REMEMBERING SIR NEVILLE MARRINER: 15 APRIL 1924 – 2 OCTOBER 2016

A legend has sadly passed: Sir Neville Marriner, British conductor and Founder / President of the illustrious chamber orchestra known as the Academy of St Martin in the Fields quietly left this musical sphere in the somnolent hours of Sunday October 2, 2016 at his home in London at the advanced age of 92 years.

Marriner, arguably one of the most important and influential conductors of the present generation, began a most notable musical career as violinist for the LSO immediately following the outbreak of WWII – a turbulent period in which the then 17-year-old Lincoln native briefly left his studies at the Royal College of Music in London to serve in a reconnaissance role in the British Army before returning to the college and eventually to the much esteemed Paris Conservatoire to continue his studies in 1943 following injuries sustained whilst serving.

By 1958 Marriner had founded the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, a historically informed Chamber Orchestra - originally envisioned for performing and recording the baroque repertoire – to substantial critical acclaim.

The musician-turned-conductor Neville Marriner would become Sir Neville in 1985 after he was officially Knighted for his service to music.

Coincidentally, the honor bestowed to the newly inducted chevalier came just one year after the release of the smash-hit period-piece Amadeus – an American drama film based on British playwright Peter Shaffer’s 1979 stage play of the same name which set to the movie screen an account of the mythical legend of the Mozart-Salieri liaison dangereuse.

It would be through this most excellent and highly entertaining quasi-biopic that thousands of newcomers to the world of Classical Music would become introduced to composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri - and indeed the art form of Classical Music and Opera itself - though Sir Neville’s most enduring contribution to the film’s soundtrack: one was almost guaranteed to come away from the film humming a newly familiar tune – sparking a further interest into music's most fascinating genre.

As Classical Music fans, we are forever indebted to his service.

“It is miraculous:”




Who was Sir Neville Marriner?:



Amadeus Soundtrack (playlist - use navigation keys before and after the Play/Pause button to go to next track on album, or to go back to a previous piece. Navigations keys at footer of video):


Obituaries:

• at Academy of St Martin in the Fields 
• at The Guardian 
• at the Telegraph

Sir Neville Marriner: 15 April 1924 – 2 October 2016
Rest in Peace, Maestro.

-Rose.

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