0:00:14 > 0:00:18French cellist Paul Tortelier could have been MADE for television.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20His aristocratic manner was irresistible -
0:00:20 > 0:00:22his flashing dark eyes
0:00:22 > 0:00:24and thick mane of hair.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30His love of the rich sound of his instrument,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33and his devotion to those composers who wrote for it,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36travelled effortlessly through the flickering screen.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41In this programme we'll tell Paul Tortelier's story
0:00:41 > 0:00:44through 35 years of BBC television archive.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50From the Elgar cello concerto in black and white,
0:00:50 > 0:00:54to Tortelier's own unique compositions in full colour...
0:00:54 > 0:00:56# God, if thou art
0:00:56 > 0:00:58# Save our great ship
0:00:58 > 0:01:02# And make music save me. #
0:01:03 > 0:01:07..talking about his belief in the civilising power of music...
0:01:07 > 0:01:11My dream for humanity is that the human society
0:01:11 > 0:01:14is like a symphonic orchestra...
0:01:14 > 0:01:17..and conducting a hugely popular series of TV masterclasses.
0:01:26 > 0:01:27It must emerge.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Shakespeare has said...
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Music is the food of love.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51In 1961, the arts programme Monitor sent reporter John Amis over
0:01:51 > 0:01:53to Paris to meet the master on home ground.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Tortelier lives in the middle of Paris
0:02:44 > 0:02:46in a house littered with cellos.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49He lives there with his wife and with his children -
0:02:49 > 0:02:51it's very much a musical household.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53His daughter, a godchild of Casals, is 11.
0:03:03 > 0:03:04Bon. C'est pas mal.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07His son, Pascal.
0:03:17 > 0:03:18Bon. Bon.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23SPEAKS FRENCH
0:03:47 > 0:03:48His wife, Madame Tortelier.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25That's nice.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30People come from all over the world to study under Tortelier
0:04:30 > 0:04:32at the Paris Conservatoire.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50You see, you must be listening to your playing.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Don't forget.
0:04:52 > 0:04:57Don't forget to listen to have this possibility
0:04:57 > 0:04:59of being at the same time
0:04:59 > 0:05:01the player and the listener
0:05:01 > 0:05:04who is seated in the audience.
0:05:04 > 0:05:05In the last year or so,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09Tortelier has been turning more and more to writing music himself.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Recently, he's been working on a hymn for the United Nations
0:05:12 > 0:05:15scored for his own pupils - an orchestra of 20 cellos.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16SPEAKS FRENCH
0:06:21 > 0:06:23MUSIC RESTARTS
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Yes, what I want to emphasise,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36the cello can express about all kinds of feelings.
0:06:36 > 0:06:37It has a great range.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39A great emotional range
0:06:39 > 0:06:41and a great physical range, too.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47For instance, in the Saint-Saens concerto you can see it.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50It goes from the bass voice
0:06:50 > 0:06:51to the tenor voice
0:06:51 > 0:06:54to the soprano voice.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57There are not so many instruments who have such range.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Even the violin has a smaller range.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02PLAYS VERY LOW NOTES
0:07:04 > 0:07:05PLAYS A RISING SCALE
0:07:22 > 0:07:24PLAYS EXTREMELY HIGH NOTES
0:07:28 > 0:07:30His earliest surviving television appearance
0:07:30 > 0:07:33comes from a Sunday recital in 1955,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35when he performed with the pianist Ernest Lush,
0:07:35 > 0:07:37a regular collaborator.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Not that Lush gets much of a look in!
