German conductor dies, aged 100
mainA family member of Helmut Winschermann has found him dead at his home in Bonn.
Winschermann, who made more than 100 recordings, started out as an oboist in the Concertgebouw.
He conducted annually in Japan and was the founder of the Deutsche Bachsolisten, making many Bach arrangments of his own.
A great artist and inspirational figure as both oboist and conductor RIP.
I’ve got lots of recordings by Maestro Winschermann and the Deutsche Bachsolisten. Their Bach recordings are among my favorites. They are all flowingly but naturally paced (never maniacally fast as seems to be the present norm), beautifully phrased, and well-balanced.
The Bachsolisten were all top-drawer virtuosi. And the orchestra was just the right size – not too large but not tiny.
Auf wiedersehen, Maestro. You lived a long and musically productive life, bringing joy to many.
He was not only a fine musician, but also a fine person. While studying in Detmold, where he was a professor, he invited me to play in his Deutsche Bachsolisten – I was just a kid, whereas the others were concertmasters in German orchestras. He gave me the chance to eat and pursue my dreams.