deux Violoncelles
6 Morceaux caractéristiques composés par H. Ferd. Kufferath, Op. 30
2 Mazurkas de Chopin [Mazurka in F sharp Minor Op. 6 No 1 en Mazurka in F Minor Op. 7 No 3]
Nocturne de F. Chopin [Nocturne in E flat Major Op. 9 No 2]
Unpublished compositions
Fantaisie intitulée concertino
Fantaisie La Romantique
Souvenir d’Anvers
Fantasia sur la folle
Fantaisie élégante
Fantaisie et Variations n° 18
Fantaisie Caprice pour 2 Violoncelles
Fantaisie pour violoncelle
Maître Corbeau
Fantaisie sur l’hymne national/Fantaisie belge pour violoncelle
Air varié pour contrebasse
Deux célèbres mélodies de Glinka
Grand Duo de Guillaume Tell (Servais & Jules Godefroid)
Duo sur Lucie de Lammermoor (Servais & Félix Godefroid)
Not yet located compositions
Le Chant des Alpes
Grande Fantaisie, Souvenir de Naples
Fantaisie slave
Caprice ‘Hommage à Rossini’
Souvenir de Haydn
Cinquième Concerto*
Souvenir de Kiev
Variations on the Russian Anthem theme
Souvenirs du Mont-d'Or
Larghetto - W. A. Mozart (arranged by Servais for cello, organ-harmonium and piano)
Melodie for voice and cello (Servais & Willem Pasques de Chavonnes Vrugt )
Grand Duo de piano et violoncelle (with Jules Déjazet)
Note: The 4th Concerto, in A minor, Op. Posth. has been found and a performance of it is available on YouTube by cellist Seeli Toivio.
Bibliographyedit
Lev Ginsburg, History of the Violoncello, Paganiniana Publications, 1983
Peter François, Adrien François Servais (1807–1866), The Paganini of the Cello
Peter François, Ah! Le métier de donneur de concerts! Adrien François Servais (1807–1866) als rondreizend cellovirtuoos, Halle, Servais Society, 2007 (ISBN978-90-78897-01-9)
Peter François, Adrien François Servais 1807-2007. Halse cellist met wereldfaam. Catalogus van de tentoonstelling in Halle, 5 mei - 6 juni 2007, Halle, Servais Society, 2007 (illustrated exhibition catalogue) (ISBN978-90-78897-02-6)
Referencesedit
^The Servais Society. "François Servais". Retrieved 4 December 2011.
^ abOzan Tunca (2002). (PDF). Florida State University: 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-05. Retrieved 2008-03-24. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen, Zuidwestbrabants Museum (in Dutch)
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Adrien François Servais.
adrien, françois, servais, june, 1807, november, 1866, most, influential, cellists, nineteenth, century, born, died, halle, belgium, founders, modern, cellistic, schools, paris, madrid, which, began, through, collaboration, with, friend, auguste, franchomme, d. Adrien Francois Servais 6 June 1807 26 November 1866 was one of the most influential cellists of the nineteenth century He was born and died in Halle Belgium He is one of the founders of the Modern Cellistic Schools of Paris and Madrid which began through collaboration with his friend Auguste Franchomme and his disciple Victor Mirecki Larramat His compositions are still studied performed and recorded all over the world 1 Two of his sons also had musical careers and performed his music Adrien Francois ServaisBackground informationBorn 1807 06 06 6 June 1807Halle BelgiumDied26 November 1866 1866 11 26 aged 59 Halle BelgiumGenresClassicalOccupation s Cellist composerInstrument s Violoncello Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Family and legacy 2 Works 3 Bibliography 4 References 5 External linksBiography edit nbsp Portrait of Adrien Francois ServaisServais was originally trained as a violinist before switching to the cello Known by his contemporaries for his virtuosity and excessive vibrato he was given the gift of a Stradivarius cello from 1701 which today bears his name He is also known as the first cellist to adopt the bassists use of an endpin because of the large size of his Stradivarius 2 The use of the endpin was however not generally adopted by most cellists until the early 20th century For instance Carlo Alfredo Piatti never used an endpin though Lisa Cristiani s use of it in the 1840s and 1850s popularized the practice for female cellists 2 Servais composed numerous works for his instrument including four concerti and nearly twenty duos for two cellos or for cello and violin Hector Berlioz referred to Servais as the Niccolo Paganini of the cello In addition Servais worked with French cellist and friend Auguste Franchomme and Spanish cellist Victor Mirecki Larramat to found the Modern Cellistic Schools of Paris and Madrid They influenced the development of future noted cellists