The formidable clarinet player Guy Arnaud died this morning.

An associate of Pierre Boulez, he was solo bass clarinet of the Ensemble Intercontemporain, as well as director of the Orchestre Colonne.

He appeared on many recordings of 20th century music, including Boulez’s extraodinary tribute to Frank Zappa.

 

The family of Philip Doghan have announced his death on social media.

Philip started out at Covent Garden in 1961 as a boy Fairy in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

He went on to sing 140 roles in 62 opera houses, including 15 world premieres, before becoming Professor of Singing at the Royal Academy of Music, and in Zurich, Copenhagen and Cologne.

There will be a memorial service at St. Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9ED on Tuesday, 25 February 2020 at 2:30pm

This letter appeared today in the Inquirer, warning against the loss of a very particular Philadelphia sound.

Dear Maestro,

The Philadelphia Orchestra is fortunate to have a Music Director of your capabilities and stature, and in that position, I ask you to respect and protect a cherished tradition that has been an integral part of the Orchestra since the days of Leopold Stokowski.

One of the great shining lights in the Orchestra’s history was Marcel Tabuteau, principal oboist from 1915 to 1954, and teacher at the Curtis Institute of Music from 1925 until his retirement. In those capacities, he is rightly credited for raising classical music performance standards in this country to an unprecedented level. His students and colleagues on all instruments learned from him and passed on his musical principles to the generations that succeeded them.

When Tabuteau retired, his student, John de Lancie assumed his position, as later did de Lancie’s student, Richard Woodhams: an unbroken chain of more than 100 years’ duration, advancing a very special musical concept and sound that has contributed significantly to the unique character of the Philadelphia Orchestra. It distresses me and many other knowledgeable musicians, who understand the subtleties of which I speak, that you are considering engaging someone of a different school of playing, thus not preserving the extraordinary tradition that has inspired us for so many years.

I urge you to select a principal oboist of the same school of playing as that of the past. I can say with absolute certainty that there are oboists readily available who can meet your rigorous standards, and who understand Tabuteau’s concepts. You owe it to Philadelphia, to the Orchestra, to future generations, and to yourself, to allow this great tradition to continue unhindered.

Sincerely,

Marc Mostovoy

Founder, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia

 

 

She’s to be Chief Conductor and Curator of Chicago’s Ravinia Festival from this summer.

She is also music director of the Baltimore Symphony and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, as well as outgoing chief in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

We hear from agents that all concerts in South Korea have been cancelled for the rest of February.

It’s the coronavirus.

 

The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, forced to cancel February concerts by the coronavirus outbreak, has posted home-made videos on their WeChat account to keep subscribers engaged.

The musicians, wearing ordinary clothes, have sent out this message: ‘We firmly believe that the epidemic will eventually pass. Love and hope always spread faster than viruses’.

The Sapporo Symphony in Japan has extended the contract of the UK-based Swiss conductor Matthias Bamert.

He’ll finish in March 2024.

 

The conductor’s widow Eliette, 80, has stepped down as head of the foundation that sustains the Salzburg Easter Festival.

Her place will be taken by her daughters, Isabel and Arabel von Karajan.

Message received:

MEXICO CITY, January 4 (EL UNIVERSAL) – Young people with scholarships from the OperaStudio Beckmann will receive classes of the spaniard Placido Domingo, on February 19, said tenor Benito Rodríguez, the studio’s director.

He added that in addition to the studio’s activities, they are working on a project to build a theater and conservatory that will be named after Placido Domingo. Last year, the singer was accused of sexual harassment.

“We are in the process of starting the Placido Domingo Theater in the city of Tequila, and we will have it for different cultural events, such as opera, dance and theater.

Rodriguez said that the conservatory will be next to the theater. “We plan to have this project ready in two or three years. The theater will have a capacity for about 900 people.

See also: Did Domingo shaming change anything?

The eminent composer Volker David Kirchner died yesterday in Wiesbaden after a short illness, his publisher announced.

Kirchner, based mostly in Mainz, wrote 16 operas on commission from various German houses. Belshazzar (1985), for Munich, got the most limelight, followed by Gilgamesh, which showed at Expo 2000 in Hannover.

His concert music was taken up by Yo Yo Ma, Lars Vogt and others. An accomplished violinist and former orchestra player, his music was always thoughtful and well made.

Not much change in this ranking down recent years:

1 Salzburg Festival
Smiles at you from miles off

2 La Scala Milan
The beatitudes of Saint Paolo

3 New York Philharmonic
Sharp, on the ball, share as much as they can

=3 LA Phil
Sophie’s got it covered

5 Berlin Phil
No-fuss, nice folk

6 Vienna Phil
Outsourced PR, very smart

7 Cleveland Orch
Pleasure to deal with.

= 7 Boston Symph
Getting better all the time

9 Grange Park Opera
Best of the UK countryhouse set

10 Chicago Symphony
Never sleeps

 

Nothing to do with Harry and Meghan, but we hear the Royal Society of Musicians is in turmoil.

Recent resignations include Phoebe Fullbrook, Membership Secretary, Penny Ryan, Administrative advisor, George Vass, Treasurer and Corinne Littlehales, the popular Caseworker.

In addition, after last night’s meeting, ‘Hazel Mulligan has resigned as Governor. This is because Hazel is not happy with the direction that the RSM is heading in.’

And the composer Robert Saxton has resigned as Member of the Court of Assistants.

The RSM exists ‘to provide vital financial assistance, advice and guidance to those professionally active in the world of music but who are unable to work due to accident, illness or old age.’

Not a pack of happy campers.