# Emeritus André Previn



## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

Andre Previn, Oscar-winning film composer, conductor, and star of famed Morecambe and Wise sketch, dies at 89


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Sad news - RIP. That M&W sketch is an absolute classic by the way - if you don't know it, hop over to YT and watch it!

EDIT link:


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

One of the great all-round musicians of the twentieth century. His recollections of his Hollywood years 'No Minor Chords' is worth searching out.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Art Rock said:


> Sad news - RIP. That M&W sketch is an absolute classic by the way - if you don't know it, hop over to YT and watch it!
> 
> EDIT link:


For that sketch Morcambe told Revin to do it absolutely straight, which he did and that's what made it so funny. But you see orchestra members laughing!


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

A sad loss. A great musician. RIP.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

DavidA said:


> One of the great all-round musicians of the twentieth century.


Absolutely. A great, great loss.

Didn't realise he was that old.....


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Sorry to hear this. Fine pianist, composer, educator and arranger. And he left us some magnificent recordings:

Mahler 4, Vaughan Williams symphonies, Walton 1st, Elgar symphonies, Planets, Carmina Burana, Goldmark's Rustic Wedding, Shostakovich 8th, and above all a superb Rachmaninoff 2nd (EMI). His early RCA recordings were so exciting. I was lucky enough to catch him with the LA Phil several times - quite memorable. Perhaps the only musician out there who could rival Bernstein as an all-round musician. RIP.


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## Janspe (Nov 10, 2012)

Rest in piece, Mr. Previn. Your work will live on...

I might just listen to his 1st violin concerto tonight in his memory.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Sad news indeed.

Previn the conductor (especially) has long been a favorite of mine. I cherish many of his interpretations, notably the great Walton Symphony, which I have on an original release LP. And his readings of Vaughn Williams's music prove stunning. Another collection gem.















I was fortunate to add the following to my collection:









It contains some works I might not have purchased otherwise, but the Previn mark is there in each work. Strong, detailed, emotional interpretations. Yet, seemingly true to what one would expect the composer to have envisioned.

I also enjoy several of his piano and jazz recordings, though not with the passion I carry over to the conducted works. Too, I recall he wrote a Violin Concerto recorded by Anne-Sophie Mutter, a work I have not listened to for some while. Maybe today will find it spinning in my CD deck!

Too, Previn's Concerto For Guitar And Orchestra as performed by the great John Williams has long been a staple on my turntable. That's one I turn to quite often.









We will miss you, André.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

If you're looking for some music of his to try out, may I suggest his collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra on Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake? I will second mbhaub's suggestion of The Planets above (assuming with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra).


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

He was also a fine jazz pianist.


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## Fat Bob (Sep 25, 2015)

The first Vaughan Williams recordings I bought around 40 or so years ago were his versions of the London and Pastoral symphonies, still fine recordings IMO. Tonight I am listening to his recording of Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances. RIP.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

RIP 

A man of many talents.


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

It's good to see so much appreciation of Andre Previn. I have always held him in high regard as a pianist and conductor. His relative youth and jazz/classical cross-over seemed to be held against him early in his career by the more conservative elements. But he made music attractive and accessible without ever 'dumbing down' and always doing right by the music. His recordings of RVW's symphonies and of Rachmaninoff's 2nd are definitive and his playing of piano works by Les Six are brilliant.


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

Sad news indeed.

The first time that I saw a concert on TV that I can remember it was André Previn. Took me many years to realise that in fact most conductors do not talk to the audience (and the TV) during a concert!

My first Rachmaninov LP was conducted by André Previn. I still love the hauntingly beautiful waltz in his Symphonic Dances more than any other recording.

Also love his André Previn Trio accompanying Doris Day in their "Duet" album. So sweet and so beautiful.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

He was very good on TV as a presenter, too. In an era when many people seemed starchy and self-conscious in front of a studio audience while talking directly to a camera he instead always came over as relaxed and natural - authoritative and knowledgeable but with sufficient lack of formality. I don't have too many recordings which feature him as player and/or conductor but I've always admired his Gershwin disc and Tchaikovsky ballets box set, both on EMI.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Thanks for all the great music sir.
R I P


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

A couple of Previn anecdotes, of which there are many:

1) While awaiting a rehearsal with a new (to him) orchestra, he chatted with the manager while the oboist sounded, and the orchestra tuned up to, a B-flat, to "test" him. Previn, who happened to have perfect pitch (not necessarily a usual thing for a musician) finished his conversation, turned to the orchestra, lifted his baton, and just before brought it down, said "Let's take the whole thing down half a step" -- and won everyone over instantly.

2) Giving a class for young conductors (maybe at Tanglewood?) the final exercise was for each of them to conduct Le Sacre de Printemps. Ahead of time he went to the timpanist and told him in the final Danse Sacrale (whose timpani part is practically incomprehensible) to do "exactly" whatever the student conductor told him to do, smiling conspiratorily. Then the next time Previn conducted it, he had to go back and tell the timpanist "Now play it the way you know it goes."


