Death of Magdeburg music director, 66
RIPThe death has been communicated of Barry Jordan, organist and music director of Magdeburg Cathedral in Germany. The cause of death was cancer.
A graduate of the university of Cape Town, he studied in Vienna and spent his apprentice years in Schleswig-Holstein before receiving the call to Magdeburg in 1994.
He commissioned two new organs for the cathedral and performed the complete organ works of J S Bach over 18 hours on October 9, 2000. His oratorio Die Himmelsleiter was premiered there in June this year.
Barry was an equally talented composer as he was an organist, conductor and clarinettist (the latter being something he probably would have preferred to have been forgotten). His intellect, wit, memory and proximity to the C.O.E meant he was unparalleled at remembering ‘alternate’ words for hymns – all unrepeatable. He was a connoisseur of the Goon Show and an Anthony Burgess scholar. He addressed me “Hello Jim” for over 40 years and I shall miss him…
Barry was my music teacher at high school in Cape Town. He was a fine teacher and I’ll never forget our musicology classes where he introduced us to Stockhausen and other 20C composers. Barry was a kind, gentle and talented man and I will never forget him.