Sir Colin Davis has died

[knight66]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22148334

Sir Colin Davis has died, great shame. He was a wonderful musician.

Mike

[North Star]

Rest in peace, Sir Colin.

Now playing: Harold en Italie, with Tabea Zimmermann.

[TheGSMoeller]

[Bogey]

He was never afraid to put the umph in pieces I enjoyed.  RIP.

[Lisztianwagner]

I'm deeply sorry to hear that, what sad news. Rest in peace, Maestro.

[Brian]

What a long and distinguished career. I'm rather sad to say that the only time I ever saw Colin Davis live, in 2011, he was in poor form and led a frustrating concert of Dvorak's Violin Concerto and a rushed, somewhat sloppy Janacek Glagolitic Mass. But while I never saw him at his best, his Berlioz on records means we can always hear him that way.

[bhodges]

I was very lucky to catch Sir Colin in a concert version of Peter Grimes in 2004, with essentially the same cast as the LSO Live recording below. But I don't know which I'd choose, the later or the earlier one with Vickers - both are marvelous in different ways, but they share the same electricity.

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--Bruce

[Brahmsian]

RIP Sir Colin Davis.  Your recordings of Berlioz, Sibelius were my introduction to these composers (I still think you are best in Berlioz) and the beautifulMozart (Great Mass in C minor).  Sad to hear this news. 

[knight66]

Tippett Child of Our Time
Mozart Cosi Fan Tutti
Berlioz Trojans
Britten Peter Grimes
Beethoven Eroica
Verdi Otello
Elgar Violin Concerto
Stravinsky Oedipus Rex
Walton Symphony no 1
Humperdinck Hansel and Gretel
Sibelius symphony No 2

One from each composer, just off the top of my head, favourite live or recorded performances. Pushed to have one, his first Peter Grimes, elemental and very human.

Mike

[Mirror Image]

A great loss to the music world. I'll always hold his Tippett, Berlioz, and Elgar in high regard. RIP Maestro Davis.

[TheGSMoeller]

If I had to pick one from my collection, it would have to be Elgar's 1st with Dresden. Davis injects the perfect amount of everything into this performance, and the Dresden Staatskapelle players respond with brawn and passion.

[springrite]

Passion and conviction--two words that sums up Sir Colin Davis well. Always loved his work. He will be missed.

Not many left of that generation.

[mc ukrneal]

He was also excellent at Mozart operas. His Don Giovanni is simply outstanding!

[Marc]

Sad news.

I love his recordings of Händel's Messiah, Mozart's choral works (esp. Große Messe and Requiem), the Da Ponte opera's and La Clemenza, Dvorak symphonies and the rest I forgot to mention.

Rest In Peace, Sir Colin Davis.

[Madiel]

Aw, shucks.

He introduced me to Haydn's 'London' symphonies.  One of them is especially marvellous - I think off the top of my head it might be no.99 - but I've got lots of enjoyment out of the whole set.

[Mandryka]

My strongest memory is this.

Just after he had left the Royal Opera, the Friends of Covent Garden got together a new production of Fidelio in his honour, and I saw him conduct it. The production was regietheatrical and a bit pointless IMO and the singing was OK, I think James King sang Florestan. But the memorable thing was this.

They had decided to play Leonora 3 between the two scenes in Act 2, accompanied by a ballet for children. Normally using Leonora 3 like that doesn't work for me. But this time, Colin Davis gave such an inspired, committed performance of the overture it was possibly the most exciting musical moment of my life. I remember now the frisson of excitement as the trumpets resounded.

There were other great things at Covent Garden too. The Royal Hunt and storm in Troyens, with wolfhounds. The Hut Scene in Peter Grimes, a fantastic Tristan with Vickers more declamatory than he would allow himself to be in the studio,  all very memorable opera performances. And a wonderful concert once, it was Falstaff at the Barbican with The LSO. Altogether his relation with Vickers must have been one of the most fruitful post war operatic partnerships.

More recently I used to see him from time to time in the proms with youth orchestras. Always inspired music making.

[knight66]

He seemed to come to Neilsen, Bruckner and Mahler relatively late. It is interesting to see the repertoire gaps in what some conductors of long standing seem to perform. I have not tried to drill down into the live performances, and their recorded repertoire may well not be representative of what they have been performing. But I have read the odd comment here and there to indicate that Sir Colin was very choosy of the works by the above three that he took on. Neilsen was a vey late adoption i gather when he was already well over 80. I was looking through sites to see what might surprise me and I found a Mahler 8 on CD that was pretty well reviewed. I don't recall mention of it here for example. This, plus a Missa Solemnis are winging their way to me. Something extra to remember him by.

As an aside, if you want a Child of Our Time, I would definitely go for his earlier Phillips recording as against the later LSO live. The solo singing is superior and involving, the choir very good. Ditto Peter Grimes.

Mike

[val]

To me he recorded the best version of the Messiah, with Harper and the LSO. I also remember his version of Les Troyens with Veasey and Vickers, and a very inspired Damnation de Faust with Gedda.

Regarding the symphonic repertoire he was a remarkable interpreter of Sibelius (the 5  & 7 Symphonies with the Boston Orchestra are in my opinion among the very best).

[mahler10th]

....he was a remarkable interpreter of Sibelius (the 5  & 7 Symphonies with the Boston Orchestra are in my opinion among the very best).

+1  I agree - his Sibelius is outstanding, although I have still to get the LSO L:ive cycle, which I've been hankering after for a wee while...time to get it NOW I guess.  He was the best living Sibelian before he went on  permanent leave.

[Fafner]

Sad news indeed, even though I am not overly familiar with any of his recordings. I will have to put some in my listening queue to pay tribute to his art.