Deceased musicians for 2012 (so far)

Post by **Lance** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 1:36 am

Updated with additional information learned from CMGers and others. (Thank you!) We have lost some truly major artists this year.

Musicans who passed in 2012

André, Maurice, trumpeter 05 21 1933 to 02 25 2012
Berglund, Paavo, conductor 04 14 1929 to 01 25 2012
Birch, John, organist 07 09 1929 to 04 28 2012
Bonaventura, Anthony di, pianist 11 12 1929 to 11 12 2012
Brubeck, Dave, jazz pianist/composer 12 06 1920 to 12 05 2012
Carter, Elliott, composer 12 11 1908 to 11 05 2012
Chookasian, Lili, contralto 08 01 1921 to 04 10 2012
Craighead, David, organist 01 24 1924 to 03 26 2012
Curley, Carlos, organist 08 24 1952 to 08 11 2012
Della Casa, Lisa, soprano 02 02 1919 to 12 10 2012
Dobriansky, Andrij, bass singer 09 02 1930 to 02 01 2012
Engerer, Brigitte, pianist 10 27 1952 to 06 23 2012
Fischer-Dieskau, Dietrich, baritone 05 28 1925 to 05 18 2012
Goeke, Leo, tenor 11 06 1937 to 09 18 2012
Gorr, Rita, mezzo-soprano 02 18 1926 to 01 22 2012 (Marguerite Geirnaert)
Guelfi, Giangiacomo, baritone 12 21 1924 to 02 08 2012
Hacker, Alan, clarinetist/conductor 09 30 1938 to 04 16 2012
Hall, David, record producer/writer 12 16 1916 to 04 10 2012
Hamlisch, Marvin, composer/conductor/pianist 06 02 1944 to 08 06 2012
Hancock, Gerre, organist/choral director 02 21 1934 to 01 21 2012
Harvey, Jonathan, composer 05 03 1939 to 12 04 2012
Henze, Hans Werner, composer 07 01 1926 to 10 27 2012
Ledger, Philip, conductor/pianist 12 12 1937 to 11 18 2012
Leonhardt, Gustav, harpsichordist/conductor 05 30 1928 to 01 16 2012
Munguia, Carlos, tenor 11 04 1921 to 02 20 2012
Neway, Patricia, soprano 09 30 1919 to 01 24 2012
Nunes, Emmanuel, composer 08 31 1941 to 09 02 2012
Ricci, Ruggiero, violinist 07 24 1918 to 08 06 2012 (Roger Rich)
Rosen, Charles, pianist/author 05 05 1927 to 12 09 2012
Sebestyen, Janos, harpsichordist/organist/teacher 03 02 1931 to 02 04 2012
Shankar, Ravi, sitarist/composer 04 07 1920 to 12 11 2012
Ursuleasa, Mihaela, pianist 09 27 1978 to 08 02 2012
Vishnevskaya [Rostropovich], Galina, soprano 10 25 1926 to 12 11 2012
Weissenberg, Alexis, pianist 07 26 1929 to 01 08 2012
Williams, Camilla, soprano 10 18 1919 to 01 29 2012
Zeitlin, Zvi, violinist/teacher 02 21 1923 to 05 02 2012

If I missed anyone you may be aware of, please advise. Let's hope nobody else passes this year! Addendum: Well, more have passed, unfortunately. Please continue to keep me apprised as much as possible so I can add names with dates to my master listing.

John F · Post by **John F** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 2:36 am

Thanks for the list. I've passed it along to a broadcaster friend in case he wants to do a year-end tribute program, like the segment every year in CBS's Sunday Morning.

Anybody want to bet that Sunday Morning remembers Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau? In the Charles Kuralt days it would have been a sure thing, but in the current populist (i.e. dumbed down) Sunday Morning, the only one on the list who might get a mention is Elliott Carter, and that only because of his age.

Ted Quanrud · Post by **Ted Quanrud** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 9:55 am

Hi Lance --

Maurice André, French trumpeter (May 21, 1933 – Feb. 25, 2012)
Hans Werner Henze, German composer (July 1, 1926 – Oct. 27, 2012)
Mihaela Ursuleasa, Romanian pianist (Sept. 27, 1978 – Aug. 2, 2012)

Post by **Lance** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 2:35 pm

Many thanks. I don't know how I could have missed Maurice André. Please keep them coming.

