Oliver Knussen (1952 - 2018)

[Barbirollians]

Unfortunately this terrible news doesn’t entirely surprise me. People of such a physique are rarely destined to live a long life, the heart and other organs really have to work flat out, compounded in OK’s case by the enormous pressures of regular conducting (95% other people’s music he was so generous a spirit) and a life no dbout punctuated by one deadline after another.

You can hear in the music that, like Stravinsky, he was meticulous with the highest standards of craftsmanship in all he did. I know composing for him was often tortuous not easy, but I've long wished he’d done less conducting and more composing, thinking of his longer-term recognition. But the music we do have will for many years surely be a benchmark of excellence for younger composers, orchestrators and conductors.

Still a terrible shock - I saw him in Aldeburgh only a couple of Saturdays ago on the High Street.

[Lat-Literal]

Am sorry to hear this news.

I don't recall us discussing him when evaluating Scottish born composers.

I like the fact that two of his best remembered works were designed for introducing children to classical music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl43oYHrk1k

[BBMmk2]

Very sad to hear. So you g for these days.

[Stanfordian]

Last night's 'Music Matters' on R3 a repeat of an interview with Oliver Knussen from 2015 (with a barely audible Tom Service) was fascinating listening.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04y9nmt

I see it's been mentioned before, but no matter.

[Serial_Apologist]

I don't recall us discussing him when evaluating Scottish born composers.

Funnily enough I don't think he was ever thought of as "a Scottish composer". His speaking voice was less Scottish even than Tony Blair's.

[Lat-Literal]

Funnily enough I don't think he was ever thought of as "a Scottish composer". His speaking voice was less Scottish even than Tony Blair's.

Yes, quite.

First you have to get the definitions right.

Bantock wasn't; Maxwell Davies wasn't.

Mucha was regarded as such although born in London and of Czech heritage.

So it is quite nice to identify one who clearly was and yet often wasn't considered to be so,

[Richard Barrett]

I never met Oliver Knussen, found his music less than the sum of its influences, and generally regard his active encouragement of MOR tendencies in British music from the 1980s onwards unfortunate (though if he hadn't done it someone else no doubt would), but of the various times I saw him conduct there was one concert of music by Elliott Carter in Amsterdam some time in the 1990s which finally and definitively "unlocked" that composer's music for me, for which I've always been grateful.

[BBMmk2]

There was a lovely tribute to him at the FNOTP.

[ahinton]

I never met Oliver Knussen, found his music less than the sum of its influences, and generally regard his active encouragement of MOR tendencies in British music from the 1980s onwards unfortunate (though if he hadn't done it someone else no doubt would), but of the various times I saw him conduct there was one concert of music by Elliott Carter in Amsterdam some time in the 1990s which finally and definitively "unlocked" that composer's music for me, for which I've always been grateful.

I've always felt that OK was first and foremost a conductor. I did meet him for the first time many years ago and he'd probably have been horrified by my making a statment such as this, but you could put almost anything in front of him as a conductor and he would make something of it that few others could hope to do. Carter, yes - he served his music very well - but he was at the same time a great Elgarian (and would have been recognised as such had be conducted more of Elgar's music more often). There seemed to be nothing to which he and his baton would not turn to great advantage. RIP Olly.

[Barbirollians]

MOR tendencies ? What are they ?

[Pulcinella]

MOR tendencies ? What are they ?

I wondered too, Barbs, so Googled: middle of the road (I think!).

[ahinton]

I wondered too, Barbs, so Googled: middle of the road (I think!).

Indeed and, like all other so-called "MOR" people, one might assume that "MOR" composers are likely to be mown down by those driving on the left or the right. "MOR composers" is a gratuitous term and hardly appropriate when discussing the recent death of a composer who certain people might, if only by implication, regard as one.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

"MOR composers" is a gratuitous term and hardly appropriate when discussing the recent death of a composer who certain people might, if only by implication, regard as one.

Not necessarily - and in RB's post certainly not directed in any sense "against" OK himself, any more than your own suggestion that OK was "first and foremost a conductor".

I suspect, incidentally, that Stockhausen would have agreed with you in that respect - OK was on the very short list of conductors on KS's published list of trusted and recommended performers of his Music.

[Richard Barrett]

and in RB's post certainly not directed in any sense "against" OK himself

I know it's inappropriate to speak badly of someone in their obituary thread, but my point was that the one concert I referred to was inspiring enough to put his balance sheet in the black as far as I'm concerned, despite the fact that I'd probably have disagreed with him on very many matters of what music is important and how it might be interpreted. I also saw him give a wonderful performance of Michael Finnissy's orchestral piece Offshore and thought that's the kind of thing he ought to be spending his time on.

[ahinton]

Not necessarily - and in RB's post certainly not directed in any sense "against" OK himself

Well, I certainly hope not, but I still feel more than merely uneasy about the implicity divisive nature of the use of the term "MOR composers"; RB did indeed commend OK's way with Carter and quite rightly so.

any more than your own suggestion that OK was "first and foremost a conductor".

No, indeed! I admire much of OK's work but when you have the conductorial gifts that he did it's perhaps no wonder that these rose to the surface and remained there; he said himself that he wished that he could have afforded to balance to two skills better and it seems from his work list that, for whatever reason, he wrote (ot at least released) little or nothing after his piece in memory of his late wife and that was completed a dozen years ago.

I suspect, incidentally, that Stockhausen would have agreed with you in that respect - OK was on the very short list of conductors on KS's published list of trusted and recommended performers of his Music.

The prospect of Stockhausen (whom I met only once) agreeing with me is certainly quite amusing! - but I suspect that OK was on or near the top of quite a few other composers' conductor lists, too.