 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-04-27 10:29
Mstislav Rostropovich died in a Moscow clinic today, aged 80.
R.I.P.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-04-27 11:32
No official details of his passing, but here is an article from the post:
Article
Sorry...never learned how to do that link thing.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: BobD
Date: 2007-04-27 11:33
How lucky we are he left such a great collection of recordings
Bob Draznik
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2007-04-27 11:44
Tobin wrote:
> Sorry...never learned how to do that link thing.
That's why there's that Help link. The instructions are there.
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Author: Dan Oberlin ★2017
Date: 2007-04-27 11:56
We played Bernstein's Slava in concert this last Tuesday. In the middle of the
performance the lights on stage and in the rest of the hall inexplicably switched off for a couple of seconds, not long enough to stop the music.
Prophetic!
D.O.
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2007-04-27 14:23
Slava was my "boss" -- music director -- for 17 years. I'm deeply saddened by his passing and I hope you will permit me to share a few insights into the personality of this musical giant and great human being! Unlike many symphony music directors and celebrities he always had time to interact with the musicians on a personal basis, even to the extent of travelling to Washington from an engagement in Canada to play his cello at the funeral of one of our stagehands!
I wasn't there at the time, but was told by a colleague that during the early days of the US-Soviet cultural exchanges (in the 1950's) he was part of a team, including Shostakovitch and Khachaturian, who came to Washington to put a good face on Soviet musical culture. While Khachaturian, a notorious Stalinist yes-man, was on the podium Slava walked up behind one of the NSO percussionists, pointed at Khachaturian and uttered -- in English -- an epithet unquotable here (but relating to oral sex)!
After a tour concert in Boston I took my niece to Slava's dressing room because she wanted to meet him in person. Despite the fact that he was deep in conversation with Joan Kennedy -- Teddy's ex-wife -- he broke that off to greet us and talk briefly to my niece. Not many music directors would do that.
Early in his NSO career he conducted a concert ending with Brahms' 2nd Symphony. Even though I didn't play in that work I hung around for an after-concert reception. As Slava walked off stage during an audience ovation, he spotted me (in civvies) and my wife standing backstage, spread his arms and asked: "Larry, why you not onstage?" I replied: "Sorry Slava, but there's no bass clarinet part in Brahms' Second." His reaction was "Dahts beeg mistake from Brahms!"
I will always treasure the memories of many sublime musical experiences with him. Although he never really mastered the technical aspects of conducting, his musical insights into the music of, especially, his compatriots Tchaikowsky, Shostakovich and Prokoffiev were electrifying!
[Just got a phone call that there will be a memorial service for him Monday night a 7 at the Russian Orthodox church in Washington.]
Not too many symphony players grieve at the passing of their music director. I know that there will be quite a number who will be saddened by the news of Rostropovich's demise!
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Author: BassetHorn
Date: 2007-04-27 15:20
What!!!!!!
I just read an article about him on the new Grammaphone magazine, I think.
And Boris Yeltsin died only a few days earlier.
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Author: Tony Beck
Date: 2007-04-27 20:49
I was in the audience at the Kennedy Center for his first concert as music director of the NSO (and many others afterward). He was always fun to watch, for instance the time his baton went sailing into the percussion section. (Was that at his first concert as NSO MD?) The music was superb!
Larry B., your playing under Slava was one of my inspirations to keep practicing!
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Author: hartt
Date: 2007-04-27 21:10
yes, another sad passing of a great teacher and artist.
Rostropovich came to Hartt while I was there in the middle of the latter 60's. Initially, he was a visiting professor and I can still envision him giving Master Classes in Millard Auditorium.
A young freshman cellist he took under his wing was Patrick Smith, a graduate of the NY High School of Music and Art.
Later, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate degree.
His solo performances with the Hartt Symphony conducted by Moshe Paranov, were legendary.
He also taught at the Curtis Institute.
regards
dennis
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2007-04-27 22:20
I don't remember the baton- in- the-percussion-section incident -- must have happened during one of the other pieces in which I didn't have a part! Batons can be dangerous-- once Georg Solti, while conducting in Paris--I think, speared a baton all the way through his hand. And he was a very experienced chef!
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Author: Kevin
Date: 2007-04-28 00:28
His 1978 recording of the Dvorak with Giulini and the London Phil is one of my favorite performances ever captured on disc. What a remarkable figure of our musical world.
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Author: ChrisArcand
Date: 2007-04-28 03:48
I feel honored to have been able to attend a concert of him leading the New York Phil. playing Shostakovich almost exactly one year ago when I was out in New York.
Go out and see the legends like him, before you lose your opportunities. The world is smaller than you think. (or at least in our business it is!)
CA
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Author: donald
Date: 2007-04-28 05:14
Thanks to Mr Bocaner for his tribute, which i forwarded on to a friend of mine who is a scholar specialising in Russian music, and who studied cello extensively with Rostropovich after working with one of his students for some years. One small coment from my friend, however, on Mr Bocaners first posting....
.... < Khachaturian wasn't the yes-man, this fellow has him confused with Dmitri Kabalevsky. Khachaturian suffered immensely at the hands of the Soviets. But it's a very sweet tribute. >
donald
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Author: vin
Date: 2007-04-28 14:24
Khachaturian was Armenian, and yes, suffered immensely under the Soviets for sticking up for Armenian rights/independance/culture.
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2007-04-28 23:18
I stand corrected: the [expletive] Soviet composer must have been Kabalevsky. No mention of Khachaturian in this contemporary account of the 1959 cultural exchange:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,865075,00.html
The --now deceased -- NSO percussionist who told me the story did specify Khachaturian, but it appears that Khachaturian was not even on that junket!
The whole episode makes a lot more sense this way!
Thanks, Donald, to your friend for clarifying this matter!
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