Georges Tzipine
Encyclopedia
Georges Samuel Tzipine was a French
violin
ist, conductor
and composer
. He was of Russia
n origin.
He was trained as a violinist at the National Conservatory of Music
in Paris, winning a first prize in 1926, but moved to conducting in 1931 after support from Reynaldo Hahn
. He conducted the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra
and worked for French Radiodiffusion, then for the Ballets Russes
and Roland Petit
’s ballet. From the mid-1920s he was musical director of Gaumont
Newsreel, for which he composed a great deal of varied background music to suit all kinds of documentary moods and themes. His film scores included: Le Rat des villes et le Rat des champs (1926), Coq en pâte (1951), and Les Amoureux de Marianne (1954).
He was particularly associated with the works of his long time friend Arthur Honegger
, and he conducted the premiere recordings of some of them (Cris du Monde oratorio, Nicolas de Flüe). He also conducted the first recordings of works by Florent Schmitt
(Psalm 47, with Denise Duval
), Jean Rivier
(symphonies Nos. 3 and 5, for which he received a Grand Prix du Disque
), Albert Roussel
, Georges Auric
, Darius Milhaud
, and Francis Poulenc
. He conducted the premiere performances of Jacques Ibert
’s Le Chevalier Errant (1951) with the ORTF
, René Challan’s 2nd Symphony in F major (1 February 1959, Concerts Colonne
), recorded his Concerto Pastoral, Op. 20 (with Samson François
, January 1954) and premiered his Piano Concerto (3 March 1957, with François), led the first performance of Ruth Gipps
’ Horn Concerto (1968), with the BBC Welsh Orchestra, and the first recording of Alejandro García Caturla
’s Premiere Suite Cubaine. His work was rarely available on CD until the release of EMI’s "Les Rarissimes" series.
Other composers whose works he conducted were Henry Barraud
, Jean-Michel Damase
, Johann-Christoph Voge, Georges Bizet
, Frédéric Chopin
and Franz Liszt
(piano concertos with Samson François), Jean Françaix
, Charles Gounod
, Modest Mussorgsky
, Giacomo Puccini
, Henri Sauguet
and Maurice Thiriet
. He conducted all the principal French orchestras, as well as the Hallé
, the BBC Philharmonic
, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra
. From 1960 to 1965 he was the Chief Conductor of the Victorian Symphony Orchestra
in Melbourne
, Australia
.
He was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
. He died in 1987.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. He was of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n origin.
He was trained as a violinist at the National Conservatory of Music
National Conservatory of Music
National Conservatory of Music may refer to:* CNSM de Lyon, in Lyon, France* National Conservatory of Music * National Conservatory of Music of America, a school founded by Jeannette Thurber in New York City in 1885...
in Paris, winning a first prize in 1926, but moved to conducting in 1931 after support from Reynaldo Hahn
Reynaldo Hahn
Reynaldo Hahn was a Venezuelan, naturalised French, composer, conductor, music critic and diarist. Best known as a composer of songs, he wrote in the French classical tradition of the mélodie....
. He conducted the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
The Orchestre de la Société des concerts du Conservatoire was a symphony orchestra established in Paris in 1828. It gave its first concert on 9 March 1828 with music by Beethoven, Rossini, Meifreid, Rode and Cherubini....
and worked for French Radiodiffusion, then for the Ballets Russes
Ballets Russes
The Ballets Russes was an itinerant ballet company from Russia which performed between 1909 and 1929 in many countries. Directed by Sergei Diaghilev, it is regarded as the greatest ballet company of the 20th century. Many of its dancers originated from the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg...
and Roland Petit
Roland Petit
Roland Petit was a French choreographer and dancer born in Villemomble, near Paris, France. He trained at the Paris Opéra Ballet school, and became well known for his creative ballets.-Biography:...
