André Previn

[Petrushka]

I really wished I could have met him and shaken his hand.

I was lucky enough to do so twice, post concert.

There was always something special about going backstage after a concert and meeting all these greats. Sadly, nowadays you won't get past the burly security guys.

[Alison]

I managed to meet Mr Preview backstage at the RFH. He very cheerfully signed the booklet which accompanied his Turangalila.

[Petrushka]

I managed to meet Mr Preview backstage at the RFH. He very cheerfully signed the booklet which accompanied his Turangalila.

In my case it was the Free Trade Hall, Manchester in 1977 after an unforgettable Rachmaninov Symphony No 2 and at the Barbican in 1986.

[Nick Armstrong]

I managed to meet Mr Preview backstage at the RFH. He very cheerfully signed the booklet which accompanied his Turangalila.

Ditto, though in my case it was that red 1993 3-CD box set EMI reissue of his LSO Rachmaninov recordings - I recall the eyebrows going up with an “oh! I didn’t know this was out yet”, plus a smiley chat and handshake

[Alison]

Can’t think of many autographs I’d want these days. Perhaps Ed Gardner and Stephen Hough.

[Barbirollians]

A young Nigel Kennedy signed my copy of his recording of the Elgar Violin Sonata with Peter Pettinger at the RFH -and was very pleased that someone had brought it to sign rather than the Mendelssohn and Bruch I think that had just come along at the time .

[rauschwerk]

In Michael Freedland's 1991 Previn biography, Dame Janet Baker was generous in her praise of Previn as musician and colleague. She described him as, amongst other things, a wonderful accompanist.

[Petrushka]

Can’t think of many autographs I’d want these days.

Same here, though as I said, the bouncers on the doors bar your way.

I didn't start going to concerts until 1972 so I sadly only just missed seeing Klemperer. Boult was another frustrating miss that I regret.

[Roger Webb]

Can’t think of many autographs I’d want these days.......,.

Me neither....I started collecting signed photos of opera singers at least 40 years ago, and built up a collection of just about all my favourites. But Janet Baker always eluded me (so to speak!) until one day, opening the mail in my CD shop a mysterious A4 spilled forth a lovely photo of Dame Janet and nice letter explaining that one of my customers who knew her had told her of my deficiency - I wrote her a thank you letter telling her she now resided between Christa Ludwig and Yvonne Minton....I didn't hear back!!

[rauschwerk]

Previn recorded two albums of popular songs with Sylvia McNair - one devoted to Jerome Kern the other to Harold Arlen. The latter is, to my ear, the more successful as Arlen's songs better lend themselves to the jazzy treatment. For his solo in 'The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea', Previn wittily offers a bitonal boogie in the keys of C and F# - keys a tritone apart (diabolus in musica). A bit of an in-joke, perhaps, but it always makes me smile.

[Roger Webb]

Previn recorded two albums of popular songs with Sylvia McNair - one devoted to Jerome Kern the other to Harold Arlen. The latter is, to my ear, the more successful as Arlen's songs better lend themselves to the jazzy treatment. For his solo in 'The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea', Previn wittily offers a bitonal boogie in the keys of C and F# - keys a tritone apart (diabolus in musica). A bit of an in-joke, perhaps, but it always makes me smile.

I have the Kern (Sure Thing) which has the excellent double bass playing of David Finck, I haven't heard the Arlen - I've just 'Qobuzzed' it for later, and note Finck plays on that too.

[pastoralguy]

Previn recorded two albums of popular songs with Sylvia McNair - one devoted to Jerome Kern the other to Harold Arlen. The latter is, to my ear, the more successful as Arlen's songs better lend themselves to the jazzy treatment. For his solo in 'The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea', Previn wittily offers a bitonal boogie in the keys of C and F# - keys a tritone apart (diabolus in musica). A bit of an in-joke, perhaps, but it always makes me smile.

I have the Previn WARNER box set, unforgivably still in its plastic packaging, so I’ll look out for this.

[HighlandDougie]

I have the Previn WARNER box set, unforgivably still in its plastic packaging, so I’ll look out for this.

Wrong label, alas. The two albums with Sylvia McNair are on Philips. And I don't suppose Universal were asked if they would license them.

[pastoralguy]

Wrong label, alas. The two albums with Sylvia McNair are on Philips. And I don't suppose Universal were asked if they would license them.

Ah well. Thanks for that.

[gurnemanz]

Previn recorded two albums of popular songs with - one devoted to Jerome Kern the other to Harold Arlen. The latter is, to my ear, the more successful as Arlen's songs better lend themselves to the jazzy treatment. For his solo in 'The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea', Previn wittily offers a bitonal boogie in the keys of C and F# - keys a tritone apart (diabolus in musica). A bit of an in-joke, perhaps, but it always makes me smile.

I feel I should get to know those Kern and Arlen recordings. I have one disc already with Previn as a song accompanist: American Songs with Barbara Bonney. Something of a classic which includes as its final track Previn's Vocalise + cello (he was, of course, a big Rachmaninov fan), which is dedicated to Sylvia McNair. The album also starts with one of his compositions: the nine minute mini cycle Sallie Chisum Remembers Billy the Kid, commissioned by Bonney, who is allegedly related to Billy. Sallie reminisces about her experiences in a Wild West brothel frequented by Billy and Pat Garrett. Between the two Previn songs we have three American song cycles: Copland's Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson, Barber’s Hermit Songs and Dominick Argento's Six Shakespeare Songs, which receives its world premiere recording.