Gérard Hekking

Gérard Hekking

Gérard Hekking (24 August 1879 – 5 June 1942) was a French cellist.

Born in Nancy, "He studied cello, first in The Hague with Professor Boumann, then in Paris in Delsart's class. Unanimously awarded first prize in 1898, he travelled as a concert performer, winning acclaim throughout Europe. Since 1905, Gérard Hekking has been a professor at the Royal Conservatory in Amsterdam, but has not given up his brilliant career as a virtuoso."[1]

He served as first cellist of the Concertgebouw Orchestra from 1903 until 1914.[2] In 1912 Alphons Diepenbrock composed his Berceuse (Le Seigneur a dit à son enfant) for him and his wife, a soprano. Among the works premiered by Hekking were Fauré's First and Second Cello Sonatas, in 1917 and 1921 respectively.[3] Hekking composed some works, including Villageoise, Joujou mécanique, Danse pour les Sakharoff and Danse campagnarde, all for cello and piano.[4]

From 1927 until his death Hekking taught cello at the Paris Conservatoire. Among his students were Pierre Fournier, Maurice Gendron and Paul Tortelier.[5]

Hekking died in Paris in 1942, aged 62. He was the cousin of André Hekking and the nephew of Anton Hekking, both cellists.

Notes

1. Gallica: [1] (p. 229)
2. Campbell
3. Nectoux,pp. 412 and 423
4. "Gérard Hekking", AllMusic, retrieved 2 March 2017
5. "Gérard Hekking: search", Grove Music Online, Oxford University Press, retrieved 2 March 2018 (subscription required)

References

• Campbell, Margaret (2011). The Great Cellists. London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-27801-5.
• Nectoux, Jean-Michel (1991). Gabriel Fauré – A Musical Life. Roger Nichols (trans.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-23524-2.