’s ballet. From the mid-1920s he was musical director of Gaumont
Gaumont Film Company
Gaumont Film Company is a French film production company founded in 1895 by the engineer-turned-inventor, Léon Gaumont . Gaumont is the oldest continously operating film company in the world....
Newsreel, for which he composed a great deal of varied background music to suit all kinds of documentary moods and themes. His film scores included: Le Rat des villes et le Rat des champs (1926), Coq en pâte (1951), and Les Amoureux de Marianne (1954).
He was particularly associated with the works of his long time friend Arthur Honegger
Arthur Honegger
Arthur Honegger was a Swiss composer, who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. He was a member of Les six. His most frequently performed work is probably the orchestral work Pacific 231, which is interpreted as imitating the sound of a steam locomotive.-Biography:Born...
, and he conducted the premiere recordings of some of them (Cris du Monde oratorio, Nicolas de Flüe). He also conducted the first recordings of works by Florent Schmitt
Florent Schmitt
Florent Schmitt was a French composer.-Early life:A Lorrainer, born in Meurthe-et-Moselle, Schmitt originally took music lessons in Nancy with the local composer Gustave Sandré. Subsequently he entered the Paris Conservatoire. There he studied with Gabriel Fauré, Jules Massenet, Théodore Dubois,...
(Psalm 47, with Denise Duval
Denise Duval
Denise Duval is a French soprano, best known for her performances in works by the composer Francis Poulenc. Duval created the roles of Elle in La voix humaine, Thérèse in Les mamelles de Tirésias and later excelled in the role of Blanche de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites, although she did...
), Jean Rivier
Jean Rivier
Jean Rivier was a French composer of classical music.He composed over two hundred works, including music for orchestra, chamber groups, chorus, piano, and solo instruments....
(symphonies Nos. 3 and 5, for which he received a Grand Prix du Disque
Grand Prix du Disque
The Grand Prix du Disque is the premier French award for musical recordings. The award was inaugurated by l'Académie Charles Cros in 1948 and offers prizes in various categories. The categories vary from year to year, and multiple awards are often made in any one category in the same year...
), Albert Roussel
Albert Roussel
Albert Charles Paul Marie Roussel was a French composer. He spent seven years as a midshipman, turned to music as an adult, and became one of the most prominent French composers of the interwar period...
, Georges Auric
Georges Auric
Georges Auric was a French composer, born in Lodève, Hérault. He was a child prodigy and at age 15 he had his first compositions published. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Georges Caussade, and under the composer Vincent d'Indy at the Schola Cantorum...
, Darius Milhaud
Darius Milhaud
Darius Milhaud was a French composer and teacher. He was a member of Les Six—also known as The Group of Six—and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. His compositions are influenced by jazz and make use of polytonality...
, and Francis Poulenc
Francis Poulenc
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc was a French composer and a member of the French group Les six. He composed solo piano music, chamber music, oratorio, choral music, opera, ballet music, and orchestral music...
. He conducted the premiere performances of Jacques Ibert
Jacques Ibert
Jacques François Antoine Ibert was a French composer. Having studied music from an early age, he studied at the Paris Conservatoire and won its top prize, the Prix de Rome at his first attempt, despite studies interrupted by his service in World War I.Ibert pursued a successful composing career,...
’s Le Chevalier Errant (1951) with the ORTF
Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française
The Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française was the national agency charged, between 1964 and 1974, with providing public radio and television in France.-Post World War II:...
, René Challan’s 2nd Symphony in F major (1 February 1959, Concerts Colonne
Concerts Colonne
The Colonne Orchestra is a French symphony orchestra, founded in 1873 by the violinist and conductor Édouard Colonne.-History:While leader of the Opéra de Paris orchestra, Édouard Colonne was engaged by the publisher Georges Hartmann to lead a series of popular concerts which he founded under the...
), recorded his Concerto Pastoral, Op. 20 (with Samson François
Samson François
Samson Pascal François was a French pianist and composer.-Biography:François was born in Frankfurt where his father worked at the French consulate. His mother, Rose, named him Samson, for strength, and Pascal, for spirit...
