Mariss Jansons RIP

[Shade]

This morning the death of conductor Mariss Jansons was announced. Very sad news. I remember his Vienna New Year concerts 

[alison]

It's not been a good time for the classical music world just recently - too many losses  

 

I'm greatly saddened by the loss of this conductor in particular - but at the same time immensely grateful for the more than two decades' borrowed time he was able to go on living, and producing his music, after the heart attack that by all accounts ought to have killed him.  After that, I made sure never to miss a concert programme of his in London, just in case, and his performances have formed many of the highlights of my concert-going life: in fact, what I think was his penultimate one here was one I described as "Superb. Absolutely superb. One of the best live concerts I've ever attended."

 

My deepest sympathies to his family, colleagues and all those who loved him.

[alison]

A very detailed obituary - almost as detailed as Jansons' performances - in the Guardian:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/dec/01/mariss-jansons-obituary#comment-136067749

[alison]

And I turn the Radio 3 evening concert on and who should I find conducting (R.) Strauss and Brahms ...

[JohnS]

On 08/01/2020 at 19:36, alison said:

And I turn the Radio 3 evening concert on and who should I find conducting (R.) Strauss and Brahms ...

 

Many thanks Alison - a fabulous concert, with the Intermezzo interludes and some favourite Strauss lieder and what a tremendous Brahms 4.
 

A great series of repeats this week in the evening concert slot.  I’m rather pleased that Kirill Petrenko conducting Berg’s Lulu Suite and Beethoven 9 in his inaugural performance with the Berlin Philharmonic was on Monday.  I’d seen some clips at the time but hadn’t caught the entire concert.  And I have to say how good it is that it will still be on BBC sounds on 31 January: rather more fitting than Big Ben at 11:00 pm if I’m allowed to say so.

[alison]

This just in from the Barbican:

 

"Thank you for booking tickets to Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday 7 April.

Following the sad news of Mariss Jansons's passing in December 2019, we have been unable to secure a replacement conductor for the BRSO concert on 7th April. We therefore regretfully have to cancel this performance and would like to apologise for the disappointment this is likely to cause. We look forward to presenting the wonderful BRSO in future seasons.

Ticketholders will receive a full refund to the original payment method. If you have received physical tickets, please return them to:

Freepost RTLZ-UUK-ATUG
Box Office
Barbican Centre 
London 
EC2Y 8DS

There is no need to contact the Box Office by telephone if your tickets are being held for collection or are e-tickets. If you have any queries, our Box Office team can be reached at tickets@barbican.org.uk."

[JohnS]

Literally irreplaceable - and just to say the Strauss/Brahms concert repeated on 8 January is still on BBC Sounds for two more days.

[alison]

Thanks for the reminder, John - I've just been listening to it again, and even on my distinctly tinny laptop speakers it sounds excellent - clear as a bell, and every note given its right weight, no indistinct "wall of sound" here.  Very Jansons.  Recorded last October, apparently, so one of his last  

[alison]

I've just been listening to Radio 3's In Tune and discovered that there's a documentary being made about Jansons - out perhaps the end of this year, or the beginning of next.  Sounds as though it may be a BBC production - but I thought they weren't going to produce anything new for BBC4?  The news - plus an interview with one of the Concertgebouw players who worked with him - is about 6.15 pm/an hour and a quarter into the show.

 

And incidentally, the afternoon concerts on Radio 3 this week are featuring his old orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra - although I think the recordings may well all be since his death.