Carlo Curley

[Guest]

I have just read this:
The Facebook posting said "It is with great sadness that I must report that our dear friend Carlo Curley passed away about 5pm. He will be greatly missed by all who loved him and his amazing gift as a musician. Rest in peace Carlissimo"
Very sad news.

[mercia]

just shy of 60 years old
I heard him once at Manchester Town Hall - sorry to say I didn't really like his style of playing but his concerts were always sellouts - an entertainer and populariser

[VodkaDilc]

Perhaps the Cameron Carpenter of an older generation. Certainly a master-showman - as well as an outstanding musician.

[Stanfordian]

I have just read this:
The Facebook posting said "It is with great sadness that I must report that our dear friend Carlo Curley passed away about 5pm. He will be greatly missed by all who loved him and his amazing gift as a musician. Rest in peace Carlissimo"
Very sad news.

I recall Carlo Curley playing a new church organ in a recital at Thornton a small town on the Fylde coast. He was the best organist that I have heard. Very commercially minded he reminded the audience several times, even breaking in to his recital to tell the audience that he was selling his CDs in the interval and at the end of his recital. He said not to worry if they had not enough cash with them as he had brought a credit card machine with him; the sort that produced a carbon copy of the slip. It worked he had long queues wanting his discs. A real bumbling type of character I remember that he played the whole recital with rolled up toilet paper sticking out of his nose, by about three quarters of an inch, that he said had been bleeding. He will be sadly missed. May he R.I.P.

[PJPJ]

I heard him twice, at Hereford Cathedral and Kingston Parish Church, an entertaining performer and very fine musician. RIP.

[Dave2002]

Scary. I think some of us here are older.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ryq4JNe8Hc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

and there is also a part 2

[amateur51]

" an entertaining performer and very fine musician. RIP."

Nicely put, PJPJ

[hmvman]

This is very sad news. He was indeed very much a showman but, as others have said, a fine musician. I was at a concert of his at the Snape Maltings about twenty years ago and he gave a superb performance of the Elgar Sonata on the Allen Computer Organ. I also recall at the same concert he turned to grin at the audience, Russ Conway style, during one of the pieces. At York Minster a few years ago he stood in the organ loft and waved regally to the audience below in the Choir. As you say, Stanfordian, he wasn't slow to promote his CDs and I think he used the same line about the credit card machine at that York Minster recital. I queued to buy a CD and Carlo signed it - and called me "darling"!

[Frances_iom]

..I queued to buy a CD and Carlo signed it ..!

I suspect he must have signed most as I have several of his CDs purchased secondhand over 50% are signed.
Selling CDs after a performance is quite usual - I bought several Fisher Cds that way + several at various French recitals I've been to during Organ festivals - I can't however recall ever hearing Carlo in person

[LeMartinPecheur]

IIRC I heard Curley once playing his electronic travelling instrument.

What I'm quite sure of is that I bought a ticket to hear him on the Winchester cathedral organ and then forgot to go to the concert

No rectifying that one now RIP

[mercia]

did Mr Curley live in this country?

wikipedia says he died in Melton Mowbray

[antongould]

Big piece which you may have heard in Breakfast this morning SMP informed that tiny world he lived in Leicester .....

[Old Grumpy]

Big piece which you may have heard in Breakfast this morning SMP informed that tiny world he lived in Leicester .....

To the London-centric media Melton Mowbray is Leicester!

[amateur51]

To the London-centric media Melton Mowbray is Leicester!

Ahem to fanciers of pork products worldwide, Melton Mowbray is Nirvana

[cloughie]

Ahem to fanciers of pork products worldwide, Melton Mowbray is Nirvana

I think he was more of an expert on pi(p)es!