Andre Previn has died...

[oddoneout]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/gallery/2019/feb/28/andre-previn-a-life-in-pictures

Towards the end of the series are his thoughts on the purpose of music.

[cloughie]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/ga...fe-in-pictures

Towards the end of the series are his thoughts on the purpose of music.

Some lovely quotes there!

[gradus]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/ga...fe-in-pictures

Towards the end of the series are his thoughts on the purpose of music.

Thanks for the posting, a reminder of the wit and humanity of a great musician.

[Constantbee]

One of the few big names in classical music to have filtered through to the public consciousness, mainly because of his television work. He'll be much missed

[Maclintick]

Sad news, but what a multifaceted life & career. AP was such an energising presence on the UK musical scene. One of my most indelible concert-going memories is of him raising the roof in Walton's Belshazzar's Feast at a Prom in Sep '72 (Shirley-Quirk/LSO/LSC) -- the composer taking a bow & telling the audience he was working on a Third Symphony, commissioned by AP but sadly never brought to fruition.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

but demonstrated how conductors copped out or copped in with the sudden start of Don Juan

Was that the one when he started the music before the applause had died down?

[rauschwerk]

Was that the one when he started the music before the applause had died down?

As I recall, it was. Those seven upbeat semiquavers in a very fast tempo are a real challenge to get together.

[cloughie]

Was that the one when he started the music before the applause had died down?

[Stanfordian]

A remarkable musician - he will be greatly missed.

R-I-P

[bluestateprommer]

More long form tributes to Previn:

Tim Page, Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local...=.3e5fd0dd5726

Eric Myers, Opera News (the one tribute so far that hasn't mentioned Morecambe & Wise - of course, it's American: https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News..._has_Died.html

Turned on to hear Nic Kenyon telling an amusing anecdote** on R4 "Today", about 8.35. Also Tom Stoppard saying that Previn, having been constrained by very old age, had gone into overdrive composing, and they had worked together and seen a lot of each other in the last year.

** On going into the pit at Vienna State Opera, New Year's Eve, Die Fledermaus. The leader asked Previn "are you going to conduct, or shall we just play?".

One of the final fruits of "Sir André" in overdrive composing mode, in collaboration with Sir Tom S., will be on display on July 24 at Tanglewood:

https://www.bso.org/Performance/Detail/100198/

"André PREVIN and Tom STOPPARD - Penelope, for soprano, string quartet, and piano (world premiere; BSO co-commission)

Celebrating Sir André Previn’s 90th birthday"

In their tribute to Previn, and to explain the use of quotes above, the Boston Symphony bestows upon Previn a technically incorrect, but metaphorically fully deserved, knighthood of the realm:

https://www.bso.org/brands/bso/features/andr%C3%A9-previn-1929-2019.aspx

"In the course of his distinguished and multi-faceted career, the much honored Sir André also held chief artistic posts with the London Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Oslo Philharmonic, and Royal Philharmonic. He appeared regularly in recitals and chamber music, collaborating with such artists as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Janet Baker, Barbara Bonney, the Emerson Quartet, Renée Fleming, and Yo-Yo Ma, as well as members of the BSO, the London Symphony, the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig, and the Vienna Philharmonic.

This week’'s BSO concerts (February 28, March 1, and March 2), conducted by Ray and Maria Stata Music Director Andris Nelsons, will open with 'Nimrod' from Elgar’s Enigma Variations, which is being performed in memory of Sir André Previn. The upcoming BSO concerts of March 14, 15, and 16, featuring Renée Fleming in music from Richard Strauss’s opera 'Capriccio', music close to Sir André's heart, will be dedicated to his memory."

On Kenyon's anecdote about Fledermaus (where presumably the performances at the Vienna State Opera were tied to his Philips recording), there's another missed opportunity, namely that Previn would have done well as conductor of the New Year's Concert, IMHO.

[jayne lee wilson]

Was that the one when he started the music before the applause had died down?

No relevance to audience behaviour at the Proms then....

[cloughie]

No relevance to audience behaviour at the Proms then....

No, there’s only one movement anyway!

[LMcD]

I think he illustrated it by getting them to play Beethoven 5 but demonstrated how conductors copped out or copped in with the sudden start of Don Juan - I just wish I had an ounce of his musical genius!

Having just finished watching BBC2's tribute, I can tell you that this particular episode actually occurred in an edition of 'Omnibus' entitled 'Who Needs a Conductor?'. The programme is a fitting tribute, with generous musical extracts and some pretty sensational playing by the LSO.

[Darkbloom]

Not at all. I feel sure he would be all too happy to be thus remembered by the general populace.

I completely agree. There didn't seem to be any pretentiousness about him. Coming from the Hollywood world, he probably enjoyed being remembered for something he did rather than being cast aside and forgotten like so many celebrities.

[Suffolkcoastal]

One of my conducting heroes & yes I remember the inspiration he gave to me as a boy watching his 'Music Nights'. Such a versatile conductor recording such a wide range of repertoire. I also fondly remember his TV series on the symphony from the 1980s.

An outstanding Artist RIP