Richard Hickox the conductor
Posted by: jon h on 24 November 2008
has died, aged 60, suspected heart attack, according to the bbc news website
Posted on: 24 November 2008 by u5227470736789439
I think this is a big shock. Conductors often seem to live to a rip old age and nowadays sixty seems all too young.
I have not had the chance to meet many of the top rank of conductors but met Hickox once in a rather nice setting.
It was a rehearsal of the Bournemeouth Symphony Orchestra in the Aylstone High School in Hereford in preparation for a secular concert in the Cathedral. My friend and bass teacher, David Daly was in position leading the basses, and I was his guest - the only member of the general public allowed in!
David was using my then two year old new five string bass for the occasion as he was staying with me for the week of the residence of the BSO in the Hereford Three Choirs Festival, so I ended up getting some very nice BSO guest tickets that week! But this rehearsal was a special privelege for me.
I sat at the back behind the basses, so as to be unobtrusive, and about half way through Hickox belowed at me [to my considerable surprise he already knew my name] and asked if it sounded okay! A man of absolutely no side at all, and as it turned out after the rehearsal, a man genuinely interested to talk to an aspiring bass player. We even discussed my choice of plain gut strings on the instrument, which he admired very much as a choice, and commented that the bass was not only a good leader's intrument having a good robust forte, but also fine in projecting quiet tones as well!
His range of music making was immense, from Bach to Elgar and VW hardly does justice to his range, and he always found a just style for all his music making ...
Mostly I am no great admirer of conductors, but Hickox struck me as someone I would have been glad to play for, and thus inevitably give even more of the best than perhaps thought possible.
I am sure that his death will be a cause of considerable sadness in musical circles, as it is for me, whom he so encouraged early on.
The man was one of nature's gentlemen.
George
I have not had the chance to meet many of the top rank of conductors but met Hickox once in a rather nice setting.
It was a rehearsal of the Bournemeouth Symphony Orchestra in the Aylstone High School in Hereford in preparation for a secular concert in the Cathedral. My friend and bass teacher, David Daly was in position leading the basses, and I was his guest - the only member of the general public allowed in!
David was using my then two year old new five string bass for the occasion as he was staying with me for the week of the residence of the BSO in the Hereford Three Choirs Festival, so I ended up getting some very nice BSO guest tickets that week! But this rehearsal was a special privelege for me.
I sat at the back behind the basses, so as to be unobtrusive, and about half way through Hickox belowed at me [to my considerable surprise he already knew my name] and asked if it sounded okay! A man of absolutely no side at all, and as it turned out after the rehearsal, a man genuinely interested to talk to an aspiring bass player. We even discussed my choice of plain gut strings on the instrument, which he admired very much as a choice, and commented that the bass was not only a good leader's intrument having a good robust forte, but also fine in projecting quiet tones as well!
His range of music making was immense, from Bach to Elgar and VW hardly does justice to his range, and he always found a just style for all his music making ...
Mostly I am no great admirer of conductors, but Hickox struck me as someone I would have been glad to play for, and thus inevitably give even more of the best than perhaps thought possible.
I am sure that his death will be a cause of considerable sadness in musical circles, as it is for me, whom he so encouraged early on.
The man was one of nature's gentlemen.
George
Posted on: 24 November 2008 by Chris Kelly
That is shocking. I saw him several times and have several of his recordings. He was a big man, looked very florid, but even so, 60 is no age. RIP