Ted Quanrud wrote:Hi Lance --

Maurice André, French trumpeter (May 21, 1933 – Feb. 25, 2012)
Hans Werner Henze, German composer (July 1, 1926 – Oct. 27, 2012)
Mihaela Ursuleasa, Romanian pianist (Sept. 27, 1978 – Aug. 2, 2012)

piston · Post by **piston** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:29 pm

Thank you, Lance. The internet has a way of multiplying tributes and entries for a mere handful of composers, conductors and musicians and of neglecting many others. For the time being, I'll draw your attention to Marvin Hamlisch who was a "pop concert" conductor for several good orchestras. He is also credited for a number of film music compositions, such as The Sting, in the style of, or drawn from, Scott Joplin.
Marvin Hamlisch (June 2nd, 1944 — Aug 6th, 2012)

IcedNote · Post by **IcedNote** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:51 pm

Composer Jonathan Harvey passed away today.

-G

piston · Post by **piston** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 8:31 pm

A Portuguese composer, better known in Europe than in the Americas: Emmanuel Nunes.
Emmanuel Nunes (31 August 1941 - 2 September 2012)
He is on youtube and, while his compositions will strike members as being highly "dissonant" or "angular," his "Esquisses" exert some kind of hypnotic effect on my ears:

John F · Post by **John F** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 9:22 pm

Goeke, Leo, Tenor, 11 06 1937 to 09 18 2012
Piazza, Marguerite, Soprano, 05 06 1926 to 08 02 2012

barney · Post by **barney** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:26 am

Terribly sad. Quite a few I didn't know, but each one a life, precious and individual.

springrite · Post by **springrite** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:24 am

Dave Brubeck.

I know, not "classical", but polytonality, so he counts.

piston · Post by **piston** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:44 pm

Devy Erlih, French violinist, of Moldovan-Jewish roots, who performed Bartok, Jolivet, Stravinsky, Milhaud, etc., and who was married to Andre Jolivet's daughter. Narrowly escaped the grasp of the Gestapo.
Devy Erlih, date of birth is approximate, @ 1928; died on 2/8/2012.

http://www.violinist.com/blog/Ku92me/20122/13172/

Heck148 · Post by **Heck148** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:12 pm

This makes me feel old!! I've performed with the following at one time or other:

Lance wrote:Musicans who passed in 2012
Chookasian, Lili, Contralto 08 01 1921 to 04 10 2012
Craighead, David, Organist 01 24 1924 to 03 26 2012
Ricci, Ruggiero, Violinist 07 24 1918 to 08 06 2012 (Roger Rich)
Zeitlin, Zvi, Violinist/teacher 02 21 1923 to 05 02 2012

piston · Post by **piston** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:16 pm

Richard Stephen Robbins (December 4, 1940 – November 7, 2012)

Classical music training at the New England Conservatory. Great music scores for several films, such as Howards End.

piston · Post by **piston** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:21 pm

Just a few days ago, death of British composer Jonathan Harvey (3 May 1939 – 4 December 2012).

Donald Isler · Post by **Donald Isler** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 1:16 pm

And two I knew:

Roman Totenberg, violinist, born January 1, 1911, died May 8, 2012
David Wells, cellist, born July 17, 1927, died August 7, 2012

Donald Isler · Post by **Donald Isler** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 2:43 pm

Douglas Townsend, composer, born November 8, 1921, died August 1, 2012

Tarantella · Post by **Tarantella** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:11 am

Charles Rosen, Born 1927 - died December 9, 2012.

Donald Isler · Post by **Donald Isler** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:12 am

Charles Rosen, pianist and author, born May 5, 1927, died December 9, 2012

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 2:09 pm

Lisa Della Casa (10 December 2012)

Galina Vishnevskaya (11 December 2012)

Ted Quanrud · Post by **Ted Quanrud** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 5:20 pm

Gloria Davy, 81, first African-American soprano, to sing Aida at the Met, died Nov. 28

piston · Post by **piston** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 5:35 pm

Lance also needs the dates of birth. Just adding that info:

Lisa Della Casa, born 2 February, 1919;
Galina Vishnevskaya, born 25 October, 1926;
Gloria Davy, born 29 March, 1931.

IcedNote · Post by **IcedNote** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 11:53 pm

Ravi Shankar just passed away.

-G

Post by **Lance** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 12:32 am

Sorry to hear this. 2012 isn't going to be a good year for great artists going to the Great Beyond!

IcedNote wrote:Ravi Shankar just passed away.

-G

John F · Post by **John F** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 3:37 am

Must be several grim reapers at work out there. The last few weeks have been deadly.

Post by **Lance** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:16 am

This thread has been brought up to date on my original post, near as I know. Let us hope nobody else joins the list for 2012. We have had enough already.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:54 pm

Lance wrote:This thread has been brought up to date on my original post, near as I know. Let us hope nobody else joins the list for 2012. We have had enough already.

