Gervase de Peyer (1926-2017)

[bluestateprommer]

The LSO has a tribute page to Gervase de Peyer, who died last Friday:

http://www.lso.co.uk/more/news/625-obituary-gervase-de-peyer-1926-2017.html

[Dave2002]

Sorry to read of this. He was a brilliant player and made some lovely recordings. There haven't been many clarinettists with his ability in years gone past, though some of the younger generation players are very good. His recordings of Mozart and Weber are classics.

Gervase RIP

[pastoralguy]

Sorry to read of this. He was a brilliant player and made some lovely recordings. There haven't been many clarinettists with his ability in years gone past, though some of the younger generation players are very good. His recordings of Mozart and Weber are classics.

Gervase RIP

Well said, sir.

[Tony Halstead]

Well said, sir.

I absolutely LOVED his playing. When I joined the LSO as co-principal horn in March 1970 Gervase was THE principal clarinet (this was before Jack Brymer joined the orchestra maybe a year or two later). It was not just his superb playing that was so very inspiring, but his whole, huge personality in the wonderful woodwind section of the orchestra, (which included players such as William Bennett, Peter Lloyd, Roger Lord, Tony Camden, Roy Jowitt and Roger Birnstingl).
Gervase had an incredibly positive attitude; even when he made a mistake (very rarely) as we all did, he wouldn't get too stressed or morose about it , he would just 'laugh it off' as part of 'life's rich pattern'.

Of course, he was an amazing soloist as we all know, but as an orchestral player he was a 'powerhouse of positivity'. There were some fairly mundane and mediocre concerts ( dare I say it?) in which Gervase would suddenly spring into action and totally galvanise not only the woodwind (and brass) but the whole orchestra, raising everybody's game 'by example.'
R.I.P. Gervase de Peyer

[pastoralguy]

You must know 'To speak for ourselves', a book which recorded conversations with prominent conversations with leading members of the LSO in the 1970's that was edited by Alan Smyth. I seem to remember there was a section dedicated to the words and wisdom of Mr. de Peyer.

[verismissimo]

I absolutely LOVED his playing. When I joined the LSO as co-principal horn in March 1970 Gervase was THE principal clarinet (this was before Jack Brymer joined the orchestra maybe a year or two later). It was not just his superb playing that was so very inspiring, but his whole, huge personality in the wonderful woodwind section of the orchestra, (which included players such as William Bennett, Peter Lloyd, Roger Lord, Tony Camden, Roy Jowitt and Roger Birnstingl).
Gervase had an incredibly positive attitude; even when he made a mistake (very rarely) as we all did, he wouldn't get too stressed or morose about it , he would just 'laugh it off' as part of 'life's rich pattern'.

Of course, he was an amazing soloist as we all know, but as an orchestral player he was a 'powerhouse of positivity'. There were some fairly mundane and mediocre concerts ( dare I say it?) in which Gervase would suddenly spring into action and totally galvanise not only the woodwind (and brass) but the whole orchestra, raising everybody's game 'by example.'
R.I.P. Gervase de Peyer

Bravo, Tony.

[Richard Tarleton]

Founder member of Melos Ensemble too - I remember the first perf of Richard Rodney Bennett's guitar concerto, with Bream, in November 1970.

[LeMartinPecheur]

His recordings of Mozart and Weber are classics.

Gervase RIP

His Brahms (quintet and sonatas) is pretty damn good too, for me the quintet particularly.

[richardfinegold]

I had his lp of the Brahms Sonatas

[EdgeleyRob]

Yes,the Brahms Sonatas and Beethoven Trio with Du Pre and Barenboim are wonderful

RIP

[Dave2002]

I heard him play with the Melos Ensemble in Ravel's Introduction and Allegro for harp, flute, clarinet, harp and string quartet - lovely performance and I've loved that piece ever since.

According to this article he also organised the performances/recordings of several EMI recordings of the Melos Ensemble - https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.p...tem_type=topic

[cloughie]

Many great recordings.
RIP Gervaise.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Many great recordings.
RIP Gervase.

[Pulcinella]

I heard him play with the Melos Ensemble in Ravel's Introduction and Allegro for harp, flute, clarinet, harp and string quartet - lovely performance and I've loved that piece ever since.

According to this article he also organised the performances/recordings of several EMI recordings of the Melos Ensemble - https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.p...tem_type=topic

I noticed this footnote in the linked article:

Ravel review William Hedley, April 2009, quote: The Melos Ensemble recorded Ravel’s exquisite Introduction and Allegro for L'Oiseau-Lyre in 1961, ... this performance dates from 1967, and Osian Ellis was once again the harpist. There is nothing to choose between the two performances: they are both absolutely marvellous.



I've got both recordings, and I imagine other forumistas have too!

[Colonel Danby]

Once again, very sad news of the passing of a great musician in de Peyer. Obviously, I've loads of his music on disc, but in memoriam I will play the CD he recorded with Gwenneth Pryor of English music for Chandos: Arnold, Joe Horowitz, Ireland, Finzi, Alan Richardson and Paul Harvey.

RIP Gervase