Oral History Interviews: Raphael Wallfisch in conversation with Norbert Meyn

The son of Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker Wallfisch and the émigré pianist Peter Wallfisch, cellist and RCM professor Raphael Wallfisch has performed and recorded many works by the émigré composers from Nazi Europe that have been explored through the research project ‘Music, Migration and Mobility’ at the Royal College of Music.

In this interview, Wallfisch speaks to RCM researcher Norbert Meyn about the works for cello and orchestra by Hans Gál, Berthold Goldschmidt, Franz Reizenstein, Joseph Horovitz and Mátyás Seiber, about his encounters with other Émigré musicians and about performing and recording with his father, who was also a professor at the Royal College of Music.

For further interviews please visit the online resource of the RCM’s Music, Migration and Mobility project: https://www.rcm.ac.uk/singingasong

Raphael Wallfisch, Ed Spanjaard and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra recording Bosmans’ works for cello

In February, the famous cellist Raphael Wallfisch and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, with Ed Spanjaard will make a recording of all works for cello by Henriëtte Bosmans.

Raphael Wallfisch:

I am so happy to be recording all of Henriëtte Bosmans’ music for cello. This project forms a part of my survey of cello works by composers that were silenced by the Third Reich. This project, on the CPO label, is entitled “Voices in the Wilderness” and so far includes concerti by ten composers. Henriëtte Bosmans is definitely a voice to be heard!

The cello is a very important instrument for her. Not only was her father a fine player, but also one of the most influential people in her life, Frieda Belinfante, was the dedicatee of the Second cello concerto. The writing for cello in all three concertante works, the sonata for cello and piano, the shorter works with piano and the Nocturne with harp is perfectly idiomatic and shows her deep identification with the cello. I am delighted to bring all these beautiful works together for the first time.

More information

New record releases

The start of 2023 sees two new record releases:

The first is a premiere recording of a newly commissioned work by Jonathan Dove for cello, baritone and orchestra, ‘In Exile’ alongside his ‘Night Song’, with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Simon Keenlyside, conducted by Gergely Madaras, released on 3 March 2023 on the Lyrita label. Pre-order the album from Presto Music .

This follows the newly released recording on the CPO label of the Cello Concerto in C minor, Op.66, by Nikolai Myaskovsky, performed with the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Lukasz Borowicz, alongside his cello sonatas for cello with pianist Simon Callaghan. Pre-order the album from Presto Music .

Trio tours next season

Trio Shaham Erez Wallfisch have announced two programmes next year, both appearing at Wigmore hall on 17 September 2023 and 18 Feb 2024. The programme includes works by Beethoven, Ravel, Ben-Haim and Grieg and will feature in an extensive tour of Israel in January 2024 and at Manchester’s Stoller Hall amongst other venues, and following recitals during 2023 in Scotland and Ireland at the Walled City Festival.

Raphael Wallfisch appointed as International Chair of Violoncello and Chamber Music at Trinity Leban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London

30th May 2022

World-renowned cellist Raphael Wallfisch has joined the conservatoire’s dynamic strings department to teach on the prestigious Artist Diploma Programme and provide chamber music coaching across the Faculty of Music.

Trinity Laban’s String Department comprises leading professionals and acclaimed artists from a wide variety of backgrounds. The latest addition to the talented teaching team is Raphael Wallfisch, one of the most celebrated cellists performing on the international stage.

Having honed his craft studying with distinguished tutors including Russian cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, Wallfisch has played with many of the great orchestras worldwide and at major festivals such as the BBC Proms, Edinburgh and Aldeburgh.

Wallfisch has an extensive discography, having recorded nearly every major cello work, and has worked with leading British composers including Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and John Tavener. He also has a long-standing and distinguished duo with pianist John York and tours with his very successful piano trio, Trio Shaham Erez Wallfisch.

With a passion for teaching, London-born Wallfisch is also in demand globally as a respected educator. He has taught at Zürich Hochschule der Kunst in Switzerland and is currently a professor at Royal College of Music.

In his new role as International Chair of Cello and Chamber Music at Trinity Laban, Wallfisch will deliver one-to-one teaching on the conservatoire’s selective Artist Diploma programme from September 2023, and lead masterclasses and chamber music coaching starting later this year.

On joining Trinity Laban, Wallfisch comments “I am delighted and greatly looking forward to becoming International Chair of Cello and Chamber Music at Trinity Laban. It is an honour to be involved with gifted musicians from all over the world at such a high level.”

Trinity Laban’s Director of Music, Havilland Willshire, comments “We are delighted to welcome the celebrated cellist Raphael Wallfisch to Trinity Laban’s vibrant strings department as International Chair of Violoncello and Chamber Music. Raphael is recognised the world over as a successful soloist and chamber musician, and we are thrilled that our students will have the opportunity to work with him regularly. We hope that Raphael will enjoy the Trinity Laban environment immensely.”

Nic Pendlebury, Head of Strings at Trinity Laban, comments “Chamber music is a core focus of string training at Trinity Laban, and it’s important for us to work with musicians and educators who are active in the profession, which is why it is so brilliant to welcome Raphael Wallfisch to our talented roster. The appointment expands our world-class teaching and enables us to continue to support our students to develop an enquiring musical mind and the technical security necessary to flourish as an artist in the 21st century.”

In addition to sharing his expertise with students, Wallfisch will act as a global Ambassador for Trinity Laban, representing the conservatoire abroad as he continues his illustrious and wide-ranging performance career.

Find out more about studying at Trinity Laban.