October anniversaries:

Heitor Villa-Lobos, Brazilian composer’s, death anniversary 17 November 1957

Friedrich von Schiller by Ludovike Simanowiz, 1793. German poet, philosopher, historian, and dramatist. 250th death anniversary 10 November 1759

Albert Ketelbey, British composer, 50th death anniversary 26 November 1959

Lebrecht Photo Library
3 Bolton Road
London
NW8 0RJ

Tel: 020 7625 5341
Fax: 020 7625 5341

e-mail: pictures@lebrecht.co.uk
www.lebrecht.co.uk
www.authorpictures.co.uk

OBITUARY PICS from LEBRECHT: MERCEDES SOSA, Argentinean folk singer, 9 July 1935 – 4 October 2009

MERCEDES SOSA, Argentinean folk singer

Mercedes Sosa on 25 November 2003

Mercedes Sosa at the Theatre de la Ville, Paris, France, on 24 February 1975

To order high res, please email pictures@lebrecht.co.uk or call 020 7625 5341. Alternatively download directly from www.lebrecht.co.uk using your log-in and password.

OBITUARY PICS: ALICIA DE LARROCHA, Spanish pianist, 23 May 1923 – 25 September 2009

Alicia De Larrocha

Alicia De Larrocha

Alicia De Larrocha

Thinkin’ bout Alicia – From Slipped disc by Norman Lebrecht

Long before I listened to records for a living, I remember coming out of a store with an album I had chosen purely for the sum of its parts.

Unlike any compilation known to buffs, it combined a harpsichord concerto by Bach with a keyboard work of Haydn’s and a Mozart piano concerto, the 12th in A major, K414. I am not sure if it has ever been reissued on CD.

The conductor was David Zinman, the orchestra the London Sinfonietta and the soloist – who clearly dictated the quirky, uncommercial choice – the Spanish pianist Alicia de Larrocha, who has just died at the age of 86.

What burst off the project was the creative intelligence behind it and, the moment I heard the tender yet steely touch of its soloist, I was converted for life into a de Larrocha fan. She was quite unlike any other pianist, with a tone all her own and a taste that had to be taken on its own terms. Unmatchable in Granados, Albeniz and Turina, she brought a lilt of light and heat to non-Iberian music – Chopin, Schumann and Mozart, most of all.

She was treated with great reverence at Decca and left a discrete and indelible legacy on that label until it was corporatised in 1990. Herbert Breslin, her US manager, once said: There are two kinds of repertory Alicia plays … Things she plays extremely well, and things she plays better than anyone else.’ I would not dispute a word of that assessment.

Allan Kozinn captures her well in a New York Times obit.

Lebrecht Music & Arts September 2009 Newsletter

The Lebrecht Garden Party at the end of August was a great success. Don Hunstein, iconic photographer of the freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash in his classic black attire, and Billie Holiday in the recording studio, was a modest and humble speaker . Norman Lebrecht, writer and broadcaster, with careful and intuitive questions, ennabled him to explain how he worked with these artists. Don also provided a number of his classic prints for sale. These were created specially for the garden party and printed in a limited edition.

Lebrecht is delighted to announce that we are now representing the work of distinguished classic rock photographer Philip Grey. We have a selection of his rock group photos from the late seventies and the eighties, including Debbie Harry, Adam Ant, Bono, and The Clash plus his photos of world music at the renowned Womad festivals.

Adam Ant rehearsing for 1979 Dirk Wears White Sox Tour

Echo & The Bunnymen’s Ian McCullough at London’s Lyceum, 1980

Ex-Runaway Joan Jett at London’s Music Machine, 1980.

Master Drummers of Burundi at the 1st WOMAD Festival in Shepton Mallet, 1982

Talking Heads at London’s Hammersmith Palais, 1980

The Mo-dettes in London’s Denmark Street, 1979

News:

György Ligeti’s ‘Le Grand Macabre’ is being staged at the English National Opera from 17th September with amazing new sets.

‘Le Grand Macabre’

‘Le Grand Macabre’

September anniversaries:

Samuel Johnson, English essayist and author’s 300th birth anniversary 18 September 1709.

Gerard Hoffnung, German artist and musician’s 50th death anniversary 28 September 1959

Francis Bacon, British painter’s 100th birth anniversary 28 October 1909

Don Hunstein at Lebrecht Garden Party 2009

Lebrecht enjoyed another successful garden party this year as renowned American music photographer, Don Hunstein, took to the mic. Despite having taken some of the most iconic music photographs of all time – the album cover of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, Leonard Bernstein at work, Johnny Cash in his classic black attire, Billie Holiday recording in the studio – Don was a modest and humble speaker. Norman Lebrecht, writer and broadcaster, with careful and intuitive questions, enabled him to explain how he worked with these artists. It became clear in the interview that by quietly watching and waiting from the outside he gained artists’ trust and was able to take such personal portraits.

Gathered around with wine and strawberries, the audience was treated to tales of Columbia Records during the 1960s, road trips with Glenn Gould and how National Service in England first introduced Don to the possibilities of photography. Many thanks to Don and his wife Deanne for making the trip from New York and to all our guests for attending. Looking forward to next year…

www.lebrecht.co.uk

www.lebrecht.co.uk

www.lebrecht.co.uk

www.lebrecht.co.uk

www.lebrecht.co.uk

www.lebrecht.co.uk

www.lebrecht.co.uk

www.lebrecht.co.uk

www.lebrecht.co.uk

Photographs by © Kit Ryall

OBITUARY PICS from LEBRECHT: HILDEGARD BEHRENS, German opera singer, 9 February 1937 – 18 August 2009

Hildegard Behrens as Brünnhilde in Wagner’s ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’. Bayreuth, 1983

Hildegard Behrens as Rusalka in DVORAK’s ‘Rusalke’. Bavarian State Opera, 1981

Hildegard Behrens in Richard Wagner ’s Walküre at Bayreuth

To order high res, please email pictures@lebrecht.co.uk or call 020 7625 5341. Alternatively download directly from www.lebrecht.co.uk using your log-in and password.

Sir Arnold Wesker places unique photos with Lebrecht Authors

Sir Arnold Wesker, the renowned British playwright, has placed a number of his personal photos with Author Pictures at Lebrecht. This complements the drafts of his famous plays such as ‘Roots’ and ‘I’m Talking about Jerusalem’ that he previously gave permission to Lebrecht Authors to include on their website at www.lebrecht.co.uk

Roots draft of play by Arnold Wesker

Arnold Wesker age 6-7 in 1938-39

Arnold Wesker and Mary Wilson at Roundhouse

OBITUARY PICS from LEBRECHT: LES PAUL, American guitarist and guitar inventor, 9 June 1915 – 13 August 2009

Les Paul with a guitar and harmonica in a sailor outfit in the late 1920s

Les Paul with his wife, the vocalist and guitarist, Mary Ford

1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard

1989 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top 1956 reissue

To order high res, please email pictures@lebrecht.co.uk or call 020 7625 5341. Alternatively download directly from www.lebrecht.co.uk using your log-in and password.