Christopher Finzi (1934 - 2019)

[Nick Armstrong]

Just heard that Gerald Finzi’s son Christopher died a couple of weeks ago.

There’s a Telegraph obituary (with a pretty tawdry headline): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituari...-affair-wifes/ although I haven’t read it as I don’t subscribe.

Discovering his recording of his father’s Dies Natalis was an important moment in my musical journey.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

[Richard Tarleton]

Just heard that Gerald Finzi’s son Christopher died a couple of weeks ago.

There’s a Telegraph obituary (with a pretty tawdry headline): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituari...-affair-wifes/ although I haven’t read it as I don’t subscribe.

Discovering his recording of his father’s Dies Natalis was an important moment in my musical journey.

To my great surprise I find I do have a Telegraph account - and then I remembered I took it out to place a death notice for my mother, as it was the only paper she and anyone she knew read. The first part of the obituary deals extensively with the menage à trois of him, his wife Hilary and her sister Jacqueline du Pré (during her marriage to Daniel Barenboim), which is recounted in the book Hilary and Piers du Pré wrote, "A Genius in the Family", and a pretty tawdry, self-pitying book it is too. (For anyone looking for a proper biog of du Pré, of course, there is Elizabeth Wilson). More than that I can't really say, as that's all I know about Christopher Finzi.

[ardcarp]

Discovering his recording of his father’s Dies Natalis was an important moment in my musical journey.

That was...is...one of those unsurpassed classics of the LP era, not only for the wonderful Wilfrid Brown, but for the incredible direction of the strings by Christopher Finzi.

[Alain Maréchal]

That was...is...one of those unsurpassed classics of the LP era, not only for the wonderful Wilfrid Brown, but for the incredible direction of the strings by Christopher Finzi.

I have heard many other performances and recordings, most of them by tenors who were better singers than Wilfrid Brown, none of them by tenors with better diction or a better exposition of the text.

[Lordgeous]

Agree entirely. I too grew up with that recording. RIP Christopher.

[Serial_Apologist]

A programme on Radio titled "The Musical Side of the Family" was broadcast in 2000, in which Christopher talked about his father. It dealt in its own way from his point of view mainly with the Kiffer/Jacqueline affair. I have a cassette of it.

[pastoralguy]

Just heard that Gerald Finzi’s son Christopher died a couple of weeks ago.

There’s a Telegraph obituary (with a pretty tawdry headline)

Discovering his recording of his father’s Dies Natalis was an important moment in my musical journey.

Yes, that headline is a pretty low blow, isn't it?

I remember sight reading 'Dies Natalis' and being completely blown away by it. I'm sure it was the Christopher Finzi recording I bought the following day.

[LMcD]

A programme on Radio titled "The Musical Side of the Family" was broadcast in 2000, in which Christopher talked about his father. It dealt in its own way from his point of view mainly with the Kiffer/Jacqueline affair. I have a cassette of it.

Broadcast on Radio 4 at 1.30 p.m. on the 6th of June 2000.
The Daily Telegraph - or at least the perpetrator of that headline - should be ashamed of itself/himself/herself.

[Serial_Apologist]

Broadcast on Radio 4 at 1.30 p.m. on the 6th of June 2000.

Thanks - I might add that info to my index card

The Daily Telegraph - or at least the perpetrator of that headline - should be ashamed of itself/himself/herself.

Indeed, the Telegraph going straight in for sensationalism.

[antongould]

Just heard that Gerald Finzi’s son Christopher died a couple of weeks ago.

........ Discovering his recording of his father’s Dies Natalis was an important moment in my musical journey.

... and mine Rumpole .....