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Don’t miss out on his outstanding performance of the Rachmaninoff 2nd Symphony with the LSO. His journey from being in an amazing jazz artist in Hollywood to conducting one of the greatest symphonies in the world is perhaps the longest journey that any conductor has ever taken to reach the heights that he did in his career. Everything he did he seemed to do wholeheartedly. RIP.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Larkenfield said:


> Don't miss out on his outstanding performance of the Rachmaninoff 2nd Symphony with the LSO. His journey from being in an amazing jazz artist in Hollywood to conducting one of the greatest symphonies in the world is perhaps the longest journey that any conductor has ever taken to reach the heights that he did in his career. Everything he did he seemed to do wholeheartedly. RIP.


 Yes I would echo those comments about the Rachmaninov
RIP Mr Previn


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

A wonderful musician, who leaves a remarkable legacy. RIP.

Favourite Previn recordings; well, some of them at least:

Vaughan Williams - Symphonies
Orff - Carmina Burana
Tippett - A Child of our Time
Walton - Belshazzar's Feast
Messiaen - Turangalila
Britten - Sinfonia da Requiem
Strauss - Alpine Symphony
Tchaikovsky - The Ballets
Grieg - Piano Concerto (with Radu Lupu, not Eric Morecambe!)

I'm sure there are many more.


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## jenspen (Apr 25, 2015)

Art Rock said:


> Sad news - RIP. That M&W sketch is an absolute classic by the way - if you don't know it, hop over to YT and watch it!
> 
> EDIT link:


Which reminds me (and perhaps others) of another treatment of the Grieg Piano Concerto - in an arrangement by Franz Reizenstein for one of the Hoffnung Music Festivals. I read once that Hoffnung, Andre Previn and another musical figure who escaped the holocaust had lived, as children, on the same block in Berlin. So, in memory of Previn and Hoffung - the famous - "Concerto Popolare":


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

He did have a special feel for Rachmaninov and his Vaughan Williams set remains as good as any and better than most. And through much of the repertoire he was almost always at least good. His Britten Spring Symphony is better than anyone's except Britten's and his Walton was the best. A major conductor, then. And also someone who came over well on TV ... and luckily came at a time when the TV companies were interested in presenting classical music without dumbing it down: Previn was charismatic and popular but he gave us real music and exhibited himself as a real musician. These days we have Pappano making good programmes for TV but the TV companies seem not to recognise what an asset he could be.


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## MrMeatScience (Feb 15, 2015)

Andrew Preview's recordings of the Vaughan Williams symphonies are amongst the best to date, IMHO. Sadly I have not heard much of his music, but I know he has a bassoon sonata, so I think I'll put that in my queue today. Musicians like him don't come around every day. RIP.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

MrMeatScience said:


> Andrew Preview's recordings of the Vaughan Williams symphonies are amongst the best to date, IMHO


You're quite right. Indeed, two of the very best Vaughan Williams cycles - my personal Top Two, in fact - are by Americans: Previn and Leonard Slatkin, who tweeted yesterday "André Previn has passed away. Versatile, witty and brilliant, he will be remembered as an outstanding musician who touched so many people. Will miss him greatly."


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

There are so many wonderful recordings Previn left. The early ones on RCA were so exciting and full of promise. The EMI years delivered some that are still the top choice. Too often forgotten though are the Telarc recordings: a smashingly exciting Tchaikovsky 5th, another (his third) sumptuous Rachmaninoff 2nd and then those terrific disks of Richard Strauss with the Vienna Philharmonic. Alas, not everything was so good and as so often happens with aging conductors he mellowed. The Elgar symphonies and the Scheherazade on Philips are pretty mediocre. But then there are the Korngold recordings for DG that had him in top form.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

^^^

Yes, those Telarc Strauss recordings were/are excellent. There's also a fine _Alexander Nevsky/Lieutenant Kijé_ disc with the LA Philharmonic on the same label.


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## inthemusiczone (Feb 15, 2019)

MarkW said:


> A couple of Previn anecdotes, of which there are many:
> 
> 1) While awaiting a rehearsal with a new (to him) orchestra, he chatted with the manager while the oboist sounded, and the orchestra tuned up to, a B-flat, to "test" him. Previn, who happened to have perfect pitch (not necessarily a usual thing for a musician) finished his conversation, turned to the orchestra, lifted his baton, and just before brought it down, said "Let's take the whole thing down half a step" -- and won everyone over instantly.
> 
> 2) Giving a class for young conductors (maybe at Tanglewood?) the final exercise was for each of them to conduct Le Sacre de Printemps. Ahead of time he went to the timpanist and told him in the final Danse Sacrale (whose timpani part is practically incomprehensible) to do "exactly" whatever the student conductor told him to do, smiling conspiratorily. Then the next time Previn conducted it, he had to go back and tell the timpanist "Now play it the way you know it goes."


