Lament for London viola
RIPThe London Philharmonic Orchestra have announced the death, after a long illness, of veteran Co-Principal Viola Anthony Byrne.
He played through the Haitink, Solti, Tennstedt and Masur years, 1974 to 2010.
Tony, who was born in Leinster, was previously a founding member of the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
There are 12 different counties in Leinster? Which one exactly was he born in?
May he RIP
Dublin
Wonderful guy. I remember as a very young budding conductor going along to watch an LPO rehearsal for the first time, and somehow ending up being taken under his wing: we went off for a sandwich and he talked to me about the ‘business’ in an engaging and wholly uncynical way, even showing interest in my enthusiastic, naive and probably terribly opinionated thoughts about conductors etc.! He took himself off to the back of the section in later years, letting new blood take the lead. And just kept playing, and no doubt being funny and generous with it.
Truly a gentleman…RIP Tony.