Il
direttore d’orchestra e violinista, fondatore dell’Academy of St. Martin in the
Fields, si è spento ieri all’età di 92 anni
Era atteso al Teatro di San
Carlo di Napoli il 29 e 30 ottobre, per dirigere il violinista Vadim Repin, Sir Neville Marriner – direttore d’orchestra,
violinista, fondatore dell’Academy of St. Martin in the Fields – che si è
spento ieri all’età di 92 anni. E pochi giorni fa, al Teatro Verdi di Padova,
aveva diretto l’Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, per celebre i 50 anni dell’orchestra.
Ad annunciarne la morte è stata proprio la compagine inglese, della quale
Marriner, dopo la direzione fino al 1992, era ormai Presidente a vita.
Nominato Comandante dell’Impero
Britannico (1979) e poi Baronetto (1985) per i servizi resi alla musica, Marriner, come il suo mentore, Pierre
Monteux, aveva iniziato la sua vita musicale con lo studio del violino. Dopo
aver suonato in formazione di Trio e Quartetto d’archi, diventa violinista della
London Symphony Orchestra e durante questo periodo che fonda l’Academy of St.
Martin in the Fields.
Nel 1969, dopo aver studiato direzione d’Orchestra con
Pierre Monteux, ha inizio la sua carriera di direttore: fonda la Los Angeles
Chamber Orchestra e, dopo aver ricoperto qui, per 10 anni, la carica di
Direttore Principale, diventa Direttore Principale della Minnesota Orchestra e
subito dopo dell’Orchestra della Radio di Stoccarda. In tutti questi anni
continua il suo intenso lavoro con l’Academy.
Il suo debutto operistico avviene
con Le Nozze di Figaro al Festival di Aix en Provence, negli
USA, a Los Angeles, con La Cenerentola. Tra gli artisti più
prolifici nell’ambito della discografia di musica classica, Marriner è stato
Direttore Musicale e Artistico nell’elaborazione e incisione della colonna
sonora del film Amadeus che ricevette
tre Grammy Awards. È stato insignito dell'Ordre des arts et Lettres dal
Ministero della Cultura Francese per il costante impegno in campo musicale e il
grande apporto alla vita culturale francese. Nel 1994 l’Academy of St. Martin in
the Fields e Sir Neville Marriner hanno ottenuto il Queen's Award for Export
Achievement quale riconoscimento dell'enorme successo internazionale in campo
concertistico e discografico.
Biografia in inglese tratta
da asmf.org
Born on 15 April 1924 in Lincoln, Sir
Neville Marriner studied at the Royal College of Music and the Paris
Conservatoire. He began his career as a violinist, playing first in a string
quartet and trio, then in the London Symphony Orchestra. It was during this
period that he founded the Academy, with the aim of forming a top-class chamber
ensemble from London’s finest players. Beginning as a group of friends who
gathered to rehearse in Sir Neville’s front room, the Academy gave its first
performance in its namesake church in 1959. The Academy now enjoys one of the
largest discographies of any chamber orchestra worldwide, and its partnership
with Sir Neville Marriner is the most recorded of any orchestra and conductor. Honoured
three times for his services to music in this country – most recently being
made a Companion of Honour by Her Majesty The Queen in June 2015 – Sir Neville
Marriner has also been awarded honours in France, Germany and Sweden. As a
player, Sir Neville Marriner had observed some of the greatest conductors at
close quarters. He worked as an extra under Toscanini and Furtwängler, with
Joseph Krips, George Szell, Stokowski and mentor Pierre Monteux. Sir Neville
began his conducting career in 1969, after his studies in America with Maestro
Monteux. There he founded the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, at the same time
as developing and extending the size and repertoire of the Academy. In 1979 he
became Music Director and Principal Conductor of both the Minneapolis Symphony
Orchestra and the Südwest Deutsche Radio Orchestra in Stuttgart, positions he
held until the late 1980s. Subsequently he has continued to work with
orchestras round the globe in Vienna, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Athens, New York,
Boston, San Francisco and Tokyo. In 2011 Sir Neville was appointed Honorary
Conductor of the newly formed I, Culture Orchestra which brings together the
most talented young musicians from Eastern Europe. Sir Neville was Music
Director of the Academy from its formation in1958 to 2011 when he became Life
President and handed the baton of Music Director to violinist Joshua Bell. Academy
Music Director, Joshua Bell said: “I am deeply saddened by the news of Sir
Neville Marriner’s passing. He was one of the most extraordinary human beings I
have ever known. I will remember him for his brilliance, his integrity, and his
humor, both on and off the concert platform. Maestro Marriner will always be
the heart and soul of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and we musicians
of the orchestra will miss him dearly.” Chairman of the Academy, Paul Aylieff
said: “We are greatly saddened by today’s news. Sir Neville’s artistic and
recording legacy, not only with the Academy but with orchestras and audiences
worldwide is immense. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and worked with
him and the Academy will ensure it continues to be an excellent and fitting
testament to Sir Neville.” The Marriner family are very touched by all the
messages of sympathy from people reminding them how much fun it was to be with
Neville.