Classical Obituaries
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Matthew Best (1957-2025)
12th May 2025
The British bass and conductor, who founded the Corydon Singers whilst still in his teens, has died of cancer aged 68.
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Ronald Corp (1951-2025)
9th May 2025
The British conductor, composer and Anglican priest, who was particularly known for his championing of light music and for his inspirational work with choirs of all ages, has died aged 74.
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Peter Seiffert (1954-2025)
15th Apr 2025
The German tenor, an acclaimed Wagnerian who was a regular fixture at Bayreuth in the late 1990s and early 2000s, has died aged 71 following a long illness.
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John Nelson (1941-2025)
4th Apr 2025
The genial American conductor, who was particularly acclaimed for his interpretations of Berlioz, has died aged 83.
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Sofia Gubaidulina 1931-2025
13th Mar 2025
The German-resident, Russian-born composer, who combined a profound Orthodox faith with an unrelenting musical modernism, has died aged 93.
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Edith Mathis (1938-2025)
11th Feb 2025
The Swiss soprano, who was widely regarded as one of the finest Mozart singers of the twentieth century, has died aged 86.
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Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro
Hermann Prey (Figaro), Edith Mathis (Susanna), Gundula Janowitz (Contessa Almaviva), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Conte Almaviva), Tatiana Troyanos (Cherubino), Patricia Johnson (Marcellina), Peter Lagger (Bartolo), Erwin Wohlfahrt (Basilio) Deutschen Oper Berlin, Karl Böhm
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2024 Goodbyes
2nd Jan 2025
A short video-tribute to some of the artists and creatives who died in 2024, including Maurizio Pollini, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Andrew Davis and Jodie Devos.
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Timothy West (1934-2024)
14th Nov 2024
The actor and presenter, who appeared on numerous classical recordings as a speaker or narrator, has died aged 90.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams: Pan's Anniversary and Other Works
Samuel West (narrator), Thomas Gould (violin), Thomas Hancox (piccolo), Mary Bevan, Joy Farrall (clarinet), Timothy West (narrator), Sophie Bevan, William Lockhart (percussion), Jess Dandy, Johnny Herford, Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Britten Sinfonia, William Vann
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Leif Segerstam (1944-2024)
10th Oct 2024
The Finnish conductor, composer and multi-instrumentalist Leif Segerstam has died at the age of 80.
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Steve Davislim (1967-2024)
13th Aug 2024
The Australian lyric tenor, whose discography included acclaimed recordings of rarities by Frank Martin and Bohuslav Martinů, has died aged 57.
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Frank Martin: Le vin herbé
Sandrine Piau (Iseut), Steve Davislim (Tristan), Jutta Böhnert (Branghien), Hildegard Wiedemann (Iseut aux Blanches Mains), Ulrike Bartsch (La Mère d'Iseult), Joachim Buhrmann (Kaherdin), Jonathan E. de la Paz Zaens (King Mark) & Roland Hartmann (Le Duc Hoël & Un Vieillard) RIAS Kammerchor & Scharoun Ensemble, Daniel Reuss
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Antonio Meneses (1957 - 2024)
7th Aug 2024
The Brazilian cellist, winner of International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1982 and a member of the Beaux Arts Trio from 1998 to 2008, has died at the age of 66.
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Wolfgang Rihm (1952-2024)
30th Jul 2024
The prolific German composer and teacher, who leaves a legacy of over 500 works in a wide variety of genres, has died aged 72.
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Benjamin Luxon (1937-2024)
29th Jul 2024
The Cornish baritone, who created the title-role in Britten's Owen Wingrave and excelled in English song repertoire, has died aged 87.
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April Cantelo (1928-2024)
22nd Jul 2024
The English soprano, who created the role of Helena in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, has died aged 96.
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Britten: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Alfred Deller (Oberon), Jennifer Vyvyan (Tytania), Leonide Massine II (Puck), Kevin Platts (Cobweb), Robert McCutcheon (Mustardseed), Barry Ferguson (Moth), Michael Bauer (Peaseblossom), George Maran (Lysander), Thomas Hemsley (Demetrius), Marjorie Thomas (Hermia), April Cantelo (Helena), Forbes Robinson (Theseus), Johanna Peters (Hippolyta), Owen Brannigan (Bottom), Norman Lumsden (Quince), Peter Pears (Flute), David Kelly (Snug), Edward Byles (Snout), Joseph Ward (Starveling) London Symphony Orchestra, Choirs of Downside & Emanuel Schools, Benjamin Britten
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Jodie Devos, 1988-2024
17th Jun 2024
We are sorry to share news of the untimely death of celebrated coloratura soprano, Jodie Devos, who recorded for the Alpha label.
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Andrew Davis (1944-2024)
22nd Apr 2024
The English conductor, particularly known for his long association with the BBC Proms, has died aged 80.
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Péter Eötvös (1944-2024)
25th Mar 2024
The Hungarian composer and conductor, who adapted compositional approaches pioneered by Ligeti, Stockhausen and Boulez and drew on an eclectic range of global music traditions, has died at the age of 80.
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Maurizio Pollini (1942-2024)
25th Mar 2024
The great Italian pianist, whose impeccable technique was allied to an equally formidable intellect, has died in Milan aged 82.
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Byron Janis (1928-2024)
20th Mar 2024
The American pianist and composer, renowned for his interpretations of Romantic repertoire and in particular of Chopin, has died.
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Seiji Ozawa (1935-2024)
12th Feb 2024
The Japanese conductor, known particularly for his work with the Toronto Symphony, San Francisco Symphony and Boston Symphony Orchestras, has died aged 88.
