Tone Poem Tuesday (Farewell, Seiji Ozawa)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9zYbwDqZUs

Maestro Seiji Ozawa died last week, aged 88.

Ozawa was best known for his long tenure as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, all twenty-nine years of that tenure–the longest of any of that great orchestra’s many amazing conductors.

In addition to his direct music-making, Ozawa was always deeply invested in teaching young musicians and young conductors. Here is a clip in which he steps in to correct a young conducting student on a matter of technique: “I try to understand you. I don’t do this…[conducts with a vague circular motion of the hand]…that’s like, ‘eighteen minutes, cook the spaghetti.'”

Here is how the Boston Symphony marked his passing:

And here he is, not too many years ago, looking perhaps a bit frail…but still able to bring the goods when Beethoven is on the program.

Thank you for all the music, Seiji Ozawa! You made the world better.

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