0:12:43 > 0:12:47In 1930, Paul Tortelier won first prize at the Paris Conservatoire
0:12:47 > 0:12:50playing Elgar's great cello concerto.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52It was a work that he was to return to
0:12:52 > 0:12:53over and over again.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56In 1961, he performed the work on television
0:12:56 > 0:12:59on the BBC's International Concert Hall series.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01The recording, unfortunately,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03has innumerable technical problems,
0:13:03 > 0:13:04but the magic and virtuosity
0:13:04 > 0:13:06of Tortelier's playing
0:13:06 > 0:13:08still shines brilliantly through.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Paul Tortelier was a perfectionist.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30As a teacher he was incredibly demanding, even severe.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33He took his own children out of regular education
0:20:33 > 0:20:35so they could focus their entire lives on music,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38insisting that they practise for hour after hour
0:20:38 > 0:20:40in order to hone their technique.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47He decided that his daughter Maria
0:20:47 > 0:20:48would become a pianist.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50At first his son, Yan Pascal
0:20:50 > 0:20:52was going to follow in his father's footsteps
0:20:52 > 0:20:55and be a cellist, until his father-in-law declared
0:20:55 > 0:20:57that he should take up violin instead.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59In the end, Yan Pascal went on to develop a career
0:20:59 > 0:21:02as a hugely successful conductor.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35It was his masterclasses that really won Paul Tortelier
0:24:35 > 0:24:38the affection of British television audiences.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40He clearly took huge pleasure in passing on
0:24:40 > 0:24:43his vast accumulated knowledge in programmes that were demanding,
0:24:43 > 0:24:47informative and - at least for those watching,
0:24:47 > 0:24:49if not necessarily those taking part -
0:24:49 > 0:24:50highly entertaining.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56But it is more difficult.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06Voila. This is very important here.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11The first time, the first time the A, when we reach this note.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16Voila...we drop on this part.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19The second time, there is a note in the piano part,
0:25:19 > 0:25:21the bass that makes a crescendo.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23We must hear to this.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25We must hear, also, the ensemble.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Not only the melody separately, eh?
0:25:29 > 0:25:32To have the full feeling. The second time...
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Second time.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39Now.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57You see, that was very good but you can emphasise that a little.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59It was Paul Tortelier's mother who decided
0:25:59 > 0:26:01that he would play the cello,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04after she'd heard a string quartet in a cafe, playing Beethoven.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07- What do you think now?- You think we should play the movement?
0:26:07 > 0:26:09- I think so.- Yes.- Eh...yes?
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Well, when we play the whole movement,
0:26:11 > 0:26:12I should need a turner over,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14so my wife, Brenda, is here somewhere, so...
0:26:14 > 0:26:17- Ah, coming.- Here we are. - Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19We're going to do the first note...
0:34:55 > 0:34:58Thank you very much indeed, Monsieur Tortelier.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12In this series of masterclasses,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15held before an invited audience of music students,
0:35:15 > 0:35:19the great French cellist Paul Tortelier coaches advanced
0:35:19 > 0:35:22students and young professionals.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26In tonight's programme he works on Elgar's Cello Concerto.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44Bien. Very well...very well.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49The beginning, will you do the beginning?
0:35:49 > 0:35:55Not the phrase itself, the melody, ta-ra-ra-ra-dee...
0:35:58 > 0:36:02You see? It is too realistic.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07You play as if it was fa-la-la, fa...
0:36:07 > 0:36:10but it is fa-la-la.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16It is not a real chord, like fa, we are not in D major.
0:36:16 > 0:36:17This sounds like...
0:36:18 > 0:36:21It should be...play just one bar before.
0:36:24 > 0:36:25Listen.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37It must emerge...emerge. Will you play that?
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Very good. And of course, of bow melody.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52Now, you are an immaculate person and your playing must be immaculate
0:36:52 > 0:36:56and even when you have a glissando, it is a little spot.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06It's a little sticky. Like chewing gum in the mouth of an American.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18We really want fresh air.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21Out of New York.
0:37:22 > 0:37:23Now, you have understood that.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26What is interesting, I want to give you another
0:37:26 > 0:37:32chance about playing this ending because you see, you must go ahead.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35You must go ahead. Play the end.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38Before when it is... C'est ca. C'est ca.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49Good, good. Excuse me. Here she plays a little too energetically.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51It is good but we hear too much...
0:37:56 > 0:38:01I make a caricature. But can you play louder?
0:38:11 > 0:38:12Can you do that?
0:38:18 > 0:38:20Bravo!
0:38:26 > 0:38:27Allez!
0:38:29 > 0:38:30Allez!
