Hi all,
I just heard of the passing away, on June 11, of Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. Although I've been unable to find a list of recordings, I remember him as one of those names that cropped up in recordings of (relatively) unknown works during years when many shunned the unsung altogether. A grand old master, he'll be missed.
A discography can be found here:
http://www.discogs.com/artist/880957-Rafael-Fr%C3%BChbeck-De-Burgos (http://www.discogs.com/artist/880957-Rafael-Fr%C3%BChbeck-De-Burgos)
In the 90s I had the pleasure of working with Rafael in various productions at the Zurich Opera. In all of his "Carmen" performances I also acted on stage as Lillas Pastia, since we used the original French dialogue version (in a magnificent staging by Jean-Pierre-Ponnelle). Big stars like Baltsa, Domingo, Carreras, Estes wre regularly guesting in Zurich at that time. It's thanks to Rafael that the first recording of the dialogue version of "Carmen" could be recorded (on EMI, with Grace Bumbry). These were great times! Rafael was a natural and uncomplicated musician and an easy-going person and thanks to him I could hear many funny stories from his career. He had also worked with Menotti. His recording of "Carmina Burana" is still considered today one of the best. He also recorded De Falla's oratorio "Atlantida", completed by Ernesto Halffter and his other De Falla recordings are landmarks.
That's a lovely testimonial. Thank you!
de Burgos came rather regularly to Torino since 1964 and was, here, Principal Conductor of the Italian Radio and Television Orchestra since 2001 up to 2007. I had the great luck to see him conducting around forty times (or maybe more).
Fatally the programming was mainly of the more sung repertoire. However I remember that he conducted in different years three times Falla's La Vida Breve, twice the Albeniz Iberia pieces orchestrated by Arbos, once Albeniz Suite Espanola orchestrated by himself, Busoni Turandot Suite.
He loved to conduct frequently as encores the Granados orchestral interlude from Goyescas and the (irresistible) interlude from the zarzuela "La Boda de Luis Alonso" by Jeronimo Gimenez.
I hoped to see and listen him once again next August in Monte Carlo (Carmina Burana was programmed) but sadly that will be no longer possible.
His Albeniz recordings are among my favourites, along with de Falla, and he also achieved just the right balance in sprightly versions of the Rodrigo concertos. His passing seems to have happened so soon... how the years fly by! :(
Some 44 years ago, a man walked into my then-sophomore-year dorm and offered his Los Angeles Philharmonic tickets for that night, to any student interested. I eagerly accepted, went and thoroughly enjoyed the Tchaikovsky 6th and other delicacies I don't remember, and that evening kickstarted decades of concert-going. Yes, if you haven't guessed, Frühbeck de Burgos conducted, and I've not forgotten - neither Frühbeck de Burgos nor the anonymous man whose generosity helped enable my love affair with live classical music.
Gregory
Gregory, what a lucky break! It is amazing where a simple act of generosity can lead. :)
His "Elijah" was a landmark recording too, with Dame Janet Baker singing as wonderfully as ever..... Cost me a fortune from my teenage money allowance to buy three full price HMV LP's in a box... His "Carmina" is fine too, as has already been mentioned. RIP maestro....