Leonard Rose

Cellist Leonard Rose belonged to a Russian family that had emigrated to the United States from Kiev. An amateur cellist himself, his father supplied the first lessons on the instrument. Once the family relocated to Florida, Rose began formal training at the Miami Conservatory under Walter Grossmann. He next moved to New York to work with his cousin, Frank Miller, who served as principal cellist of the NBC Symphony Orchestra. At sixteen he earned a scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where Felix Salmond became his teacher; two years later Rose was appointed Salmond’s assistant.

Like several other notable cellists, Rose spent part of his early career inside a major orchestra. Following his cousin’s example, he joined Toscanini’s NBC Symphony and rose to principal cellist by age twenty. After a single season he accepted a post with the Cleveland Orchestra under Artur Rodzinski. When Rodzinski assumed leadership of the New York Philharmonic in 1943, he brought Rose along; the younger musician headed the Philharmonic’s cello section until 1951. During that period Rose made his concerto debut with the Lalo Cello Concerto in 1944 and joined the Juilliard School faculty in 1947. Apart from the years 1951–1962, when he taught at the Curtis Institute, he remained on the Juilliard staff for the rest of his life.

Rose performed on a 1662 Amati whose tone was notably rich and singing. Listeners often remarked on the apparent freedom and spontaneity of his phrasing, the natural rubato, and the effortless quality of the sound; these effects resulted from four or five hours of daily practice—even while touring—and from careful preparation of every detail. Although he maintained an active concert schedule, teaching remained his central passion, and he came to be regarded as one of America’s most influential and successful cello pedagogues. His students included Yo-Yo Ma, Stephen Kates, and Lynn Harrell.

In his lessons Rose advocated positions and motions that felt natural to the body. He rejected the notion that the cello bow should be held like a violin bow, with the little finger resting on top. For vibrato, however, he drew directly on the example of violinist Fritz Kreisler: the motion originated in the upper arm while the hand pivoted on the fingertip in contact with the string, allowing the arm’s freedom to produce vibrato of any speed or width.

Rose recorded for Columbia Records; among his notable releases are the Schumann Concerto accompanied by Leonard Bernstein and Bloch’s Schelomo under Eugene Ormandy. He also founded the Istomin-Stern-Rose Trio, which produced numerous distinguished recordings.