Michael Tilson Thomas announced in February that he could no longer continue to lead – an art he practiced with great acclamation throughout his adult life.
The news has left friends, fans, the wider musical community and almost all those who participated in one of its concerts to experience a sincere wave of loss. Now Thomas, 81, who has been fighting cancer since 2021, plans to make his final concert a late celebration of the 80th anniversary with the San Francisco Symphony on April 26 at the Davies Symphony Hall.
The conductor, who was music director of San Francisco Symphony for three decades, retired from his longtime post at the end of the 2019-20 season and is now the musical director of the organization. He remains one of the most admired and accomplished artists that the world of music has ever known.
Thomas was diagnosed for the first time in 2021 with a brain tumor described as a “terminal glioblastoma”. Even as the disease progressed, he continued to work with a characteristic dynamism, returning to the symphony and other musical organizations as far as possible.
At the end of February, however, Thomas announced that he had entered a new phase, saying: “It is now time to finish my public appearances.”
With the announcement, he said his last events would be concerts in Florida with the New World Symphony in Miami in March and April, and the San Francisco Symphony concert on April 26. The SF Symphony concert will present Bernstein, Britten, Debussy and Selections of some of the MTT’s own compositions.
Thomas’ work throughout his mandate in San Francisco was simply brilliant; His live performances were always assured and often amazing, combining mastery with an acute sense of adventure. His knowledge of music seems limitless, drawing exciting results from rarities to the best known works.
For those who have had the chance to live these performances at the Davies Hall, even familiar music recorded with the power of the new. In American works particularly close to the heart of the conductor – the scores of Bernstein, Gershwin and Stravinsky, among others – brought results which were unrivaled.
But his most famous business was the Mahler project of the Symphony. Designed and produced by Thomas, the Endeavor gave a complete cycle of the composer’s symphonies, which won prizes and received universal praise from criticism and fans.
Known of friends and fans under the name of “MTT”, Thomas was born and grew up in Los Angeles; His strongest influences come from the American Yiddish Theater, where his grandparents, Boris and Bessie Thomashefsky, were founding members.
At 24, he joined the Boston Symphony. Its fame has only increased and was scrambled in the posts at the London and Boston symphonies and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In 1995, he was appointed musical director of San Francisco Symphony. Winning a winner of a Grammy Award, 12 times he is a recipient of the honor of the Kennedy Center and the National Arts Medal.
In San Francisco, he has repeatedly shown that musical programs could be both exciting and enlightening. In events such as his 2000 “American Mavericks” festival, he presented with a great composers of enthusiasm, notably John Cage, Lou Harrison, Meredith Monk, Terry Riley, Edgard Varèse and others. Other performances of American works – such as the scintillating semi -state performance of “On the Town” by Bernstein in 2016 – paid tribute to a mentor and a friend.
In other SF Symphony events, he welcomed a long line of superior artists: the composer John Adams, the pianists Emanuel Ax, Yefim Bronfman, Jeremy Denk and Yuja Wang; Yo-Yo Ma, Anne-Sophie Mutter and Gil Shaham violinists, among others.
Mahler recordings represented an artistic brand of high water; With Thomas leading the orchestra and the vocal soloists, including the mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, the Tenor Stuart Skelton and the Baryton Thomas Hampson, the performances were universally acclaimed.
Under his direction, the San Francisco Symphony has published a number of its award -winning recordings; In addition to the Mahler series, there were music albums from Berlioz, Copland, Gershwin, Ives and Stravinsky.
Even in a world range of guest conductors who appeared to the Davies Hall during the seasons, Thomas brought a unique vision to the symphony; One characterized by a free spirit whose shiny ideas on all aspects of music have made him a kind of kind.
He was remarkably open to his condition, and his announcement explaining that he was moving away from performance was welcomed by a wave of sorrow by friends and followers. Knowing that his driving days are over is an immeasurable loss; He just can’t be replaced. But MTT fans will not let him forget; In his absence, the music he has made and the memories we will keep will live.
Contact Georgia Rowe at growe@pacbell.net.
San Francisco Symphony
Famous for the 80th anniversary of Michael Tilson Thomas
When: 7:30 p.m. April 26
Or: Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
Guests: Teddy Abrams conductor, artists Frederica von stadium, Sasha Cooke, and more
Tickets: $ 325 (limited availability) sfishmphony.org.
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