Pablo Casals was a celebrated cellist, composer, conductor and advocate for peace. Many regard him as one of the greatest cellists of all time, having performed with notable composers like Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Schönberg and Hindemith. He introduced new playing techniques, such as lightly hitting the cello strings with his fingers to produce a more expressive sound, and lifting the arch from the strings as he believed it to be more elegant. These techniques are still widely used by cellists today. Casals spent his final years in Puerto Rico, having fled from General Francisco Franco’s oppressive fascist regime. In Puerto Rico, he founded The Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and the San Juan Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he was a talented pianist.
