The Retiring Tasmin Little

[pastoralguy]

I completely respect her decision although I'll be very sorry to see her retire. I've heard her on a few memorable occasions and she's always been terrific but the life of a soloist can be a real grind with too many flights and hotel rooms.

Even although I'm a huge fan of the wonderful Ida Haendel, I'm aware that she was capable of giving some below par performances as she got older. I heard her play her signature work, the Sibelius Concerto, that was, frankly, a bit disappointing although we still cheered her to the rafters. Alas, she simply got old.

So, good on Tasmin for saying 'enough'. And we still have her many wonderful recordings.

[Bryn]

But is she hanging up her bow or doing a Glenn Gould and 'retiring' to the recording studio? Her letter to the egregious Lebrecht does not make this entirely clear.

[Barbirollians]

I completely respect her decision although I'll be very sorry to see her retire. I've heard her on a few memorable occasions and she's always been terrific but the life of a soloist can be a real grind with too many flights and hotel rooms.

Even although I'm a huge fan of the wonderful Ida Haendel, I'm aware that she was capable of giving some below par performances as she got older. I heard her play her signature work, the Sibelius Concerto, that was, frankly, a bit disappointing although we still cheered her to the rafters. Alas, she simply got old.

So, good on Tasmin for saying 'enough'. And we still have her many wonderful recordings.

True but she was still capable of that knockout Sibelius and Britten at the 1993 & 1994 Proms when well into her sixties.

[Beresford]

... Her letter to the egregious Lebrecht does not make this entirely clear.

"Egregious" - what a good word to describe Lebrecht, or at least his R3 broadcasts. I would have used the phrase "black sheep", and aren't all BBC interviews obliged to have a black sheep and a white sheep, in the cause of balance, or entertainment & frisson. But egregious is better.

[cloughie]

My feeling exactly, yes, good to see you posting. I'm looking forward to those posts about what you are listening to, Stanfordian - and pointers to, for example, Beczala's vocal recordings.

...and your daily fix of 60s Jazz

[pastoralguy]

True but she was still capable of that knockout Sibelius and Britten at the 1993 & 1994 Proms when well into her sixties.

Oh, absolutely. However, I heard her with the BBCSSO circa 2006 and her playing was a shadow of what it had been.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

"Egregious" - what a good word to describe Lebrecht, or at least his R3 broadcasts. I would have used the phrase "black sheep", and aren't all BBC interviews obliged to have a black sheep and a white sheep, in the cause of balance, or entertainment & frisson. But egregious is better.

Lebrecht hasn't broadcast on R3 for many a year - and his online articles are frequently highly critical of the Beeb. Obviously, of course, he left the Beeb because of the disquiet he felt, and which he felt he could only comment on when not employed by the corporation in any way. No suggestion here that his comments only became so acidic after the Beeb decided they no longer required his services.

And, reading Ms Little's post, apart from the opening "Dear Norman", there isn't much suggestion that it's addressed solely to Mr Lebrecht. The comment should any of you feel you wish a final “curtain call” from me before summer 2020, please do feel free to be in touch with Sinead and Denise and we will try our best to make time in the schedule for some additional concerts. suggests that perhaps this is a "round robin" to critics and concert organisers to announce her intentions. [EDIT: Ah, yes, exactly the same announcement appeared yesterday on the online edition of The Strad - notice the "in a statement distributed by her management"

https://www.thestrad.com/news/tasmin-little-announces-retirement-from-the-concert-platform/8583.article

I've never met her, but everyone I know who has has spoken of her enthusiasm, courtesy, and liveliness - she has been a vital presence in UK Music, both as performer and "ambassador", and, whilst the latter of her activities will no doubt continue in her new career, she will be greatly missed in the former.

[oddoneout]

But is she hanging up her bow or doing a Glenn Gould and 'retiring' to the recording studio? Her letter to the egregious Lebrecht does not make this entirely clear.

From what I could glean ducking around the big Slipped Disc privacy blocker, she seems to have a pretty full 'retirement' lined up, which doesn't seem to include time spent in a recording studio

[edashtav]

From what I could glean ducking around the big Slipped Disc privacy blocker, she seems to have a pretty full 'retirement' lined up, which doesn't seem to include time spent in a recording studio

Tasmin has experimented with new ways of presenting classical music: I recall a Lecture-Recital given at the behest of the Bournemouth Chamber Music Society a couple of seasons ago.

[Conchis]

I was also a bit puzzled as to why she chose to break the news to Lebrecht. As Lebrecht is noted nowadays, if for nothing else, than as a gossip columnist of the classical music world, it was probably a pre-emptive strike on her part, to prevent him from encouraging speculation as to WHY she might be retiring.....