Anner Bijlsma dead

[Herman]

The great cellist Anner Bijslma (1934) died in the wee hours of the morning, at home, surrounded by his family.

He specialised in Baroque music, in particular (of course) the Bach cello suites.

[Karl Henning]

A loss!

[Florestan]

Sad news. RIP.

[Mandryka]

That's quite a shock somehow, in my head he was young and vibrant. RIP and all of that! But in my house he lives on tonight at least.

The last experience I had with his music making was of a piece that I used to find really hard but over the years I must have changed because now I just love it! The transcription he made of Bach's A minor flute sonata

https://www.youtube.com/v/uXXTr-P5xeU

[Gurn Blanston]

My favorite cellist, I have a great many of his recordings, he made the music work for me. Very sad today, but like many others, his music will live on for me.

[Que]

Oh my, this is a shock... Even if 85 years is a blessed age.
After the passing of Leonhardt, Brüggen and Harnoncourt, this marks the end of an era.
He is survived by his wife, violinist Vera Beths (73).

Many of his solo and chamber ensemble recordings will live on ever after.

Q

[Harry]

I am severely shocked.  Very much so. Dear God give him a place in your kingdom.

[Herman]

He is survived by his wife, violinist Vera Beths (73).

And three kids, who are, naturally, middle-aged by now.

[Marc]

Rest in peace, Anner.

As Que said, this marks the end of an era.

I loved his recordings, and really liked the documentary "De arm van Bach."

[Mandryka]

As Que said, this marks the end of an era.

No, surely not. Van Asperen is still standing!

[Mandryka]

Bijslma (1934)

Well, that prompted me to look up ij!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IJ_(digraph)

[Ken B]

Sad loss. One of my favorite cellists. I have countless recordings.

[Marc]

No, surely not. Van Asperen is still standing!

Van Asperen was a pupil of Leonhardt. I consider him 'of the next generation'.

[Herman]

Bijlsma (in English the y is okay, but it's really IJ which is one vowel) had a progressive muscle problem which forced him to retire from the stage for the last fifteen years. I remember an interview in which he said he did play at home, but with the curtains closed, in the dark.

About the name: his birth name is Anne (it's a Frisian name, just like Bijlsma). However in the rest of the world Anne is a woman's name, so he added the R.

[Marc]

Bijlsma (in English the y is okay, but it's really IJ which is one vowel) had a progressive muscle problem which forced him to retire from the stage for the last fifteen years. I remember an interview in which he said he did play at home, but with the curtains closed, in the dark.

About the name: his birth name is Anne (it's a Frisian name, just like Bijlsma). However in the rest of the world Anne is a woman's name, so he added the R.

Yeah, I know that... I also once read that, after he stopped performing due to his muscle problem, he was playing cello in his mind when lying in bed before going to sleep. He knew all the scores he had played from his mind, and also the fingerings.
So, in fact he never stopped playing.

Imagine you'd be God and you could have a concert before your throne with Leonhardt, Brüggen, Harnoncourt and Bijlsma.
Maybe Harnoncourt, who was originally a cellist, too, could play gamba... or even sing. I have a Schauspieldirektor where he sings the part of Buff.

[aligreto]

One mourns the loss of a great musician.

[Pat B]

I too am a fan. I have also found his writings and interviews interesting.

Aside from the records with his name on the front cover, he played on a bunch of recordings from the 1970s with Gustav Leonhardt and Frans Brüggen. Later, he, his wife, and a varying cast of colleagues recorded chamber works prolifically as L'Archibudelli. These are almost always interesting and frequently great.

I'm listening to his Bach Cello Suites on Seon. Probably Mozart K.563 and some Schubert later.