such as Pablo Casals and others from Spain Family and legacy edit Servais and his wife who had Russian ancestry had several children including two sons who also pursued musical careers Their daughter Zofia Servais married Cyprian Godebski a Polish sculptor in the Russian Empire who became a professor at the Imperial Institute of Arts in St Petersburg Zofia died in a nearby town shortly after the birth in March 1872 of daughter Maria Zofia Olga Zenajda Godebska known as Misia Godebski sent his daughter to Belgium to be cared for by her Servais family for several years She was given early musical tranining and had precocious gifts She became a pianist Later Godebski remarried and reclaimed his daughter he enrolled her in a convent boarding school in Paris for eight years Known best as Misia Sert she was an important patron of Paris s early 20th century artistic community which she encouraged through hosting numerous artists writers and musicians at her salons Some years after his death in 1866 Servais was honored by his home town of Halle His sculptor son in law Professor Cyprian Godebski created and installed a statue of him in front of the town hall on its central market square The South West Brabant Museum in Halle has a collection on his life and work It also holds material about his granddaughter Misia Sert and her father Cyprian Godebski 3 Works editOwn Compositions Fantaisie sur un theme favori Op 1 for cello and piano also for cello and harp Souvenir de Spa fantaisie Op 2 for cello and piano also cello and quartet Le Comte Ory Caprice Op 3 for cello and piano also for two cellos Fantaisie et Variations brillantes sur la Valse de Schubert Intitulee Le Desir Op 4 for cello and piano also for cello and orchestra Concerto en Si mineur Op 5 for cello and piano also for cello and orchestra Le Barbier de Seville Grande Fantaisie Op 6 for cello and piano also for cello and quartet also for cello and orchestra Andante cantabile et Rondo a la Mazurka sur un Air de Balfe Op 7 for cello and piano also for cello and orchestra Fantaisie Characteristique sur deux celebres Romances de Lafont Op 8 for cello and piano also for cello and quartet also for cello and orchestra Fantaisie burlesque ou le Carnaval de Venise Op 9 for cello and piano also for cello and quartet also for cello and orchestra Souvenir de la Suisse Caprice Op 10 for cello and piano also for cello and quartet also for cello and orchestra 6 Caprices pour Violoncelle Op 11 for 2 cellos Grande fantaisie sur des motifs de l opera Lestocq Op 12 for cello and piano also for cello and quartet also for cello and orchestra Fantaisie sur 2 Airs russes Op 13 for cello and piano also for cello and quartet Morceau de Concert deuxieme Concerto en Mi mineur Op 14 for cello and piano also for cello and quartet also for cello and orchestra Souvenir de St Petersburg Fantaisie Op 15 for cello and piano also for cello and orchestra La Fille du Regiment Fantaisie et Variations Op 16 for cello and piano also for cello and quartet also for cello and orchestra O cara memoria Fantaisie et Variations Op 17 for cello and piano also for cello and orchestra Concerto Militaire en Ut mineur Op 18 for cello and piano also for cello and orchestra Grande Fantaisie polonaise sur des Airs du ballet La Noce de Cracovie Op 19 for cello and piano also for cello and orchestra Souvenir de Bade Grande Fantaisie Op 20 for cello and piano also for cello and orchestra Souvenir de Czernowitz Morceau de Salon sur des Airs Roumains Op 21 for cello and piano Concerto en La mineur Op posthumous for cello and piano also for cello and orchestra Servais amp Joseph Ghys cello amp violin Variations brillantes et concertantes sur l air God Save the King Servais amp Henri Vieuxtemps cello amp violin Grand Duo sur des motifs de l Opera Les Huguenots de G Meyerbeer Servais amp Hubert Leonard cello amp violin Grand Duo de Concert sur deux airs nationaux anglais 2me Grand duo de Concert sur des themes de Beethoven 3me Duo de Concert 4e Duo de Concert sur des motifs de l opera L Africaine de Meyerbeer Servais amp Jacques Gregoir cello amp piano Duo brillant sur un Theme de Donizetti Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Fra Diavolo Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Le Prophete Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Norma Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Le Juif errant Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera L Etoile