conductor George Cleve passed away

[barry guerrero]

Long time bay area resident and conductor George Cleve died. Not exactly a household name outside of the S.F. Bay area, Cleve had conducted the now defunct San Jose Symphony for several decades. I went to numerous concerts in the 1980's. Among those concerts, a "Das Lied von der Erde" with Jessye Norman, a highly energized Nielsen 3rd symphony and the best Mahler 3 I've ever heard in concert (Flint Center at De Anza College). Conducting wise, it was far better than the James Levine/Vienna Phil. M3 I saw in Carnegie Hall. The playing was pretty darn good too, including an outstanding job on the offstage Posthorn solos by James Dooley.

Since the demise of the old San Jose Symphony, Cleve was best known for the Mostly Mozart Festival, as well as various local opera productions. The very fine pianist Semour Lipkin was a frequent guest soloists with the M.M.F. Orchestra. In my opinion, bay area classical music will be poorer without the presence of Cleve.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/30/arts/music/george-cleve-conductor-who-interpreted-mozart-dies-at-79.html?_r=0

[Chibikonaga]

I take it you meant the Midsummer Mozart Festival which was very well known for Cleve's association with it.

[barry guerrero]

Yes, my bad!  Ive only gone to a few of those.