An Italian boy wonder dies in New York , aged 85
RIPThe death has been recorded today in a New York hospital of the celebrated Italian conductor, Piero Gamba. He was 85.
A child prodigy who made his debut as Pierino in Rome, conducting Beethoven’s fifth symphony in 1945, Gamba went on to become music director in Winnipeg, Adelaide and Montevideo. Yehudi Menuhin was an admirer and collaborator, as was Ruggiero Ricci.
Gamba made his home in New York but stuggled to obtain recognition from US orchestras.
What a shame. His recording of the Beethoven piano concertos with Julius Katchen and the LSO is top notch. May he rest in peace.
The one to hear is his Rossini Overtures with the LSO. They really stand the test of time.
He fell into the “glamour” mode of the profession and the career stalled big time. An extraordinary talent that never grew.
amazing. he should of had a
great career.
Piero Gamba was as charming a man as he proved to be a very competent conductor. He was my guest for a half-hour TV show in French while in Winnipeg in the late 1970’s and he also took part in recording a pilot radio one hour special devoted to Glenn Gould. I remember driving around the city one day in his Italian sports car listening loudly to Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring with Karajan whom Gamba admired enthusiastically. He spoke English and French fluently with of course a lovely Italian accent. Che riposi in pace.
The videos of him studying and
conducting as a boy are lovely.
Thank you. May he rest in peace.
Gamba conducted the Philharmonia on most of the tracks on one of Pavarotti’s most delightful albums, Mattinata.
My favorite track from Mattinata is Gluck’s Che Faro. I know Pavarotti’s performance doesn’t please the purists, but I love it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZeiUpvqcss
In 1979, while conductor of the Winnipeg Symphony, Piero Gamba brought that orchestra to Carnegie Hall for a concert gala on behalf of the “Symphonicum Europae Foundation.”
The master of ceremonies for this event was Peter Ustinov. The instrumental soloists included Yehudi Menuhin, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Jorge Bolet, Byron Janis, Gary Graffman. The soprano Roberta Peters and alto Maureen Forrester sang. Audience members included Pierre Elliott Trudeau and flamenco dancer Jose Greco.
I do not know the purpose of this concert. The only result I’m aware of was a single LP of highlights issued in 1980 by the Moss Music Group (MMG 1122 / CBC Series).
Perhaps someone familiar with the “Symphonicum Europae Foundation” will comment further.