Epic music film-maker dies, 89
RIPBarrie Gavin died yesterday.
One of the most energetic young producers on David Attenborough’s BBC2 channel, Gavin formed a creative relationship with Pierre Boulez and later with Karlheinz Stockhausen, gaining access to the cutting edge of contemporary music. He made 10 films involving Boulez and later another 10 with Simon Rattle.
He also documented Berio, Nono, John Adams, Gubaidulina, Henze, Reimann, Takemitsu, Birtwistle, Knussen and many more.
Colin Matthews writes: ‘In recent years he had undertaken extended filmed interviews with British composers, recognising that this was a gap that needed filling. At the time of his death he was making a film with Howard Skempton.’
A great person and friend to many in music, especially composers. He had a remarkable kinship with many and was much beloved. He’ll be sorely missed, but we have the huge legacy of extraordinary films/documentaries.
A brilliant film-maker and a lovely person. He was very kind to me when I was starting out and always charm personified when I saw him in recent years.
It would be great to see some (or even all) of the excellent music documentaries that he made over the years available in some form again (I’m thinking of Porgy and Bess with the CBSO and “From East to West” (I think that was the title), again with the CBSO.) His output was of a very high calibre.