With the passing today of Maestro James De Preist, the classical music world has suffered a devastating loss – a loss that is mourned with particular intensity at Delos. In addition to being perhaps the first African-American conductor to rise to international prominence, he was the first conductor to record regularly for Delos. Following his first recording for us in 1976 (Hindemith’s Four Temperaments, with the Royal Philharmonic and pianist Carol Rosenberger: now Delos’ Director), “Jimmy” went on to make 16 more critically acclaimed CDs for us with other orchestras that he served as Music Director: the Helsinki and Monte Carlo Philharmonics, as well as the Oregon Symphony: an ensemble that, under his guidance, developed from a third-rate regional band into a world-class orchestra.
By mournful coincidence, the news of his passing arrived just as we at Delos are in the final production throes for 40-for-40: a three-CD set celebrating our label’s 40th anniversary year. One of the featured tracks (a suite from Erich Korngold’s swashbuckling score to the silver screen classic, The Sea Hawk) comes from his wonderful all-Korngold recording with the Oregon Symphony. To quote Carol’s last-minute addition to the program notes, “Just as this booklet was going to press, we received the sad news of Jimmy’s death. May The Sea Hawk serve as a soaring tribute to his memory.”
To Carol, Jimmy was not only a respected colleague, but also a cherished friend. Just today, she reminisced about being a guest in the DePreist home while “Aunt Marian” was visiting (he’s the nephew of immortal American contralto and civil rights pioneer Marian Anderson). He will be sorely missed, not only here at Delos, but by the throngs of musicians and fans worldwide whose lives he touched and enriched.
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