Martin Isepp has died

[mercia]

PT announced on Breakfast that the vocal coach/accompanist Martin Isepp died on Christmas Day aged 81

do any members have Isepp recordings in their collection?
............ or other memories .........

http://www.nationaloperastudio.org.uk/staffbiogs/isepp.htm

[french frank]

Petroc Trelawney announced on Breakfast that the pianist Martin Isepp died on Christmas Day aged 81

do any members have Isepp recordings in their collection?
http://www.nationaloperastudio.org.u...iogs/isepp.htm

My favourite version of Butterworth's A Shropshire Lad was/is (but I don't have the LP any longer) John Shirley Quirk and Martin Isepp.

[VodkaDilc]

Very sad. Of course I have the famous old recording of Frauenliebe und Leben (and other Schubert and Brahms songs) with Janet Baker. The LP was one of my most played records (on Saga, I think) and there's a good CD version. It must have been recorded in the early 60s I would think.

[Alison]

FANTASTIC WORK DOWN AT GLYNdEBOURNE TOO.

RIP.

[Chris Newman]

A wonderful accompanist, witness the famous recordings (alas few) with Janet Baker, Stephanie Blythe, David Daniels, John Shirley Quirk, Elizabeth Soderstrom, and Alexander Young. Look through the small print of Glyndebourne DVDs and Glyndebourne Proms and (as Alison reminds us) he worked very hard there as a repititeur and continuo player.

RIP

[amateur51]

Very sad to hear this news - a true musician and he will be remembered all over the music-loving world, I'm sure.

The Janet Baker/Martin Isepp/Schumann recording was the first memory that popped into my head on reading this sad news

[Chris Newman]

Martin Isepp worked a lot in his native Vienna. He made many recordings of Handel, Purcell and music of that period with Brian Priestman and the Vienna Radio Orchestra. He lived and worked often in Canada and the USA where he conducted as well, including at the Metropolitan Opera.

Here are some wonderful moments of music making with Martin Isepp.

First Alexander Young and Maureen Forrester in Purcell. The arrangements are by Michael Tippett and Walter Goehr who revived Purcell from near obscurity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWRt5nlLf-s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHONSLb7bJw

John Shirley Quirk's singing of Butterworth introduced me to English Song. What a fine debut recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xMPichAUrM

Frederica von Stade's Edinburgh Festival recital touched the heart in Britten:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1RbQxjkiSA

Here is Martin Isepp last year with Paul Austin Kelly in fine Haydn songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzlvFcYdVjs

Here is Janet Baker with MI and Charles Mackerras:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_50zj7J50U

And again at Glyndebourne with James Bowman and Raymond Leppard (and too much other continuo)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAHpcLkac38

[rodney_h_d]

Very sad. Of course I have the famous old recording of Frauenliebe und Leben (and other Schubert and Brahms songs) with Janet Baker. The LP was one of my most played records (on Saga, I think) and there's a good CD version. It must have been recorded in the early 60s I would think.

Sad indeed. Same for me regarding that LP - on Saga as you say - which was the first I knew of him. I remember trying to get a copy of it with a reasonably quiet surface which wasn't easy with any Saga LP. Eventually, Record Specialities in London's Euston Road gave me 10 copies to take home and see if I could find a reasonable pressing. I was delighted when it eventually appeared on CD - now available from Regis. I shall play it this evening.

[verismissimo]

Wonderful list, thanks Chris.

[french frank]

I've had a message from Michael Gamble who worked as piano and harpsichord tuner/technician at Glyndebourne with Martin for over a quarter of a century; he used to tune Martin's piano at his house. Michael has been reading these comments and writes:

"In one of the fields a question was asked by a member relating to recordings of my late friend Martin Isepp. Yes, I recorded him playing my Steinway accompanying in a recital given by two members of the London Opera Group: Emma Selway and Howard Croft. This was a fund raising venture in a barn in Sussex on a very windy evening. Recorded on DAT. Some of the items were introduced by Martin. I only recently sent him a CD edited to exclude the poetry readings and main introduction... Michael"

[gurnemanz]

That Saga LP of Frauenliebe and other songs with Janet Baker was an absolute favourite. I've just played the Regis CD. Their "Süßer Freund" is exquisite.

The insert note reminded me that Isepp's mother, Helena, had been Janet's teacher.

[amateur51]

Many thanks for msg #10, french frank

And msg#7 is an absolute treasure trove, Chris - many thanks for a fitting tribute