Hiroshi Wakasugi

[mike bosworth]

I read yesterday in the local press that the Japanese conductor Hiroshi Wakasugi died on July 21st at the age of 74.  I didn't know that he was Bertini's predecessor at the WDR Sinfonie in Köln.

Mike Bosworth
(currently visiting Tokyo)

[akiralx]

Sad news, I knew he was around that age.

His sublime recording of Bruckner's Second Symphony with the Saarbrucken RSO on Arte Nova is absolutely my favourite of that wonderful piece, ahead of other fine versions by Giulini, Karajan, Stein, Chailly et al.  His Bruckner 9 is also good.

Wikipedia informs me he was principal conductor of the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1977 to 1983, and general music director of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf from 1981 to 1986. He was artistic director and principal conductor of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich, Switzerland from 1987 to 1991. From 1982 to 1991, he was also a permanent conductor at the Semperoper Dresden and Staatskapelle Dresden.

Not sure how much Mahler he conducted or if he pursued a career in the US.

[barry guerrero]

"Not sure how much Mahler he conducted or if he pursued a career in the US."

He recorded an entire cycle in Japan. For M1, he used one of the earlier versions of the work, which includes "Blumine" (I don't know, the "Hamburg" or "Budapest" version?). In M2, he chose to use the original "Totenfeier" for the first movement. I liked his 8th because it sounded like a Music-Minus-One version. The soloists sounded as though they were located clear out in the next prefect.

[John Kim]

I've heard Wakasugi's M1 (with Dresden Orchestra), M6 and M9 + M10 Adagio.

They are all very good (M6, M9, M10) to excellent (M1) recordings.

John,

[mike bosworth]

A few nights ago the TV Channel NHK-E broadcast a one hour memorial program for Wakasugi including interviews and concert excerpts.  The program closed with Wakasugi conducting the Adagio from M9 with the NHK Symphony, from a performance in September 2006.

Mike Bosworth