WARD BOTSFORD: Birthday Salute on his Birthday

[Lance]

Yes, Ward Botsford, founder of the Classical Music Guide, whom we miss enormously on these boards, celebrated his would-be 78th birthday on June 22nd. He passed away on April 1, 2004. To see Ward, you would have never believed him to be much past 60; he had a full mop of light brown hair and was a wonderful friend, human being, conversationalist and lover of great music and possessed a great sense of humor. Ward gave the world many great recordings during his many years as a record producer. We think of him warmly.

[CharmNewton]

I still think about Ward, and although I didn't meet him, I still recall all of those chats. I am awed by the sheer number of recordings he produced for Vox--it seems he produced all of those Vox Boxes from the 50s and 60s (he mentioned on a few occasions that their tape editor was a quick as greased lightning). Through his work he has been able to touch millions. My best wishes for a happy would-be 78th.

John

[Ralph]

The often postponed breakfast or lunch meeting with Ward never, sadly, came about. We did e-mail each other quite regularly. He was a major figure in his field and for us he was a tower of gentility and integrity. People like Ward do not populate the Earth in great numbers and on cyber-boards even less so.

[Haydnseek]

Today I listened to two splendid recordings Ward Botsford produced for Arabesque:

Chopin's Preludes and Ballads played by Garrick Ohlsson. Wonderful piano sound!

[Corlyss_D]

Hardly a week goes by that I don't think of him several times. He was so kind and thoughtful to me when I was pretty worthless as a staffer. It kills me that a couple of months ago they announced that they have found a treatment for his condition that was so successful in curing it that they are terminating their wildly successful human trials and going into production for marketing shortly. If only he could have lasted a couple of more years.

[Ralph]

Hardly a week goes by that I don't think of him several times. He was so kind and thoughtful to me when I was pretty worthless as a staffer. It kills me that a couple of months ago they announced that they have found a treatment for his condition that was so successful in curing it that they are terminating their wildly successful human trials and going into production for marketing shortly. If only he could have lasted a couple of more years.

*****

That's what happens when medical progress makes a sharp jump. You should read The Mold in Doctor Florey's Coat about the clinical development of penicillin. Fascinating.

[springrite]

I know I have many Ward produced CDs in my colletion, but I do not know which ones are. When I finally get them out of storage into the new house by next year, I may look at the booklets and find out (that might take days or weeks to do so for all of them!). Is their a brief listing of some of them?

[Lance]

I know I have many Ward produced CDs in my colletion, but I do not know which ones are. When I finally get them out of storage into the new house by next year, I may look at the booklets and find out (that might take days or weeks to do so for all of them!). Is their a brief listing of some of them?

I don't believe there is a composite listing of all the recordings Ward Botsford produced. In the "old" days (of LP particularly), producers' names were generally left out. With the advent of the compact disc, and especially reissues, companies started to show who produced the discs. My other good friend, Howard H. Scott of Columbia Records, now sees his name as original producer on many Columbia recordings issued by Columbia/CBS and now Sony. It's a rather nice gesture. On Ward's Arabesque recordings, I believe his name appears on every CD he produced. A huge number of Vox and Urania discs were produced by Botsford; alas, they still do not show the original producer's name. Unless his family has maintained a list, I doubt we'll know every recording he produced.

[CharmNewton]

Ward seemed to remember the sets he produced. He confirmed producing the recording of Corelli's Op. 6 Concerti Grossi with the Corelli Tri-Centenary Orchestra (Daniel Guilet and Frank Miller were violin and cello soloists--I suspect the orchestra was the NBC Symphony, but I didn't ask him). It's a set I'd really like to hear--I've never seen a copy of it.

DG will be issuing a 6-CD tribute to Reginald Kell on July 5th in the Original Masters series. That would have made Ward happy, as Kell was one of Ward's teachers.

John

[Lance]

Ward seemed to remember the sets he produced. He confirmed producing the recording of Corelli's Op. 6 Concerti Grossi with the Corelli Tri-Centenary Orchestra (Daniel Guilet and Frank Miller were violin and cello soloists--I suspect the orchestra was the NBC Symphony, but I didn't ask him). It's a set I'd really like to hear--I've never seen a copy of it.

DG will be issuing a 6-CD tribute to Reginald Kell on July 5th in the Original Masters series. That would have made Ward happy, as Kell was one of Ward's teachers.

John

I about had a stroke when I read a few days ago that the Reginal Kell set would be forthcoming. I couldn't be happier, though I have all the LPs. Decca's early (and even later) pressings were not the best in the world. The Kell is a "must-have" for me. [Keep fingers crossed for the "alleged" two-CD set embracing all of Moiseiwitsch's American Deccas! May Universal is finally seeing the light.]

[Corlyss_D]

Ward seemed to remember the sets he produced. He confirmed producing the recording of Corelli's Op. 6 Concerti Grossi with the Corelli Tri-Centenary Orchestra (Daniel Guilet and Frank Miller were violin and cello soloists--I suspect the orchestra was the NBC Symphony, but I didn't ask him). John

I asked him several times what he was thinking when he put out that first ever almost authentic version of Poppea, but he never would answer me.

[Ralph]

Ward seemed to remember the sets he produced. He confirmed producing the recording of Corelli's Op. 6 Concerti Grossi with the Corelli Tri-Centenary Orchestra (Daniel Guilet and Frank Miller were violin and cello soloists--I suspect the orchestra was the NBC Symphony, but I didn't ask him). John

I asked him several times what he was thinking when he put out that first ever almost authentic version of Poppea, but he never would answer me.

*****

Perhaps he simply thought it should be out there.