Ginette Neveu
Encyclopedia
Ginette Neveu was a French
violin
ist.
into a musical family, Ginette Neveu became a violinist and her brother Jean-Paul Neveu a classical pianist. She was also the grandniece of composer Charles-Marie Widor
(1844–1937). A child prodigy, Ginette Neveu took lessons from her mother and made her solo debut at the age of seven with the Concerts Colonne
in Paris. Her parents then decided to send her to study under Line Talluel, and after further studies with Jules Boucherit
at the Paris Conservatory, she completed her training with instruction from George Enescu
, Nadia Boulanger
, and Carl Flesch
.
At age 15, Ginette Neveu achieved worldwide celebrity status when she won the Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition
over 180 contestants, including the future virtuoso David Oistrakh
, who finished second, and Henri Temianka
, third. Neveu was immediately signed to an extensive touring contract that, over the next two years, saw her give solo performances at the leading concert halls of Germany
, Poland
, the Soviet Union
, the United States
, and Canada
.
Neveu's international career was interrupted by World War II
, but she was finally able to make her London
debut in 1945. Her brother Jean-Paul accompanied her on piano, and the two toured post-war Europe
extensively (appearing at the Prague Spring International Music Festival), as well as visiting Australia
and South America. They also made return engagements at major venues in the United States. Noted for her intensity, power, and impeccable sonority, Ginette Neveu is recognized as one of the great violinists of her era, despite a career that ended at a very young age.
Among the works she premiered were the Violin Concerto by Federico Elizalde
and the Violin Sonata (Op. 119) by Francis Poulenc
.
Ginette Neveu gave her last concert on 20 October 1949. On 28 October, she was on board an Air France
flight from Paris en route to another series of concert engagements, when it flew into a mountain after two failed attempts to make a landing at the São Miguel Island
airport in the Azores
. All 48 passengers on board the flight died, including Ginette Neveu, her brother Jean-Paul, and the French boxing champion Marcel Cerdan
. It has been said that Ginette Neveu's body was found still clutching her Stradivarius
in her arms. During the return of bodies to France, Neveu's coffin was confused with that of another victim, Amélie Ringler. The funeral for Ringler had taken place before the error was discovered. On 28 November, Neveu's brother-in-law identified her remains in the coffin disinterred from the graveyard in Bantzenheim
.
Édith Piaf
wrote of Neveu in her autobiography, The Wheel of Fortune: "I would have traveled thousands of miles to hear the great Ginette Neveu..."
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.
Biography
Born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
into a musical family, Ginette Neveu became a violinist and her brother Jean-Paul Neveu a classical pianist. She was also the grandniece of composer Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Jean Albert Widor was a French organist, composer and teacher.-Life:Widor was born in Lyon, to a family of organ builders, and initially studied music there with his father, François-Charles Widor, titular organist of Saint-François-de-Sales from 1838 to 1889...
(1844–1937). A child prodigy, Ginette Neveu took lessons from her mother and made her solo debut at the age of seven with the 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...
in Paris. Her parents then decided to send her to study under Line Talluel, and after further studies with Jules Boucherit
Jules Boucherit
Jules Boucherit was a French violinist and renowned violin pedagogue.Jules Boucherit was born in Morlaix. He attended the Paris Conservatoire studying under Jules Garcin...
at the Paris Conservatory, she completed her training with instruction from George Enescu
George Enescu
George Enescu was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher.-Biography:Enescu was born in the village of Liveni , Dorohoi County at the time, today Botoşani County. He showed musical talent from early in his childhood. A child prodigy, Enescu created his first musical...
, Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger was a French composer, conductor and teacher who taught many composers and performers of the 20th century.From a musical family, she achieved early honours as a student at the Paris Conservatoire, but believing that her talent as a composer was inferior to that of her younger...
, and Carl Flesch
Carl Flesch
Carl Flesch was a violinist and teacher.Carl Flesch was born in Moson in Hungary in 1873. He began playing the violin at seven years of age. At 10, he was taken to Vienna, and began to study with Jakob Grün. At 17, he left for Paris, and joined the Paris Conservatoire...
.
At age 15, Ginette Neveu achieved worldwide celebrity status when she won the Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition
Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition
The international Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition is a competition for violinists up to age 30 that takes place every five years in Poznań, Poland, in honor of the virtuoso and composer Henryk Wieniawski. The first competition took place in 1935 in Warsaw, 100 years after the birth of its...
over 180 contestants, including the future virtuoso David Oistrakh
David Oistrakh
David Fyodorovich Oistrakh , , David Fiodorović Ojstrakh, ; – October 24, 1974, was a Soviet violinist....
, who finished second, and Henri Temianka
Henri Temianka
Henri Temianka was a virtuoso violinist, conductor, author and music educator.-Early years:Henri Temianka was born in Scotland of Polish-Jewish parents...
, third. Neveu was immediately signed to an extensive touring contract that, over the next two years, saw her give solo performances at the leading concert halls of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Neveu's international career was interrupted by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but she was finally able to make her London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
debut in 1945. Her brother Jean-Paul accompanied her on piano, and the two toured post-war Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
extensively (appearing at the Prague Spring International Music Festival), as well as visiting 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...
and South America. They also made return engagements at major venues in the United States. Noted for her intensity, power, and impeccable sonority, Ginette Neveu is recognized as one of the great violinists of her era, despite a career that ended at a very young age.
Among the works she premiered were the Violin Concerto by Federico Elizalde
Fred Elizalde
Federico "Fred" Elizalde was a Philippines-born Spanish classical and jazz pianist, composer, conductor, and bandleader.-Biography:...
and the Violin Sonata (Op. 119) by 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...
.
Ginette Neveu gave her last concert on 20 October 1949. On 28 October, she was on board an Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
flight from Paris en route to another series of concert engagements, when it flew into a mountain after two failed attempts to make a landing at the São Miguel Island
São Miguel Island
São Miguel Island , nicknamed "The Green Island", is the largest and most populous island in the Portuguese Azores archipelago. The island covers and has around 140,000 inhabitants, 45,000 of these people located in the largest city in the archipelago: Ponta Delgada.-History:In 1427, São Miguel...
airport in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. All 48 passengers on board the flight died, including Ginette Neveu, her brother Jean-Paul, and the French boxing champion Marcel Cerdan
Marcel Cerdan
Marcellin "Marcel" Cerdan was a French pied noir world boxing champion who was considered by many boxing experts and fans to be France's greatest boxer, and beyond to be one of the best to have learned his craft in Africa...
. It has been said that Ginette Neveu's body was found still clutching her Stradivarius
Stradivarius
The name Stradivarius is associated with violins built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or reproduce, though this belief is controversial...
in her arms. During the return of bodies to France, Neveu's coffin was confused with that of another victim, Amélie Ringler. The funeral for Ringler had taken place before the error was discovered. On 28 November, Neveu's brother-in-law identified her remains in the coffin disinterred from the graveyard in Bantzenheim
Bantzenheim
Bantzenheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
.
Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf , born Édith Giovanna Gassion, was a French singer and cultural icon who became widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being ballads...
wrote of Neveu in her autobiography, The Wheel of Fortune: "I would have traveled thousands of miles to hear the great Ginette Neveu..."
External links
- Legendary Violinists public channel 13 website bio page for Neveu.
Further Reading
- M.-J. Ronze-Neveu, G. N.: LA FULGURANTE CARRIÈRE D'UNE GRANDE ARTISTE (Paris, 1952; Eng. tr., London, 1957).