Hornspieler RIP

[cloughie]

Sad to hear of his passing. His contributions will be much missed RIP

[Alison]

Well said everyone. A sad day for our forum family.

[french frank]

I was thinking only a few days ago that he had been absent now for a number of weeks. I much appreciated Tony's comments about someone he had known and worked with. He will be missed.

[johncorrigan]

Sorry to hear this sad news. My best to his family.

[Nick Armstrong]

I am immensely saddened by this news. 52 years ago, while still a student, I had the enormous pleasure of playing in the B.S.O horn section with Donald ('Hornspieler'), during the legendary Silvestri era. I will never forget his friendliness and encouragement, plus the musical example he set to me, his 'low horn colleague', by his pure, refined and cultured horn playing that was very much in the Dennis Brain style. Later this evening I will play the first recording we ever made together with the B.S.O and Silvestri, various Tchaikovsky works, and I'll think of Donald and say a prayer for him.
R.I.P.

Sad news indeed. Like Richard (post #1) I also had the pleasure of some email exchanges with Don, with some interesting attachments - not least a CD he sent me of broadcast performances in which he took part.

His inimitable posts and endlessly interesting reminiscences of the life of a professional orchestral musician will indeed be sadly missed.

[richardfinegold]

He reached out to ask if I would friend him soon after I joined the Forum. Since I am a Physician he shared some family health problems. I found his stories very amusing

[BBMmk2]

Oh no. This is very sad to read. It was always great reading his posts. RIP Hornspieler

[Alain Maréchal]

This is very sad. I have always enjoyed the posts from Hornspieler, as from all executant musicians, they told us so much, and his memories of his orchestral performances were fascinating. I never heard the BSO in concert (geography prevented it) and there are many questions I should have asked about recordings, but didn't. A reminder to us all that history is carried in the memories of those who were there, and then they are gone for ever, along with their owners. It is strange to mourn somebody one never met, but I will.

[edashtav]

Oh no. This is very sad to read. It was always great reading his posts. RIP Hornspieler

Donald Froud will be sorely missed: he could spin a yarn as finely as he once played horn solos. I was a Junior Western Orchestral Society Member that entitled me to hear Donald live with the BSO under its greatest conductor : Constantin Silvestri for a trifling 2/6 per concert. Their performances have stayed with me, informing and enriching me throughout life. It was one of the great joys of joining For3: to be reconnected with Donald and his insights, both real and imagined, into British Provincial Orchestral life. Donald shared his private collection of BSO recordings with me, as other boarders have noted, and to hear the trouble he, Charles Groves, and the orchestra took to command what were then 'difficult' scores, such as Walton's Second Symphony before it had been 'explained' by George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra was like journeying in a musical Tardis. Donald loved 'his' music and shared his love with great generosity of spirit. R.I.P.

[Lat-Literal]

I have received an email from Graham Froud to say that our dear friend Donald, Hornspieler to us, passed away peacefully on 3rd January. I know that his many friends on the Forum will also wish to pass on their condolences. I did not meet Donald, but had the pleasure both of reading his contributions over many years and of exchanging emails with him offline. I know that he will be missed by many, including by his distinguished fellow professionals on the forum. His entertaining reminiscences of players and conductors gave much pleasure. I realised after one such private exchange that, to my great delight, I had once seen him on stage – at Exeter University, in early 1971, with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under the great Jascha Horenstein – they played Schumann’s Rhenish Symphony and Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra, the first piece of Strauss I’d heard live and one which made a deep impression.

I am sorry to hear this news.

Donald's memories and insights in posts were always of considerable interest and education.

As with and for others, he also sent me some fascinating e-mails along the way.

He will be missed.

[Jonathan]

Indeed, a sad loss. RIP Hornspieler and my condolences to his family.

[jayne lee wilson]

Just a few years ago, the HS and I would always review and exchange comments upon the Radio 3 Evening Concerts, on an almost weekly basis. The debate and disagreement could get get pretty vigorous, but that was an essential part of the enjoyment - and of my learning curve.
We exchanged PMs as well, and he taught me much, but most especially - always try to focus upon what makes this particular performance/recording different, its distinctive character (or lack of such); don't spend too many words on describing the music. I always tried to be more economical and to-the-point after that...

We could identify with each other the more, as, shortly after I had my own brush with mortality, he lost his daughter - a wonderfully gifted wildlife artist whom he evidently adored - to a serious illness.

Thanks Don - for the music, the words and the wisdom. May all the Horns of the World sing out for you!

[Lordgeous]

Just to add my condolences and appreciation. His insightful posts and fascinating stories will be very much missed. Did he ever pen anything autobiographical? Or publish any memoirs? RIP Hornspeiler and thanks for your contributions, on here, and to our musical life.

[Dave2002]

Just to add my condolences and appreciation. His insightful posts and fascinating stories will be very much missed. Did he ever pen anything autobiographical? Or publish any memoirs? RIP Hornspeiler and thanks for your contributions, on here, and to our musical life.

I think there were some quite lengthy posts, which indicated he might have been hoping to collect them together. Not sure how much progress there was. I think he would send out more if PMd directly, but not sure if these will now disappear from view, or if the reminiscences will reappear in any form. It would be good if they could be kept alive, somehow.

[Lordgeous]

Indeed. I wonder if any close friends or family could investigate at some future time?