John Tyrrell (1942-2018)

[makropulos]

The great Janáček scholar John Tyrrell died this morning at the age of 76. He was a friend for more than 40 years and I had the privilege of collaborating with him on two books. But anyone who loved Janáček's music, or performed it, owes John a huge debt of gratitude for his magnificent scholarship, both a writer and as an editor. His two-volume biography is currently being translated into Czech - a sign of the esteem in which he was held in the Czech Republic.

[Bryn]

Farewell to another hero of music scholarship.

[Richard Barrett]

Farewell to another hero of music scholarship.

Yes indeed. Actually I was thinking about him only the other day, wondering about reading the biography. But what I really want is to read about the music. Makropulos will know this no doubt - is there much about the music in that book? If Tyrrell wrote a monograph about J's compositions I can't seem to find it. Of course I've read no end of liner notes, articles and so on - Tyrrell's dedication was certainly matched by his insight.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Farewell to another hero of music scholarship.

Indeed so.

[BBMmk2]

It’s very unfortunate that I have never heard of this marvellous man, from what I have read. Very sad indeed.

[doversoul1]

Intimate Letters is a fascinating and very moving book. RIP

[Alison]

RIP.

One or two posts I have seen elsewhere mention another recent death of a music scholar without naming him/her?

[aeolium]

I was lucky enough to see the recent WNO production of The House of The Dead, which was the first to use John Tyrrell's new edition of the score. He had been working on it in consultation with Charles Mackerras but sadly Mackerras did not live long enough to conduct the opera in the new edition.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/oct/09/welsh-national-opera-from-the-house-of-the-dead-review

RIP

[makropulos]

Richard - that's a very good question. John didn't write a book specifically about the music, though there are some substantial chapters in the biography that talk about it (e.g. on 'Janacek and Leitmotif', 'How Janacek composed operas' and so on). But for specific things on the music you're right - most of John's writing on that appears in booklet notes and articles.

[Bryn]

I was lucky enough to see the recent WNO production of The House of The Dead, which was the first to use John Tyrrell's new edition of the score. He had been working on it in consultation with Charles Mackerras but sadly Mackerras did not live long enough to conduct the opera in the new edition.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/oct/09/welsh-national-opera-from-the-house-of-the-dead-review

RIP

That edition dates from 1990. Has it really taken so long for it to be used in a production? Indeed, the 2007 Boulez/Chéreau production used the Mackerras/Tyrrell score, or is there a more recent edition with addenda by Tyrrell?

Ah. This clarifies things for me:

[aeolium]

Many thanks for that link to the Tyrrell interview, Bryn. I do recall that in the pre-performance talk to the WNO performance there was a discussion of the changes made for the new edition, and I believe there was also a section in the programme (though I can't lay my hands on it) possibly written by JT about it.

[HighlandDougie]

Very sad news. One of the great pleasures in buying the Mackerras/Decca LP sets of the operas - and one of the reasons to keep them - was to read his notes. Janáček fans world-wide owe him a large debt of gratitude.

[makropulos]

That edition dates from 1990. Has it really taken so long for it to be used in a production? Indeed, the 2007 Boulez/Chéreau production used the Mackerras/Tyrrell score, or is there a more recent edition with addenda by Tyrrell?

Ah. This clarifies things for me:

Bryn - there was years of work to be done after the provisional version of 1990 - and the Mackerras/Tyrrell score you mention is not the same thing as John's final version which could only be finished after CM's death. Their 1990 version was very much a provisional edition and the new one has many small differences. The WNO production last year was the first to use it (though with a couple of small exceptions where they reverted to the earlier edition) and the new edition was performed for the first time exactly as intended at the ROH production earlier this year. It's being prepared for publication at the moment and there will in due course be a study score and a new vocal score on sale.

[Bryn]

Bryn - there was years of work to be done after the provisional version of 1990 - and the Mackerras/Tyrrell score you mention is not the same thing as John's final version which could only be finished after CM's death. Their 1990 version was very much a provisional edition and the new one has many small differences. The WNO production last year was the first to use it (though with a couple of small exceptions where they reverted to the earlier edition) and the new edition was performed for the first time exactly as intended at the ROH production earlier this year. It's being prepared for publication at the moment and there will in due course be a study score and a new vocal score on sale.

Yes. I'm listening to your contribution to the introduction to the June 30th broadcast of the latter production as I type. I had gone as far as resolving the HD Sound aac to 48/24 wav, shortly after the broadcast, but work pressures at the time meant I have not got round to further editing and listening until today.

[Richard Barrett]

Richard - that's a very good question. John didn't write a book specifically about the music, though there are some substantial chapters in the biography that talk about it (e.g. on 'Janacek and Leitmotif', 'How Janacek composed operas' and so on). But for specific things on the music you're right - most of John's writing on that appears in booklet notes and articles.

Let me ask you this then if I may. Do you think it would be OK just to read the second volume? - because I think the music that interests me most was all written in the period covered by it. I'm just afraid that if I started with the first one I'd get bogged down in details.