Seiji Ozawa (1935-2024).

[pastoralguy]

I heard a story that Ozawa’s first occasion with the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s was to conduct their last rehearsal of the season. Now this was simply to fulfill the Orchestra’s contracted hours and they could then start their summer break. Inevitably, the orchestra had little enthusiasm since it wasn’t leading to a performance and the holidays were beckoning. Those present, including the Orchestra’s senior management said that within 10 minutes the playing had gone from not bothered to being absolutely galvanised! Some said it was years since they had heard the Orchestra play with such intensity.

[Pulcinella]

I often return to this CD, which demonstrates what a fine concerto accompanist SO was.
...

What a marvellous LH concerto compilation. I must try to find it to stream later.

I have the Britten (another Ozawa recording I'd forgotten about) in an all-Britten collection, c/w Previn's early recording of the Sinfonia da Requiem (St Louis SO) and a Young Person's Guide with Andrew Davis and the LSO.

[Petrushka]

I only saw him live once - Mahler 2 at the Proms with Boston SO and Jessye Norman in 1984 - I was promming in the arena and on the second row on a very hot day! His name was familiar from many broadcasts on R3 although like others there's not much of his in my collection. I used to borrow the Ravel DG box set quite regularly from my local record library back in the early 80s.

I, too, was at that 1984 Prom and went backstage to get my programme signed by Ozawa after the concert. I saw him on only one other occasion: a RFH concert consisting of the Beethoven Pastoral and the Stravinsky Rite of Spring with the Boston SO. Those were the days when the legendary Vic Firth was timpanist so a programme to die for!

[Maclintick]

I often return to this CD, which demonstrates what a fine concerto accompanist SO was.

[Roslynmuse]

I only saw him live once - Mahler 2 at the Proms with Boston SO and Jessye Norman in 1984 - I was promming in the arena and on the second row on a very hot day! His name was familiar from many broadcasts on R3 although like others there's not much of his in my collection. I used to borrow the Ravel DG box set quite regularly from my local record library back in the early 80s.

[smittims]

I suppose the reason why Seiji's passing wasn't mentioned is that nowadays 'news' is what fits the current theme they want us to concentrate on. The Kanneh-Mason item would (if loosely) be seen to fit the BLM theme which is still running high in media attention. If they could blame Seiji for Pearl Harbor then he'd possibly get a mention on BBc News.

Am I cynical? Very well then, I am cynical.

[Pulcinella]

How could I have forgotten this recording?

https://www.discogs.com/master/1190387-Ravel-Prokofiev-Weissenberg-Orchestre-De-Paris-Seiji-Ozawa-Concerto-En-Sol-Majeur-Concerto-N-3-En-Ut

Weissenberg may be a bit wayward but there's tons of energy in both performances, and the LP I had was nearly played to death!

And then there's the Stravinsky set with Beroff:

https://www.discogs.com/release/10039478-Stravinsky-Michel-Béroff-Orchestre-De-Paris-Seiji-Ozawa-Oeuvres-Pour-Piano-Piano-Works-Klavierwerke

[Dave2002]

Sad to read about this, though he wasn't always my conductor of choice for music I wanted to listen to. I got to know the Messiaen Turangalila Symphony from his original recording with the Toronto SO.

Seji - RIP

[french frank]

The BBC website's "culture" tab is centred on celebrity gossip and pop music, and only mentions so-called 'classical music' when there's something negative to say, as with Sheku Kanneh-Mason (CBE) and his offended complaint to Lauren Laverne over having to listen to 'Rule Britannia' at the Last Night of the Proms. It has become a dirty den of populist rubbish, of which Auntie ought to be ashamed.

But

https://www.classicfm.com/artists/seiji-ozawa/renowned-japanese-conductor-died-88/

[Master Jacques]

Disgracefully no mention of his death on the BBC website - though the sad death in a car crash of a band member of 1990s band Jamiroquai is mentioned and the headline in the BBC culture section is the reaction to Gregg Wallace's ( admittedly excruciating ) day in the life in the Telegraph.

The BBC website's "culture" tab is centred on celebrity gossip and pop music, and only mentions so-called 'classical music' when there's something negative to say, as with Sheku Kanneh-Mason (CBE) and his offended complaint to Lauren Laverne over having to listen to 'Rule Britannia' at the Last Night of the Proms. It has become a dirty den of populist rubbish, of which Auntie ought to be ashamed.

[Barbirollians]

Disgracefully no mention of his death on the BBC website - though the sad death in a car crash of a band member of 1990s band Jamiroquai is mentioned and the headline in the BBC culture section is the reaction to Gregg Wallace's ( admittedly excruciating ) day in the life in the Telegraph.

[Barbirollians]

Picked up a cheap copy today of his music for Mendelsssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream with no less than Battle and Von Stade and Judi Dench narrating for less than £2 look forward to listening.

[richardfinegold]

An early purchase on my music discovery journey (on cassette) was this:



It was a key recording which shaped my tastes, and to which I still return with pleasure (not on cassette!).

Ditto the second Shostakovich cello concerto with Rostropovich which I vividly recall buying with excitement one Saturday afternoon in Paris during my year out after school.

Thank you and RIP

That MSPC must have been recorded in Quad, as Pentatone released it with a different coupling in Surround Sound

[gurnemanz]

He was a constant presence as long as I have listened to classical music. I seem to have only two CD recordings, both classics, Ravel Orchestral Works and Liszt Piano Concertos/Krystian Zimerman (mentioned today in Record Review as a previous BaL choice) both with Boston SO.

[smittims]

Thanks, MasterJaques.

That Hyperion Panufnik/Sessions disc was a landmark in my listening too.