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.
