Georges Prêtre (1924-2017)

[bluestateprommer]

Didn't see a thread on the passing of Georges Pretre, but thought people here should see the news. (Will delete this thread if there already is one.)

http://wien.orf.at/news/stories/2818228/

[Conchis]

I was only thinking about him the other day. Impressive longevity!

[Alison]

Oh how sad. I was always hopeful of one more NYD concert in Vienna but as the years passed realised that was increasingly unlikely. Thanks for posting BSP.

[Prommer]

RIP. His brace of NYD concerts were the first to give real joy since Kleiber's...

[Alison]

RIP. His brace of NYD concerts were the first to give real joy since Kleiber's...

spot on.

[Dave2002]

Sorry to hear of this. I don't have many of his recordings, though I do have the Shostakovich 12 with the Festive Overture - I think it was on CFP with the Philharmonia Orchestra.

I liked one of his NYD concerts - not sure which one - I thought it was only yesterday but it was either 2008 or 2010. I probably would have liked both, but I only saw one of them.

He also recorded Poulenc's music, including the organ concerto played by Maurice Duruflé - http://www.gramophone.co.uk/feature/...ording-is-best - which is still considered one of the best.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Pr%C3%AAtre

Georges Prêtre RIP

[visualnickmos]

Oh how sad. I was always hopeful of one more NYD concert in Vienna but as the years passed realised that was increasingly unlikely. Thanks for posting BSP.

They were great NYD concerts - such warmth and a brilliant rapport with the audience.
His recording of Also Sprach Zarathustra is surely one of THE great recordings of the work.

[cloughie]

Has been ever present on my shelves on LP or CD over the years.
RIP

[pastoralguy]

Has been ever present on my shelves on LP or CD over the years.
RIP

[EdgeleyRob]

Very sad news

2017 continuing where 16 left off.

RIP

[Barbirollians]

Sad news but a good innings. Probably, that is the passing of the last person to have conducted for Callas .

[jayne lee wilson]

For me - Prêtre means - Poulenc!


Nobody does it better.. Some of my first borrowed LPs were of his Poulenc, the two-piano-concerto , Les Biches, the Gloria....
In the wonderful Green & White Box released as part of the EMI edition in the 1990s the Sinfonietta stood out. A perfect, playful, poignantly tuneful memorial. Very French. Pathos with a lighter touch.

[BBMmk2]

So The Grim reaper is still carrying on with his gruesome work. RIP Georges Pretres.

Very true, JLW and also the French rep too.

[Alain Maréchal]

For me - Prêtre means - Poulenc!


Nobody does it better.. Some of my first borrowed LPs were of his Poulenc, the two-piano-concerto , Les Biches, the Gloria....
In the wonderful Green & White Box released as part of the EMI edition in the 1990s the Sinfonietta stood out. A perfect, playful, poignantly tuneful memorial. Very French. Pathos with a lighter touch.

Absolutely. I possess all those LPs, also those of music by Sauguet and Dutilleux. He was part of my musical wallpaper; I attended many of his concerts, and in 1980 I made the then onerous journey to London to see him conduct Les Contes d'Hoffmann on the first night of a new production. There is now only one indisputably great French conductor of that generation still alive, and I will not name him for fear of tempting Providence.

[BBMmk2]

As I write Radio 3 are playing Ravel's La Valse, FNRO, conducted by Georges Pretres.