Two more --- both Dutch Composers
Otto Ketting (3 september 1935 - 13 december 2012)
Simeon ten Holt (24 january 1923 – 25 november 2012)

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:16 am

comments removed...

Tarantella · Post by **Tarantella** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:21 am

Chalkperson wrote:I'm putting Sir Simon Rattle's name on here, if he does not die by New Years Eve then I can always hope for next year...

He speaks well of you, though.

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:28 am

And fortunately still with us: Magda Olivero (she will bury us all), Rolando Panerai and Carlo Bergonzi.

Heck148 · Post by **Heck148** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 2:03 pm

jserraglio wrote: Otto Ketting (3 september 1935 - 13 december 2012)

Sorry to hear this - My Trio [Clar,Bssn, Pno] has given many performances of Ketting's delightful Therme and Variations [on Dutch Tune]. It's a wonderful piece, very clever, very humorous - features all sorts of skillful variations - March, serenade, toccata, Rhumba, etc, etc...
great crowd pleaser!!

John F · Post by **John F** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 2:12 pm

And the other Dutch composer is?

Heck148 · Post by **Heck148** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 2:25 pm

John F wrote:And the other Dutch composer is?

sorry - had posting problem - correction has been made...

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 3:58 pm

John F wrote:And the other Dutch composer is?

Simeon ten Holt (24 january 1923 – 25 november 2012)

piston · Post by **piston** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:43 pm

A student of Kagel and Messiaen, Théo Brandmuller:

Theo Brandmüller (2 February 1948, Mainz - 26 November 2012, Saarbrücken) was a German contemporary classical composer, organist and teacher.

Brandmüller studied composition with Giselher Klebe, Mauricio Kagel, Cristobal Halffter and Olivier Messiaen, and the organ with Gaston Litaize.

He was elected as Professor of Composition at the Hochschule für Musik Saar in 1979. His pupils included the composers Marc Schubring and Karola Obermüller, and the organist Dan Zerfaß.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 2:29 pm

Sir Richard Rodney Bennett (29 March 1936 – 24 December 2012)

piston · Post by **piston** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 8:53 am

Roman Totenberg (1 January 1911 – 8 May 2012) was a Polish-American violinist and educator.
(toured with Arthur Rubenstein and gave concerts with Szymanowski)

Charles Anthony Caruso (né Calogero Antonio Caruso; July 15, 1929 – February 15, 2012).
(holds the record for the number of performances at the Met)

Evelyn Lear (January 8, 1926 – July 1, 2012) was an American operatic soprano.
(known for her successful Richard Strauss performances)

Also, if classical music critics are included, as was done in previous years:

Donal Henahan (February 28, 1921[1] – August 19, 2012) was an American music critic and journalist who had lengthy associations with the Chicago Daily News and The New York Times.

piston · Post by **piston** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 8:59 am

I see that Totenberg was previously mentioned on this thread but not inserted in the list.

Donald Isler · Post by **Donald Isler** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 10:25 am

Piston included on this list:

"Donal Henahan (February 28, 1921[1] – August 19, 2012) was an American music critic and journalist who had lengthy associations with the Chicago Daily News and The New York Times."

Not fondly remembered by this, or more most other musicians I know. And I have no qualms about saying so.

John F · Post by **John F** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 3:53 am

A slight correction:

piston wrote:Charles Anthony (Charles Anthony Caruso, né Calogero Antonio Caruso; July 15, 1929 – February 15, 2012).
(holds the record for the number of performances at the Met)

He always sang under the name Charles Anthony.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sun Jan 06, 2013 4:35 pm

Pianist Victor Karpovich Merzhanov (August 15, 1919 – December 20, 2012)

"Victor Merzhanov has made numerous recordings for major labels in the USA, Italy, Japan and the USSR (Melodiya and Vista Vera). His recordings show his repertoire, including works from the Baroque period to contemporary music, from works by J.S. Bach and L.v. Beethoven,Chopin, F. Liszt, J. Brahms, Grieg and Mussorgsky to those by S. Rachmaninov, Scriabin, Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich."
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Merzhanov-Victor.htm

Ken · Post by **Ken** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 12:17 pm

It's a bit surprising considering where I live, but I totally missed Hans Werner Henze's death. A real shame; he was composing wonderful music until the last couple of years. There was a large retrospective of his work in the framework of the Ruhrgebiet's yearlong celebration as European Cultural Capital in 2010. I saw some great concerts that year.

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