Episode 456. John Wustman In Memoriam

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I had hoped not to be bringing this episode to my listeners until many years hence. Alas, my dear teacher and mentor John Wustman, one of the most influential, pathbreaking, and inspired of all accompanists (a term he far preferred to “collaborative pianist”) died this past Thursday at the age of 95. I have already featured his magnificent artistry on countless episodes, including two devoted expressly to his superb artistry and musicianship. Rather than simply reissuing one of those episodes (or recycling an additional bonus episode already published for my Patreon supporters), I decided to focus on his work with one singer in particular, the French soprano Régine Crespin. Wustman’s work with singers such as Luciano Pavarotti and others is well-remembered and documented, but at a crucial point in his career, it was his recital work with Crespin that was (at her insistence) documented on two commercial releases of art song, both recorded in the mid-1960s, one on EMI, the other on London/Decca. These form a central part of Wustman’s recorded legacy. Today, however, I am focusing on rare live recordings of the pair in recital between 1967 and 1970, the twilight of Crespin’s prime. From these, I have chosen five different song cycles that were featured in those performances, works by Poulenc, Debussy, Milhaud, Schumann, and Hugo Wolf. These recordings have not received widespread circulation, and for that reason alone they would constitute essential listening, but what is even more exceptional is the strong musical bond between the two performers, one which emanates out to their audience in a way which is utterly remarkable. I shall be featuring further episodes with my beloved Mr. Wustman in months to come, but I am particularly honored to share these with you today, as we mourn his death and celebrate his ongoing legacy.