0:38:35 > 0:38:39You made it. You must remember that.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41When you are afraid you go slower.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43Some people, when they are afraid, they go quicker.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46But when you are afraid you go slower and you make it worse and worse.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49Now, you see the beautiful scale.
0:38:54 > 0:38:55We are in E.
0:38:58 > 0:38:59The scale of E.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03Isn't it interesting to see how scale are important in Elgar,
0:39:03 > 0:39:05in, how you should say, in all good music?
0:39:06 > 0:39:09Do you agree? That is why we must study our scales.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13Because we find scales in Beethoven and then you have beautiful...
0:39:17 > 0:39:20Just half a scale, always. And that's all.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Out of pure scale.
0:39:29 > 0:39:35Shakespeare has said, "Music is the food of love."
0:39:36 > 0:39:39Had he been a musician he would have added,
0:39:39 > 0:39:42"And scales are the food of music."
0:39:42 > 0:39:46Remember that? "Music is the food of love. Scales are the food of music."
0:39:48 > 0:39:53And I discovered the Indian scale.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55You know that? Indian scale?
0:39:55 > 0:39:56It is interesting.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00The intervals are arranged differently, as you know.
0:40:00 > 0:40:01Other scales also.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04But perhaps you are interested to see how it goes?
0:40:05 > 0:40:07This is Elgar's scale.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17Very English. And that is Indian scale.
0:40:20 > 0:40:21Pardon.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31I like to emphasise that.
0:40:31 > 0:40:36That you have the root of the soul of a people of a country
0:40:36 > 0:40:38in the scale already.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Don't be afraid to be English. Don't be afraid to be Indian.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Because we want variety.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46If you are Greek, you do that.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53The old Greek, the noble Greek of the antiquity.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57If you are Beethoven, you do...
0:40:59 > 0:41:00If you are Elgar...
0:41:03 > 0:41:04And if you are Indian...
0:41:09 > 0:41:12Isn't it already musical? Music is there already.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18We try Elgar. He lived in the time of empire of India.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21He might have tried to bow to India
0:41:21 > 0:41:26and make the Indian scale instead of the Elgarian scale, English scale.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Shall we try to do that? Yes.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30HE SINGS NOTES Stick with me.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43You would get used to it. Voila! But it would be Indian.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46HE SINGS NOTES
0:41:46 > 0:41:50More passion. Our scale comes from the Greek who were not passionate.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52They were more philosopher.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57So speaking of philosopher, since we are at philosophy and scales.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01It's interesting to think about philosophers and composers.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07In their writings, philosophers teach us how to think.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11You must think this way about the world or God or what.
0:42:12 > 0:42:17But in their music, composers teach us how to love.
0:42:21 > 0:42:22It is a love lesson.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26As Tortelier grew older he became increasingly preoccupied with
0:42:26 > 0:42:27the state of the world.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30He worried about homelessness in London and Paris,
0:42:30 > 0:42:32the all-pervading power of big business,
0:42:32 > 0:42:35what he once described as the peril of television.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38Having lived on an Israeli kibbutz in the 1950s,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41he was fascinated by the idea of communal living
0:42:41 > 0:42:45and became equally interested about life in China under Chairman Mao.
0:42:51 > 0:42:55My dream for humanity is that the human society
0:42:55 > 0:42:57is like a symphonic orchestra.
0:42:58 > 0:43:02There is no question of freedom there. There is a question of love.
0:43:02 > 0:43:03Of common work.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08In a symphonic orchestra there is no prima donna, especially
0:43:08 > 0:43:10if you play a fugue.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15All parts are equally important. All members are equally important.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18Parallel in the human society, I would say,
0:43:18 > 0:43:21all men are equally important. All men are equal.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24When you eat you are very happy that somebody had grown
0:43:24 > 0:43:27the potatoes for you.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31So, there should be no distinction between manual
0:43:31 > 0:43:33and intellectual workers. This is not new.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35Mao Zedong has said that, obviously.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37But now what is new is my image,
0:43:37 > 0:43:42my symbol of the symphonic orchestra as the best symbol, I think.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28As the media world changed, Tortelier proved
0:44:28 > 0:44:29he could easily adapt.
