André-Nicolas Navarra (13 October 1911 – 31 July 1988) was a Frenchcellist and cello teacher who was born in Biarritz and died in Siena.[1]
He was born into a musical family inBiarritz, his father being abassist of Italian descent.[2] His parents took steps to prepare him for music before setting him up with an instrument, teaching himscales andsolfège before he began studying cello at age seven.[3] Two years later, he was accepted as a student at theToulouse Conservatory, and graduated in 1924 with first prize at age thirteen. He then continued his studies at theConservatoire de Paris, learning cello from Jules-Leopold Loeb andchamber music fromCharles Tournemire. He graduated two years later at age fifteen, again taking first prize.[1][4][5]
After the completion of his lessons at the Conservatoire de Paris, Navarra stopped taking lessons entirely—something very unusual for first-rate soloists. Instead, he worked out his own course of study, and practiced at it. This included transcribing many of the violin technical methods to make up for a lack of decent celloétudes, including those ofCarl Flesch andOtakar Ševčík.[3]
Navarra remained in Paris for this period of self-study, and used the opportunity to meet and observe the playing of musicians such asEmanuel Feuermann, the pianistAlfred Cortot, and the violinistJacques Thibaud. Navarra also developed friendships with composersJacques Ibert,Florent Schmitt, andArthur Honegger. Later on, he was mentored byPablo Casals in regard to artistic matters.[3]
In 1929, at the age of eighteen, Navarra joined theKrettly Quartet, and remained with them for the next seven years. He also helped form an ensemble called theB.B.N. Trio with the pianistJoseph Benvenuti and violinistRené Benedetti.[2] Two years later, he made his solo debut with Paris's Colonne Orchestra, performingÉdouard Lalo'sCello Concerto in D minor. In 1933 he became principal cellist of theParis Opéra Orchestra, in addition to continuing to appear as a soloist with various European orchestras.[1][3][4]
During these years, Navarra was exceptionally athletic. His favourite sport was swimming, but he also enjoyed boxing. This led to Navarra developing an extremely strong and stocky physique which he kept for years afterward. He regarded this as ideal for a cellist, allowing him to dominate the relatively large instrument.[3]
Navarra slowly continued to establish his career throughout the 1930s, receiving a major boost in 1937 when he won first prize at theVienna International Competition. However, his career was abruptly halted by World War II in 1939. During this time he abandoned his cello and served with theFrench infantry.[3]
In 1945, after a period of practice to regain his physical skills, André Navarra resumed his career. In 1949, he accepted a professorship at the Conservatoire de Paris as a successor toPierre Fournier, and meanwhile toured extensively in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Soviet Union, playing with the era's great conductors. His performances included premieres of cello concertos written for him. Among them was one byAndré Jolivet, which Navarra recorded for Erato; it received release in the United States on Westminster XWN-19118 (mono) and WST-17118 (stereo). He also recorded a particularly well-received version ofEdward Elgar'sCello Concerto withSir John Barbirolli conducting.[1][3][6]
In addition to his position at the Conservatoire de Paris, Navarra taught master classes at theAccademia Musicale Chigiana during summers beginning in 1954, where among his students was a youngSaša Večtomov, fall courses inSaint-Jean-de-Luz, and accepted an additional professorship at theHochschule für MusikDetmold in 1958. He also taught in London and Vienna.[1][3][6]
Navarra recordedDvořák's Cello Concerto in 1954 with the New Symphony Orchestra of London, conducted byRudolph Schwarz. Capitol Records released it in 1955, catalog number P 8301.
Navarra completed acclaimed tours of Southern Africa in 1965, 1969 and 1973.[7] He died inSiena, Italy.
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