du Nord Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Martha Grand Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Il Trovatore Grand Duo sur des motifs de l opera Le Pardon de Ploermel Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Tannhauser Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Der Freischutz Robin des bois Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Oberon Grand Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Lohengrin Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Don Juan Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Euryanthe Duo sur des motifs de l opera L Africaine Duo sur des airs espagnols Duo brillant sur des motifs de l opera Preciosa Duo sur des motifs de l opera Les Huguenots Duo sur des motifs de l opera Les Puritains Duo sur des motifs de l opera La Traviata Duo sur des motifs de l opera Luisa Miller Duo sur des motifs de l opera Rienzi Duo sur des motifs de l opera Der fliegende Hollander Le vaisseau fantome Duo sur des motifs de l opera Aida Gregoir amp Joseph Servais Themes bohemiens Themes russes Duo sur des motifs de l opera La Somnambule Duo sur des motifs de l opera Faust de Gounod Gregoir amp Joseph Servais La Muette de Portici opera d Auber Muette Masaniello Duo Grand duo pour piano et violoncelle sur des motifs de l opera Casilda Un Ballo in Maschera Opera de Verdi Duo pour Piano et Violoncelle Transcriptions of works by other composers Elegie en ut pour l Alto J F Mazas op 73 La Romanesca fameux air de danse de la fin du XVIme siecle Le Lac de Come Barcarolle composee par Mr G Alari Souvenirs elegiaques de A Bessems Regrets Pensee musicale a la memoire de la Reine des Belges par J Gregoir La Veillee Pastorale de B Damcke Etudes de Rhythme par L J Meerts Transcrites pour deux Violoncelles 6 Morceaux caracteristiques composes par H Ferd Kufferath Op 30 2 Mazurkas de Chopin Mazurka in F sharp Minor Op 6 No 1 en Mazurka in F Minor Op 7 No 3 Nocturne de F Chopin Nocturne in E flat Major Op 9 No 2 Unpublished compositions Fantaisie intitulee concertino Fantaisie La Romantique Souvenir d Anvers Fantasia sur la folle Fantaisie elegante Fantaisie et Variations n 18 Fantaisie Caprice pour 2 Violoncelles Fantaisie pour violoncelle Maitre Corbeau Fantaisie sur l hymne national Fantaisie belge pour violoncelle Air varie pour contrebasse Deux celebres melodies de Glinka Grand Duo de Guillaume Tell Servais amp Jules Godefroid Duo sur Lucie de Lammermoor Servais amp Felix Godefroid Not yet located compositions Le Chant des Alpes Grande Fantaisie Souvenir de Naples Fantaisie slave Caprice Hommage a Rossini Souvenir de Haydn Cinquieme Concerto Souvenir de Kiev Variations on the Russian Anthem theme Souvenirs du Mont d Or Larghetto W A Mozart arranged by Servais for cello organ harmonium and piano Melodie for voice and cello Servais amp Willem Pasques de Chavonnes Vrugt Grand Duo de piano et violoncelle with Jules Dejazet Note The 4th Concerto in A minor Op Posth has been found and a performance of it is available on YouTube by cellist Seeli Toivio Bibliography editLev Ginsburg History of the Violoncello Paganiniana Publications 1983 Peter Francois Adrien Francois Servais 1807 1866 The Paganini of the Cello Peter Francois Ah Le metier de donneur de concerts Adrien Francois Servais 1807 1866 als rondreizend cellovirtuoos Halle Servais Society 2007 ISBN 978 90 78897 01 9 Peter Francois Adrien Francois Servais 1807 2007 Halse cellist met wereldfaam Catalogus van de tentoonstelling in Halle 5 mei 6 juni 2007 Halle Servais Society 2007 illustrated exhibition catalogue ISBN 978 90 78897 02 6 References edit The Servais Society Francois Servais Retrieved 4 December 2011 a b Ozan Tunca 2002 The Most Commonly Used Cello Etude Books PDF Florida State University 15 Archived from the original PDF on 2007 07 05 Retrieved 2008 03 24 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen Zuidwestbrabants Museum in Dutch External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Adrien Francois Servais The Servais Society website in Dutch and English Festival Servais 2007 permanent dead link www cello org Archived 2011 08 08 at the Wayback Machine Free scores by Adrien Francois Servais at the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP Introduction to Servais works for cello and orchestra Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Adrien Francois Servais amp oldid 1168596564, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
