André Previn still going strong

[Nick Armstrong]

I'm glad to see that Previn is still conducting and composing - he's at the Barbican this weekend with a new (to Europe) piece:

Sunday 19 February 7.30pm
Copland Appalachian Spring – Suite
André Previn Concerto for Violin, Viola and Orchestra (European Premiere)
John Harbison Symphony No 3

André Previn conductor
Anne-Sophie Mutter violin
Yuri Bashmet viola

I went to a concert years ago (not far off 10 years, not sure when exactly) which he conducted, and was shocked how old and frail he looked. I confess I thought - poor chap's not long for this world, the next 'solemn announcement' on Radio 3 is likely to be about him.

I'm delighted that I was wrong. He's accompanied me throughout my musical journey, from his Rach 2, Walton 1 and complete Prokofiev 'Romeo and Juliet' recordings while I was still at school.

I wish him many returns to the podium

[Suffolkcoastal]

Previn still seems to be a largely underrated conductor. I have a huge amount of time for him and have rarely heard a duff performance or recording from him. Nice to seem him conducting John Harbison's 3rd Symphony too, a fairly accessible piece and the sort of work in which Previn would excel.

[jean]

However his ex-wife, the singer/songwriter Dory Previn, has just died at the age of 86.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaFLl...ayer_embedded#!

[salymap]

And he seems to have embraced all sorts of music and music making without losing credibility, unlike our Charlie,perhaps.

[Flay]

However his ex-wife, the singer/songwriter Dory Previn, has just died at the age of 86.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaFLl...ayer_embedded#!

That's quite a sad song. Was it written after Mia Farrow stole his heart? (As she did mine in the days or Peyton Place - until she cut her hair off!)

May I quote some of the words (converting poem to prose to save space):

Beware of young girls who come to the door, wistful and pale of twenty and four, delivering daisies with delicate hands.
Beware of young girls too often they crave to cry at a wedding and dance on a grave.

She was my friend my friend my friend. I thought her motives were sincere, oh yes I did. Ah but this lass, it came to pass, had a dark and different plan. She admired my own sweet man, she admired my own sweet man.

We were friends, oh yes we were, and she just took him from my life, oh yes she did. So young and vain, she brought me pain, but I'm wise enough to say she will leave him one thoughtless day. She'll just leave him and go away, oh yes.

Beware of young girls who come to the door, wistful and pale of twenty and four, delivering daisies with delicate hands.
Beware of young girls too often they crave to cry at a wedding and dance on a grave.

[Flay]

Oh yes, it's all on her wiki page:

In 1968 André Previn had fully moved from composing film scores to conducting symphony orchestras, most notably the London Symphony Orchestra. While in London he began an affair with the then 24-year-old actress Mia Farrow, who was working on the film A Dandy in Aspic. In 1969 (Dory) Previn discovered that Farrow had become pregnant, compelling her to separate from her husband. Their divorce became final in July 1970 - André Previn subsequently married Farrow... ...She subsequently expressed her feelings regarding Farrow and the end of her marriage in the song "Beware of Young Girls" on her 1970 album On My Way to Where.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

he also did this which was for its time pretty cool ...

[cloughie]

And he seems to have embraced all sorts of music and music making without losing credibility, unlike our Charlie,perhaps.

I always think that Previn and Bernstein have been the only two real successes at this. Something that always struck me was that he does the stuff he likes and doesn't feel the need to do complete symphony cycles (OK I know he's done Rach and VW).

[pastoralguy]

I've always admired Previn's work. I'm eternally grateful for his 'Andre Previn's Music Night' which was my introduction to 'classical' music back in the 70's.

I do remember a member of the LSO telling me that ' all journalists think we do in the LSO is talk about Mia Farrow all day. In fact, it's only about 50% of the time'!

[salymap]

I've always admired Previn's work. I'm eternally grateful for his 'Andre Previn's Music Night' which was my introduction to 'classical' music back in the 70's.

I do remember a member of the LSO telling me that ' all journalists think we do in the LSO is talk about Mia Farrow all day. In fact, it's only about 50% of the time'!

Ah yes, that's the LSO for you all right

[Anna]

I haven't listened but it seems André Previn is/was on In Tune tonight, which I assume will appear on iplayer in due course.

[Osborn]

It's a credit to his personality that his latest divorced wife (no. 5) will play the premiere for him & that she will bring (arguably) the world's finest violist with her

[Nick Armstrong]

I haven't listened but it seems André Previn is/was on In Tune tonight, which I assume will appear on iplayer in due course.

Yes he was and I happened to catch most of it on the way to the pub Very engaging and on the ball he was too.

[BBMmk2]

Andre Previn is one of the world's underrated conductors these days. I have followed him, like Calkiban said, since my schoool days, with again Caliban's aforementioned recordings of the great man. His Vaughan Williams and general British 20th Century recordings seems to have hold the test of time in the catalogue!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

His Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Walton and RVW recordings are second to none; but his two recordings of the Brahms Requiem demonstrate his excellence in 19thC German repertoire, too. Easily the very best performance of this work I've ever attended was under his direction, too (RFH, Summer 1984).