Stern, Leo(pold Lawrence)
Stern, Leo(pold Lawrence)
Stern, Leo(pold Lawrence), noted English cellist; b. Brighton, April 5, 1862; d. London, Sept. 10, 1904. His father was a violinist and his mother a pianist. He played drum in the Brighton Sym. Soc. orch. conducted by his father, and in 1877 went to London to study chemistry, but also had cello lessons with Hugo Daubert. He then studied with Pezze and Piatti at the Royal Academy of Music (1883–85), and completed his training with Klengel and Davidov in Leipzig (1885–86). In 1886 he performed in London and other English cities; after touring with Adelina Patti in 1888, he gave concerts with Sauret, Paderewski, Albani, Godard, and Massenet. He was the soloist in the premiere of Dvorak’s Cello Concerto (London, March 19, 1896, composer conducting), which he later performed in Leipzig, Prague, and Berlin; after touring North America (1897–98), he returned to London, but ill health compelled him to give up his career. He composed pieces for cello and songs. His second wife was Suzanne Adams.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire