August 2010

I am still coming to terms with the fact that Sir Charles has departed this world. He and Lady Mackerras had a huge effect on my life: both such shining examples of down to earth honesty, generosity, integrity, superlative musicianship and just wonderful people.  I can’t begin to express how much I will miss Sir Charles. His supreme dedication to music kept the flame of inspiration alight right to the end. With illness hovering over him he produced performances of the most searing intensity. Our generation has a lot to live up to.

It has been a great privilege and inspiration to work in depth with Sir Charles over the last twelve years. He is an all round conducting genius: and his musical mind, like Ravi Shankar’s is a fountain of creativity. His non-stop probing of the intellectual and expressive depths of whatever score he is working on is combined with with an incredible practical focus. This manifests itself as meticulous rehearsal preparation and the equally meticulous preparation of orchestral parts so that players are always working from the most authentic material possible.

His work with Janáček is legendary, but his repertoire ranges from the early baroque to Gilbert and Sullivan. He is a master of a vast range of genres proving that musical specialism is often just a barrier to understanding the big picture.

He has achieved so much of great significance: for example the pioneering recording of Handel’s Fireworks music in 1959 plus his ground-breaking performances of Mozart and Handel operas in the 1960’s have profoundly influenced whole generations of musicians.

His ability to bring out the best in any orchestra, be it modern or period and his continuing quest deliver the composer’s message with the utmost clarity has led in recent years to the development of an orchestral sound which combines the virtues of both modern and period styles, a fine example being his remarkable recordings with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.