Joseph Silverstein has died.

[pastoralguy]

According to Norman Lebrecht's site, the legendary concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Joseph Silverstein, has died aged 83.

Very sad news indeed.

RIP.

[Petrushka]

This comes a short while after the death of Everett (Vic) Firth, legendary timpanist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, earlier this year. Both were there when I saw the BSO in the 1980s in London under Ozawa. I recall that the London critics complained of the venerable age of much of the Boston Symphony at that time and it was both scary and amusing to note that they could easily have made a similar observation on the present day BSO as constituted at this year's Proms.

[richardfinegold]

I had just received one of my favorite recordings, an album of Debussy Chamber Music, featuring him in the Violin Sonata. It turns out the disc was also recorded in Quad, so it has just been released by Pentatone in Multichannel. MTT is the Pianist, btw.
The rerelease made me think about Silverstein. I met him once. His Niece was a schoolmate of mine and he came to play the Violin for "Show and Tell" in grade school. It was a few years later that I developed my Passion for music. Dianne and I graduated from the same University and every time that I saw her I would ask about her Uncle Joe. I remember when she told me he was leaving Boston to be the CM in Utah (under Abravanel). I was just telling my wife about these events on Thursday , so it is kind of eerie to hear of his passing.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I had just received one of my favorite recordings, an album of Debussy Chamber Music, featuring him in the Violin Sonata. It turns out the disc was also recorded in Quad, so it has just been released by Pentatone in Multichannel. MTT is the Pianist, btw.

I agree; that is a superb CD. From the same period, Silverstein was the superb violinist in Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale (with Tom Courteney, Ron Moody and John Gielgud). A hugely talented man - and a lovely reminiscence, rfg - many thanks.

[cloughie]

I agree; that is a superb CD. From the same period, Silverstein was the superb violinist in Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale (with Tom Courteney, Ron Moody and John Gielgud). A hugely talented man - and a lovely reminiscence, rfg - many thanks.

Yes a great recording, his contributions to Ozawa's Also and Heldenleben were very good too. RIP .

[bluestateprommer]

Tribute links for Joseph Silverstein:

Boston Symphony: https://www.bso.org/brands/bso/featu...lverstein.aspx

Utah Symphony: http://www.utahsymphony.org/the-orch...ph-silverstein

Boston Globe: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obi...ed_ArticleText

Interesting to see this bit about his last two days:

"Mr. Silverstein’s appetite for music remained undiminished, even in his final years. He attended a BSO performance the day before he died, and attended a Metropolitan Opera simulcast on the day of his death."

By implication, the Met Opera simulcast would have been the HD-cast of the new William Kentridge production of Alban Berg's Lulu. His final Boston SO concert that he attended had this program:

J.S. Bach: "Komm, Jesu, komm!" and "Es ist genug"
Berg: Violin Concerto
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5

Andris Nelsons, conductor
Isabelle Faust, violin
Tanglewood Festival Chorus

[gurnemanz]

When I saw his name I thought immediately of the Stravinsky concerto which I got to know through his recording. I haven't heard it for years and can't find an LP, so I think I must have recorded it off the radio.