# Peter Cropper 1945 - 2015



## Taggart

Peter Cropper dubbed 'the Mick Jagger of the string quartet' who played like a man possessed and led the Lindsay Quartet for almost 40 years has just died.

Never came across him before, but his obituary in the Telegraph was fascinating.


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## elgar's ghost

Sad loss - I always respected Cropper's unstuffy approach. Only two personnel changes within the Lindsays during such a long time with Cropper at the helm bears testimony to how much the others must have liked him both as a musician and as a person.


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## Manxfeeder

“I don’t say it was always immaculate,” he told Chamberstudio magazine, of the quartet’s performing style. “Who wants perfection? Perfection is sterile. We’re human beings.” 

The Lindsays weren't always perfect, but they always got to the heart of the piece. Few quartets have gotten the spiritual content of Beethoven's C# minor quartet, and I haven't heard another group which communicated Haydn's Seven Last Words as they did.


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## Ingélou

What a shame that he died so young (for these days), but he sounds a fascinating person, and contributed so much to music. :tiphat:


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## Headphone Hermit

Manxfeeder said:


> II haven't heard another group which communicated Haydn's Seven Last Words as they did.


I agree entirely - a great set.

The Lindsay's played with real conviction and spirit - you alwyas felt as if this was a quartet of individual personalities communicating with each other and with the audience. Sky Arts often broadcast recordings of their performances, but they seem to have missed the sad demise of Peter

I like the snippets in the obituary in the Times - about him always wearing open-toed sandals (with socks  - evidence that cracking judgement in one fireld might not be transferred to all areas of life ), about his expert knowledge of French wine (acquired through long and diligent personal experience) and about his attitude to music being a collaboration between performer and listener - envinced through his advocacy of 'in-the-round' performances

A sad loss at such an early age


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## Mandryka

Yes, sad loss. I saw them play often in London, including a pioneering Haydn festival which was recorded and released, and an unforgettable op 132. I've enjoyed quite a couple of his records very recently in fact, the Haydn op 50/4 and Bartok 4, despite ensemble and intonation problems. Szigeti also had intonation problems.


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