Herbert Blonstadt at 90

[Gregory Matthews]

See:

http://atoday.org/herbert-blomstedt-90-year-old-adventist-maestro-to-conduct-over-90-concerts-this-year/

[Jeannieb43]

I have been privileged to meet Herbert Blomstedt many times, along with his lovely wife, who traveled with him.  He had been a classmate in graduate school in California with one of my music-teacher colleagues and friends, and he stayed at her home whenever he came to L.A. to conduct.   After his wife died, however (and her husband had also recently died), they had dinner together when he was in town but he did not stay at her house.  I also attended one of his rehearsals of the L.A.Philharmonic.   He was amazing; he conducted the entire symphony from memory.   Then, following the run-through, he would open his score, turn a few pages, call out to the musicians several locations in which he wanted them to play the passage differently -- all without ever having referred to the music score while they were playing it.

He was a very polite, gentlemanly person.  Completely sophisticated yet gentle in his actions.  A wonderful example of a fine Adventist man.

[Stan]

there seems to be a special nobleness in that generation that I am not seeing in my generation.

 

Even so, Come Lord Jesus, come

[Gail]

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