0:44:29 > 0:44:32He seemed to be equally at home on a daytime talk show or breakfast
0:44:32 > 0:44:35television programme as he had been hosting his legendary
0:44:35 > 0:44:36master classes.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37We doubt about peace in the world.
0:46:38 > 0:46:42Whatever we do, we think that it is in vain.
0:46:42 > 0:46:44So I thought why not put the power of music...
0:46:44 > 0:46:46It's a great strength, music.
0:46:46 > 0:46:50Why not put this power to help for the sake of peace?
0:46:50 > 0:46:54Now I have written also the words of this song
0:46:54 > 0:46:59and I thought this song would be sung not only in half
0:46:59 > 0:47:03of the world, either the west or the east, but in the whole world.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06You cannot make peace with only half of the world.
0:47:06 > 0:47:08That's always a problem.
0:47:08 > 0:47:13So that the words can be sung in Moscow as well as in Roma.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16In New York as well as in Peking.
0:47:16 > 0:47:20I decided to put two alternative words in the beginning.
0:47:20 > 0:47:22One is
0:47:22 > 0:47:29God, thou on high save our great ship that sails on troubled seas.
0:47:29 > 0:47:31That is for the people who believe in God.
0:47:31 > 0:47:36But for those who do not, unfortunately, who are like me.
0:47:36 > 0:47:40Who built another religion. My religion is music or nature.
0:47:40 > 0:47:41So the words are
0:47:41 > 0:47:49God, if thou art, save our great ship that is sailing on troubled seas.
0:47:49 > 0:47:50It's a lovely piece.
0:47:50 > 0:47:54We won't have time for you to sing all the way through for us but would
0:47:54 > 0:47:57you just play a little bit of the theme for us
0:47:57 > 0:47:59so we know how you set those words?
0:47:59 > 0:48:01Yes.
0:48:01 > 0:48:02# God
0:48:03 > 0:48:06# God if thou art
0:48:06 > 0:48:11# Save our great ship that sails on troubled seas
0:48:12 > 0:48:15# Nature we praise
0:48:15 > 0:48:20# And let her face preserve our beauteous world
0:48:21 > 0:48:24# Let us make life
0:48:24 > 0:48:27# Sing and dance and shine
0:48:27 > 0:48:30# Just like golden light
0:48:30 > 0:48:37# Open our heart that we may have justice for all
0:48:37 > 0:48:41# And hail the size of the day
0:48:41 > 0:48:45# Bringing the rain of love
0:48:45 > 0:48:47# God, if thou art
0:48:47 > 0:48:52# Save our great ship and may music save peace. #
0:48:55 > 0:48:57Paul Tortelier, thank you very much indeed.
0:48:57 > 0:49:00APPLAUSE
0:49:10 > 0:49:15What? What? Problem? What? Problem?
0:49:17 > 0:49:20Difficult. Very quick finger.
0:49:32 > 0:49:38Mocking. It is mocking. It is a lady who mocks a man.
0:49:39 > 0:49:40It is very French.
0:49:47 > 0:49:51Because there is a story in France. There is a story of Pierrot.
0:49:51 > 0:49:57You have heard of Pierrot? He is a sort of unhappy hero. Very unhappy.
0:49:57 > 0:50:02He is always in love with a girl but she has scorn for him.
0:50:05 > 0:50:08The cellist Paul Tortelier is 75 tomorrow.
0:50:08 > 0:50:12Tonight, Paul Tortelier is in the studio with his wife,
0:50:12 > 0:50:15the cellist Maude Tortelier and their daughter, the pianist
0:50:15 > 0:50:20Maria de la Pau to play Paganini's Variations on a Theme by Rossini.
0:56:02 > 0:56:06Tortelier could appear somewhat eccentric in older age so perhaps
0:56:06 > 0:56:09best to end this programme with a reminder of him in younger days.
0:56:11 > 0:56:13And now, Chopin.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16One of the 24 piano preludes arranged for cello
0:56:16 > 0:56:18by Paul Bazelaire.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20The Prelude in E Minor.