, January 1954) and premiered his Piano Concerto (3 March 1957, with François), led the first performance of Ruth Gipps
Ruth Gipps
Ruth Gipps was a British composer, oboist and pianist.-Biography:Ruth Gipps was born in Bexhill-on-Sea, England in 1921. She was something of a child prodigy, winning performance competitions in which she was considerably younger than the rest of the field -- and female, to boot...
’ Horn Concerto (1968), with the BBC Welsh Orchestra, and the first recording of Alejandro García Caturla
Alejandro García Caturla
Alejandro García Caturla was a Cuban composer of art music and creolized Cuban themes.He was born in Remedios. At sixteen he became a second violin of the new Orquesta Sinfonica de La Habana in 1922, where Amadeo Roldán was concert-master . He also began composing at a young age, whilst studying...
’s Premiere Suite Cubaine. His work was rarely available on CD until the release of EMI’s "Les Rarissimes" series.
Other composers whose works he conducted were Henry Barraud
Henry Barraud
Henry Barraud was a French composer.He was born in Bordeaux. He was a student of Louis Aubert at the Conservatoire de Paris, but in 1927 failed to graduate, apparently because of his refusal to follow orthodox methods...
, Jean-Michel Damase
Jean-Michel Damase
Jean-Michel Damase is a French pianist, conductor and composer of classical music.Damase was studying with Marcel Samuel-Rousseau at age five and composing by age nine...
, Johann-Christoph Voge, Georges Bizet
Georges Bizet
Georges Bizet formally Alexandre César Léopold Bizet, was a French composer, mainly of operas. In a career cut short by his early death, he achieved few successes before his final work, Carmen, became one of the most popular and frequently performed works in the entire opera repertory.During a...
, Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
and Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
(piano concertos with Samson François), Jean Françaix
Jean Françaix
Jean René Désiré Françaix was a French neoclassical composer, pianist, and orchestrator, known for his prolific output and vibrant style.-Life:...
, Charles Gounod
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
, Modest Mussorgsky
Modest Mussorgsky
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky was a Russian composer, one of the group known as 'The Five'. He was an innovator of Russian music in the romantic period...
, Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
, Henri Sauguet
Henri Sauguet
Henri Sauguet , was a French composer. Born in Bordeaux as Henri-Pierre Poupard, he adopted his mother's maiden name as his pseudonym. His output includes operas, ballets, four symphonies , concertos, chamber and choral music and numerous songs, as well as film music...
and Maurice Thiriet
Maurice Thiriet
Maurice Thiriet was a French composer of classical and film music.-Biography:Born in Meulan, Yvelines, he entered the Paris conservatory in 1925 to study counterpoint and fugue with Charles Koechlin and orchestration and arrangement under Alexis Roland-Manuel. He graduated in 1931...
. He conducted all the principal French orchestras, as well as the Hallé
The Hallé
The Hallé is a symphony orchestra based in Manchester, England. It is the UK's oldest extant symphony orchestra , supports a choir, youth choir and a youth orchestra, and releases its recordings on its own record label, though it has occasionally released recordings on Angel Records and EMI...
, the BBC Philharmonic
BBC Philharmonic
The BBC Philharmonic is a British broadcasting symphony orchestra based at Media City UK, Salford, England. It is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The orchestra's primary concert venue is the Bridgewater Hall....
, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra
Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra
The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra is an orchestra in Serbia, regularly considered as one of the finest in the country. Its home base is in Belgrade.- History :...
. From 1960 to 1965 he was the Chief Conductor of the Victorian Symphony Orchestra
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Melbourne, Australia. It has 100 permanent musicians. Melbourne has the longest continuous history of orchestral music of any Australian city and the MSO is the oldest professional orchestra in Australia...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
He was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
. He died in 1987.