Remembering conductor, composer and pianist Michael Tilson Thomas : NPR
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Remembering conductor, composer and pianist Michael Tilson Thomas : NPR
Somehow I missed this news. Another rare conductor/composer/educator in the Bernstein mould. Very thankful for discovering a lot of Gershwin and American Songbook music through the orchestras he worked with.
Bravo Maestro
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T #orchestra shared this topic
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Remembering conductor, composer and pianist Michael Tilson Thomas : NPR
Somehow I missed this news. Another rare conductor/composer/educator in the Bernstein mould. Very thankful for discovering a lot of Gershwin and American Songbook music through the orchestras he worked with.
Bravo Maestro@scottishlass I did see this at the time (re link below) and went to check which recordings I had of him conducting.
As it happens, neither is classical, both being from his work with John McLaughlin:
- https://michaeltilsonthomas.com/recordings/mahavishnu-orchestra-apocalypse/
- https://michaeltilsonthomas.com/recordings/mclaughlin-mediterranean-concerto/I remember him touring Australia at least once.
ABC news item:
- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-24/michael-tilson-thomas-obituary/106602132
and retrospective on ABC Classic:
- https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/legends/legends-michael-tilson-thomas/106602878 -
@scottishlass I did see this at the time (re link below) and went to check which recordings I had of him conducting.
As it happens, neither is classical, both being from his work with John McLaughlin:
- https://michaeltilsonthomas.com/recordings/mahavishnu-orchestra-apocalypse/
- https://michaeltilsonthomas.com/recordings/mclaughlin-mediterranean-concerto/I remember him touring Australia at least once.
ABC news item:
- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-24/michael-tilson-thomas-obituary/106602132
and retrospective on ABC Classic:
- https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/legends/legends-michael-tilson-thomas/106602878@scottishlass Ah, nothing like a reason to research rather than rely on memory. This page lists his tours with the Chicago Symphony which confirms an Australian tour in 1988.
https://csoarchives.wordpress.com/2026/04/23/remembering-michael-tilson-thomas/In those days, the Festival of Perth (as it was then known) routinely brought big name orchestras out to "the west", albeit with an understandably high ticket price. In 1988 I was unemployed so that will be a reason I didn't go, but I knew the name of MTT more than I did Solti at the time.
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@scottishlass Ah, nothing like a reason to research rather than rely on memory. This page lists his tours with the Chicago Symphony which confirms an Australian tour in 1988.
https://csoarchives.wordpress.com/2026/04/23/remembering-michael-tilson-thomas/In those days, the Festival of Perth (as it was then known) routinely brought big name orchestras out to "the west", albeit with an understandably high ticket price. In 1988 I was unemployed so that will be a reason I didn't go, but I knew the name of MTT more than I did Solti at the time.
@geraldew liked this quote I'm one of those article links you posted.
"…to find somebody who knew all of Mahler but also knew all Fanny Brice's jokes. That was just unbelievable."
Think it was that mix of encouraging/sharing both the old and the new for listeners and not taking things too seriously that appealed to me. He left room for joy.
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