I'm putting this in the H&N section since my old friend the musicologist Richard Toop was best known for his writings on the music of Stockhausen, Ferneyhough, Ligeti and other late 20th and early 21st century composers, and the only writer I've ever known who could make the analysis of complex serial music entertaining and exciting. He was a witty raconteur, a towering intellect and a source of enthusiasm and encouragement for several generations of composers, not only in his adopted home of Sydney but throughout the world. It was a privilege and a pleasure to know him. And if this all seems hyperbolic, read some of his fearsomely eloquent writings and you'll see what I mean.
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Oh, this is terrible news. Not "hyperbolic" at all - he was a superb writer and communicator: his articles made readers eager to hear the Music discussed ... and they heard it with greater insight and appreciation.
A great loss even to those of us who only knew him through his work - my condolences to you and his other friends and colleagues.
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT] -
Sad news indeed
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Was he by any chance related to David Toop, the British improvising musician and producer? I have often wondered, with Toop being an unusual name.Comment
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Which articles do you recommend? Are they easily available?Comment
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Very sad news indeed.Comment
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Most important for me have been his writings on Stockhausen. There's a lot of stuff on Ferneyhough, and his book on Ligeti, but nobody understood and could articulate Stockhausen's vision and working methods in such a compelling way as Richard. I would particularly recommend his book Six Lectures for the Stockhausen Courses 2002, it's a bit expensive but packed with fascinating stuff.Originally posted by Orphical View PostComment
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The Ligeti book was supposedly commissioned by Norman Lebrecht, no less...Originally posted by Richard Barrett View PostComment
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