Conductors remember Christoph von Dohnanyi

Alan Gilbert: Very few people have had such an impact on my musical life as Christoph von Dohnányi, here in a picture from after conducting a memorable Deutsches Requiem. Esa-Pekka and I were just this week talking about this performance that we both heard. CvD was always unfailingly supportive and loving, both as a mentor and also as a dear friend. All my love and sympathy go out to Barbara and Christoph’s family. RIP

Joshua Weilerstein: In 2012, I covered an unforgettable performance that the New York Philharmonic gave of Schubert’s 9th symphony with Christoph Von Dohnanyi. He had spent the rehearsals picking apart the piece into minute detail, revealing things in it that I had never heard or imagined before. At one point in the rehearsal I suddenly realized that through sheer hard work and determination, that the orchestra was sounding like it had been transplanted to Vienna. During the break, I asked Dohnanyi about the rehearsal and in the midst of talking about Vienna, he veered, almost unprompted, into telling me the story of his family, and particularly his father, during WWII. (If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a remarkable story. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_von_Dohnanyi)

Dohnanyi told me of his father pressing scores of Mahler and Mendelssohn into his hands, not telling him anything about them except “it is important to know these people.” It was a profoundly moving conversation and one that often comes to my mind. I treasure Dohnanyi’s recordings of so many pieces, but I will never forget that week, and the extraordinarily generous gesture on his part to speak for nearly an hour with a young assistant conductor who he had met just 24 hours prior.

Patrick Summers: Terribly saddened to hear of the death of the great conductor Christoph von Dohnanyi, one of the most brilliant musicians I’ll ever know. He was so kind and helpful to me and so many other young conductors. Peaceful passage to a real giant.

Rudolf Buchbinder: He was not just one of the most important conductors of our time, he was also a warm-hearted friend (pictured).