These we have lost in 2024
NewsThere have been some irreparable losses. Germany mourned its two foremost composers, the bust conductors Andrew Davis and Leif Segerstam stopped beating, the world’ foremost Jewish liturgist sang his last and we paused to mourn the dissident Russian pianist Pavel Kushner, hounded to his death in a Putin jail.
Horn star Hermann Baumann, January 2
Soprano Sarah Rice, January 7
P D Q Bach, January 18
Composer Ivan Moody, January 18
Contralto Ewa Podles, January 20
Concertmaster Sydney Weiss, January 20
Conductor Seiji Ozawa, February 6
Soprano Wilhelmenia Fernandez,February 7
Violist Patrick Ireland, February 26
Composer Aribert Reimann, March 13
Pianist Byron Janis, March 17
Pianist Maurizio Pollini, March 23
Composer Peter Eötvös, March 24
Concertmaster Franco Fantini,
Mezzo Claire Powell, April 8
Conductor Andrew Davis, April 20
Concertmaster Norman Carol, April 28
Concertmaster Werner Hink, May 21
Opera chief Hugues Gall May 26
Elgar biographer Jerrold Northrop Moore, May 27
Francoise Hardy, chanteuse, June 14
Soprano Jodie Devos, June 16
Editor Sytze Smit, June 23
Conductor James Loughran, June 23
Composer Alexander Knaifel, June 27
Video artist Bill Viola, July 14
Soprano April Cantelo, July 18
Composer Sarah Gibson, July 18
Composer Wolfgang Rihm, July 27
Baritone Benjamin Luxon, July 28
Cellist Antonio Meneses, August 3
Jailed Russian pianist Pavel Kushner, August 3 (pictured)
Zamira Menuhin, August 4
Fado star Misia, August 6
Composer Alexander Goehr August 26
Hazzan Naftali Herstik, September 2
Bossa Nova king Sérgio Mendes, September 5
Cellist Rohan de Saram, September 29
Conductor Leif Segerstam, October 9
Soprano Sarah Leonard, November 1
Hollywood’s prime musician Quincy Jones, November 3
Documentarist Barrie Gavin, November 13
Violinist György Pauk, November 19
Concertmaster Laura Samuel, November 22
Rossini Festival founder Gianfranco Mariotti, November 23
Jazz pianist Martial Solal, December 12
Tabla player Zakar Hussain, December 15
There was also Nuala Willis. A fine contralto and Mrs. John Rawnsley.
Well it’s a selective list – I’m sure we all know excellent musicians who have died this year but are unmentioned here.
Of those nominated in this RIP roll most of whom I have never heard, though I did meet Wolfgang Rihm once.
I would add Lucine Amara, who was a stalwart at the Met for 30+ years.
The loss of soprano Jodie Devos was especially shocking. So sad
I would like to remember Mezzo-Soprano, Margaret Cable, who had a glorious British mezzo voice. Stunning technique and my beloved voice teacher from my fellowship year at the Royal College is Music, London.