Paavo Berglund RIP

[rubbernecker]

I remember at the Barbican a few years ago he managed to go straight from the last chord of Sibelius 6 to the opening of Sibelius 7 without being interrupted by a single handclap. There was no prompting in the programme that he was going to pull such a rare feat. Genius.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I'm desperately saddened by this news, though unsurprised. He hadn't been seen on the concert platform in London for some years now. The last time I saw him was in a concert of Sibelius 6 & 7 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the RFH. He conducted from a seated position and barely turned to acknowledge the applause after the 6th before launching into the 7th.

I had the pleasure of meeting him in my teens. I had been taken to a Bournemouth SO concert in Poole by friends of my parents. In the interval, they bumped into friends who the Berglunds always stayed with during their visits, so we were invited back for supper after the concert. By the time we arrived, Paavo (or Paul as he was referred to throughout the evening) was there. He usually brought his hosts his latest LP as a gift, but this was now the age of CDs, so he'd bought them his new disc and a CD player on which to play it. The disc was playing (loudly) in the next room. At that time, I only knew one Sibelius symphony (the First) and correctly identified the third movement, with its eight-note timpani motif, which impressed him enormously.

He spent the evening talking about Sibelius, making recordings and the way they were received here. He had a particular thing about Robert Layton in Gramophone, who always stopped just short of praising outright a Berglund release. It clearly irritated him.

At one point, his wife berated him for having the CD playing too loudly. 'Nonsense!' he retorted with a twinkle in his eye, 'You need to play it back at a high volume to appreciate the quieter bits!' I diligently followed the great man's advice ever since, much to the chagrin of my parents...

He played us some of the themes from the Rachmaninov 3rd Symphony (which had featured in that evening's BSO concert) on his violin, which he played left-handed - a magic moment. Somewhere, I still have the programme he signed for me.

R.I.P. Paavo

[Caliban]

I remember at the Barbican a few years ago he managed to go straight from the last chord of Sibelius 6 to the opening of Sibelius 7 without being interrupted by a single handclap. There was no prompting in the programme that he was going to pull such a rare feat. Genius.

I was seated not far from you, I recall... I'd forgotten that. Great concert.

[rubbernecker]

Next to me, I think. It was the Barbican, wasn't it? He was standing and didn't turn round at all, but kept his hands in the air. Il Grande talks about the RFH and him being seated but I guess this must have been a different (and later) concert.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Next to me, I think. It was the Barbican, wasn't it? He was standing and didn't turn round at all, but kept his hands in the air. Il Grande talks about the RFH and him being seated but I guess this must have been a different (and later) concert.

Definitely the RFH for me - 6th December 2003. The 7th was released on LPO's own label. The first half - Brahms' 2nd Piano Concerto with François-Frédéric Guy - was issued on Naive. Sadly, the recording of the Sixth never appeared on disc, but is doubtless in the LPO's vaults.

[PJPJ]

Very sad news - an especially fine conductor whose Nielsen cycle I treasure.

R.I.P.

[rubbernecker]

The first half - Brahms' 2nd Piano Concerto with François-Frédéric Guy

Fascinating! Caliban can possibly confirm, I think it was the same Brahms with Brendel as soloist for us.

[pastoralguy]

For almost a year I used to have a 23 minute nocturnal (!!) commute to work. I can be so specific since I used to listen to his Sibelius 7 with the LPO (live) every journey. A wonderful performance that has never waned.

[LeMartinPecheur]

My very first orchestral concert, aged 16: Winchester Cathedral 29/7/71: Bournemouth SO/ Berglund - Handel Water Music suite No.1, Brhams Violin Concerto (Gyorgy Pauk), Sibelius 5. A very good place to start - many thanks PB and RIP.

[There's no place like Winchester Cathedral for hearing the last chords of the Sib last movement... At least I very much hope there isn't!]

[Mahlerei]

Berglund seems to have passed me by, so I've just ordered his DSCH 8 with the Russian National Orchestra to hear what I've been missing.