Comments on: Kurt Masur

By: Suana Barntche

Suana Barntche — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 02:28:42 +0000

Dear Alban; your piece is very touching!!! Thank you very much for sharing it!!
Love, Susana & Ivan

By: rainer Knippschild

rainer Knippschild — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:46:43 +0000

Dear Alban,
Eine wundervolle Geschichte, ich hatte vor jetzt etwa 10 Jahren, die Gelegenheit Kurt Masur mit seinem (damals schon ehemailgen) Leipziger Orchester im Gewandhaus mit der Pathetique zu erleben. Das bleibt bis heute in meinen Ohren.
Wieviel Einfluss Masur genau hatte auf das Geschehen in Leipzig vor dem Zusammenbruch der DDR wird die Geschichte erweisen, aber es es ist anzunehmen, das der Einfluss gewaltig war.
Ein grandioser Musiker!
Gibt es denn keine Aufnahme dieses Konzertes für die Nachwelt? Wäre doch eine Idee!!
Hals und Beinbruch für die kommenden Aufgaben und herzliche Grüße, Rainer

By: Michael Chen

Michael Chen — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:37:23 +0000

Hi Alban: First of all, I LOVE the Schumann Cello Concerto. Still remember the first time I heard it here decades ago played by Heinrich Schiff and was immediately won over by the piece.Schumann has this communicative urgency and emotional touch in his composition that is infectious. There is something particularly genuine and “penetrative” about him that is utterly endearing…..

Kurt Masur was scheduled to perform Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Boston Symphony this past Spring and the event was earmarked as one of the most important program of the season. He had already completed the rehearsals when his Parkinson acted up and he was forced to withdraw from the performances. I was told that he made the announcement to the orchestra on stage himself and it got rather emotional. Reportedly he told the musicians that he would never conduct the Missa again in his career. He is well loved here even before his tenure with the New York Philharmonic and has returned quite regularly after he left the NY post. This past summer at Tanglewood, Maestro Masur shared conducting duties with his son Ken in a musical lovefest of Mozart!

Just heard a very distinguished Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto # 3 here by Nikolai Lugansky with the BSO and Charles Dutoit!

All best,
Michael