Those are great stories.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Previn adopted Soon-Yi with Mia Farrow. Subsequently, Soon-Yi became the step-daughter of Woody Allen who then proceeded to marry her. Previn disowned Soon-Yi and never talked to her again.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

There is a quote by Previn that I can’t locate along the lines of “There are a thousand things I don’t know about classical music, all I want to do is reduce that by a fraction.” 

The obituaries I’ve read speak to that sense of music being about lifelong learning. Previn’s attitude reminds me of Antal Dorati, who also avoided the tendency among musicians to judge others to be less than them. It’s no wonder Previn was so versatile. Emotional intelligence is like a prerequisite for that. 

I cherish the recordings I own -Rachmaninov, Gershwin, Sarasate’s Gypsy Airs with Perlman and Shankar’s Sitar Concerto No. 1. I also love the film version of My Fair Lady, he was a core part of the team behind it.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Pat Fairlea said:


> It's good to see so much appreciation of Andre Previn. I have always held him in high regard as a pianist ….


And as a _jazz_ pianist, certainly.

Yesterday I cracked out the 10 disc Membran André Previn collection titled _The Jazz Recordings_ and gave several of the discs a spin, beginning with CD1.

If you want a quick affirmation about just _how_ good a piano pounder Previn proved, you need listen no further into that substantial box set than CD1 track 1, Previn's reading of a Benny Goodman / Jimmy Mundy / Charlie Christian tune titled "Good Enough To Keep", which Previn performs with a trio, adding guitar and bass to his keyboards.















Though this Membran box set is heavy with Previn jazz piano recordings which tackle nearly every "standard" of the 40s, 50s and 60s, solo and with ensembles, it also features on CD7 a performance of Gershwin's Concerto in F with Previn backed by Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra, and on CD6 the _Elmer Gantry_ Original Soundtrack by composer Previn.

Among my favorites of this box are the standards, a disc of Jerome Kern songs, a disc of Harold Arlen songs, and a disc of Vernon Duke. There's also Leonard Bernstein tunes from _West Side Story_. Of course, nearly every great tune you remember from back when is included, and to hear Previn present them is a joy.

You can find the complete track list of this set at Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/André-Previn-The-Jazz-Recordings/release/13286656

I know, because I submitted it yesterday.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

When Previn was told he had no talent:

[video]https://slippedisc.com/2019/03/andre-previn-i-was-told-i-had-no-talent/[/video]


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

jenspen said:


> Which reminds me (and perhaps others) of another treatment of the Grieg Piano Concerto - in an arrangement by Franz Reizenstein for one of the Hoffnung Music Festivals. I read once that Hoffnung, Andre Previn and another musical figure who escaped the holocaust had lived, as children, on the same block in Berlin. So, in memory of Previn and Hoffung - the famous - "Concerto Popolare":


Thank you - I had almost forgotten what fun that piece is!


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## inthemusiczone (Feb 15, 2019)

mbhaub said:


> There are so many wonderful recordings Previn left. The early ones on RCA were so exciting and full of promise. The EMI years delivered some that are still the top choice. Too often forgotten though are the Telarc recordings: a smashingly exciting Tchaikovsky 5th, another (his third) sumptuous Rachmaninoff 2nd and then those terrific disks of Richard Strauss with the Vienna Philharmonic. Alas, not everything was so good and as so often happens with aging conductors he mellowed. The Elgar symphonies and the Scheherazade on Philips are pretty mediocre. But then there are the Korngold recordings for DG that had him in top form.


The LP on Philips of Carnaval of the Animals and Ravel's Mother Goose with the Pittsburgh is exquisite (try to find the vinyl if possible).


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

inthemusiczone said:


> The LP on Philips of Carnaval of the Animals and Ravel's Mother Goose with the Pittsburgh is exquisite (try to find the vinyl if possible).


I do have that LP! Completely forgotten that it's one that I kept.


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## Harrowby Hall (Aug 8, 2017)

The London Symphony Orchestra is now considered to be one of the very best orchestras in the world - a member of a club with only half a dozen members. When Andre Previn joined it, it was a good orchestra but also somewhat self-destructive. It was a self-governing bastion of laddish masculinity which prided itself in tormenting conductors and refusing to employ female musicians.

It was he who helped it to start its ascent to its current excellence. It was during his association with it that it became one of the first choices for major film soundtrack recordings, frequently involving John Williams. It is feasible that - thanks to Star Wars, Superman, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and many other blockbusters - that the LSO has been heard by more people than any other orchestra in history.

Over the years, Andre Previn maintained his contact with the LSO - it must have been the longest such association of his career.

One of my most vivid musical experiences was a performance of Walton 1 at the Proms. Just as the final climatic passage was beginning, a thunderstorm erupted over central London. It seemed - for a few moments - that art and nature were at war with each other.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

I have Previn's performing sets of music, the ones he used in his guest conducting, in my basement.


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