A bit of History!

MEMORIES OF TORTELIER

Forty years ago this autumn, as part of his British tour, the renowned ‘cellist Paul Tortelier (1914-1990) was the soloist with the Grimsby Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Dvořák’s ‘Cello Concerto in B minor.

A number of the orchestra members who played in that memorable concert are still active in the G.S.O., but none has more reason to remember it than ‘cellist Daisy Turner (now aged 91), the wife of the then-music director of the orchestra, Neville Turner.

Daisy and Neville entertained Tortelier at their home in Healing during his stay in Lincolnshire. Tortelier rarely gave lessons, but on discovering that his hostess was a cellist, he insisted on giving her a little free tuition. In her studio, Daisy still has the chair on which the maestro’s illustrious bottom perched during this unique encounter.

He perhaps did not teach much because he did not normally enjoy it, but he nevertheless threw himself into Daisy’s musical education with gusto; so much so that when a somewhat agitated Neville appeared to transport him to lunch and then rehearsal, he replied with a Gallic shrug and an elegant ‘Nevvair mind the lernch! I will come along aftairr!”

With this, Neville was forced to be content and set off, leaving Tortelier to teach Daisy enthusiastically.

After the lesson had proceeded for some further time, Daisy politely reminded her tutor that he had a concert later that day and that the orchestra needed to rehearse with their soloist, even if he didn’t. He agreed to finish, and the two went out to Daisy’s car. She offered him the keys, and he responded, “Moi, non! I nevairr drive.” Daisy was not an enthusiastic driver at the best of times, and the fact that she was transporting one of the world’s leading ‘cellists and one of his valuable instruments preyed on her mind while she prayed for a safe journey. Her trepidations were slightly assuaged by the fact that Tortelier, notoriously parsimonious, never took his best, most expensive ‘cellos on tour as he objected to paying for a seat for them on a ‘plane; thus, he took only his lesser instruments and slung them in the hold with the rest of the luggage.

Despite her nerves, Daisy delivered man and ‘cello to the venue in time for a run-through, and the resultant concert was a resounding success.

In this month’s G.S.O. concert, at 3:30 on Saturday, November 30^th. in Grimsby Minster, the same Dvořák concerto will be played by Katharine Ley, and at least five survivors of the 1984 G.S.O. will be taking part. A few tickets are still available from the Minster Café and eventbrite.co.uk, and the concert will be completed with Rossini’s overture to ‘The Barber of Seville’ and Schubert’s Symphony no. 8 - the ‘Unfinished’.