Conductor Michael Gielen has died. Gielen passed on Friday, at the age of 91.
Best known as one-time music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (1980-86), and, especially, the Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra (1986-99), he was also a composer, which perhaps explains his special talent for deciphering complex and contemporary scores. He also provided interesting interpretive insights into music of the Romantic era.
This afternoon on The Classical Network, we’ll remember Gielen through some of his recordings, including that of a Chamber Symphony for 23 Solo Instruments by fin-de-siècle master Franz Schreker.
We’ll also observe the birthdays today of Catalan composer Xavier Montsalvatge, maestro del tango Astor Piazzolla, Irish composer of Victorian opera William Vincent Wallace, American originals Carl Ruggles, Henry Cowell, and Anthony Philip Heinrich, and vocal artist Bobby McFarren.
Don’t worry, be happy! It may be the first Monday following a time change, and great artists come and go, but the music will remain vibrant, from 4 to 7 p.m. EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.