Jean Witkowski
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Jean Witkowski (23 May 1895 – 24 May 1953), was a French choral conductor and
conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Biology and medicine * Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear * Conduction aphasia, a language disorder Mathematics * Conductor (ring theory) * Conductor of an abelian variety * Cond ...
based in Lyon. Born in a musical family, he first studied with his father, Georges Martin Witkowski. He succeeded him as director of the Lyon Orchestra, which his father had founded.


Life

Born in
Vouziers Vouziers () is a commune of the Ardennes department, northern France. Vouziers is the burial place of the pioneer First World War fighter pilot Roland Garros, after whom the Stade Roland Garros in Paris (the location of the French Open tenn ...
, Witkowski moved as a child with his family to
Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
, where his father based his career at the conservatory, which he directed. His father also established what became the Lyon National Orchestra. Witkowski studied music with his father,
cello The violoncello ( , ), commonly abbreviated as cello ( ), is a middle pitched bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), tuned i ...
with Léonce Allard and piano with
Blanche Selva Marie Blanche Selva (Catalan ''Blanca Selva i Henry'', 29 January 18843 December 1942) was a French pianist, music educator, writer and composer of Spanish origin. Biography Blanche Selva was born in Brive-la-Gaillarde in Corrèze. As a child sh ...
. He began as a timpanist at the age of 13 in his father's orchestra, a position he held for 11 years. As a cellist, he was a member of several ensembles (Trillat Trio, Guichardon Quartet, Crinière Quartet). Witkowski volunteered for the army during the Great War and was seriously wounded at the
Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...
in 1916. In January 1923, he made his debut as a choir conductor at the Schola Cantorum in Lyon. On 24 November 1929 he debuted as a conductor. He participated in quartets and formed with violinist Hortense de Sampigny and pianist Ennemond Trillat the "Trillat trio"; it toured in France and abroad. He took part in the premiere of works by such artists as
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,
Adrien Rougier Adrien Rougier (23 June 1892 – 1 July 1984) was a French organist, organ builder, conductor and composer. Life Born in Vernaison, to a family of silk merchants in Lyon, Rougier studied the piano and then the organ with Édouard Commette, o ...
,
Florent Schmitt Florent Schmitt (; 28 September 187017 August 1958) was a French composer. He was part of the group known as Les Apaches. His most famous pieces are ''La tragédie de Salome'' and ''Psaume XLVII'' ( Psalm 47). He has been described as "one of t ...
, and his own father, Georges Martin Witkowski. He also brought to Lyon some of the most renowned interpreters of the time:
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Ginette Neveu Ginette Neveu (11 August 191928 October 1949) was a French violinist. At the age of 15, she beat David Oistrakh to win the Polish Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition. She made several concert tours and was considered to be 'one of the finest vi ...
, Ennemond Trillat,
Marguerite Long Marguerite Marie-Charlotte Long (13 November 1874 – 13 February 1966) was a French pianist, pedagogue, lecturer, and an ambassador of French music. Life Early life: 1874–1900 Marguerite Long was born to Pierre Long and Anne Marie Antoin ...
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, etc. Florent Schmitt nicknamed him "the French Casals". When his father died in 1943, Witkowsi succeeded him as head of the
Orchestre National de Lyon The Orchestre National de Lyon (ONL) is a French orchestra based in Lyon. Its primary concert venue is the Maurice Ravel Auditorium. The orchestra operates with the help of a subsidy from the Ministry of Culture (France), French Ministry of Cult ...
. Witkowski died of
pleurisy Pleurisy, also known as pleuritis, is inflammation of the membranes that surround the lungs and line the chest cavity (Pulmonary pleurae, pleurae). This can result in a sharp chest pain while breathing. Occasionally the pain may be a constant d ...
at age 54.


References


Bibliography

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External links


''Tambourin'' (Harpsichord pieces in concert, 3rd Book)
YouTube {{DEFAULTSORT:Witkowski, Jean 1895 births 1953 deaths People from Ardennes (department) French male conductors (music) French classical cellists French male musicians 20th-century French conductors (music) 20th-century French male musicians 20th-century French cellists