Page 111 - ASMF Marriner 100 Coverage Book

22 March 2024

Sir Neville Marriner, Servant Emeritus of

Music

On 22 March 2024 by Pierre Jean Tribot

On April 15th, Sir Neville Marriner would have
been 100 years old! On this occasion, Warner
Classics reissues the complete recordings for
EMI, Virgin and Erato. Over time, this familiar
figure in music tends to be forgotten. However,
the English musician was, a bit like Karajan, a
music entrepreneur, imposing his mark in a
world of classical music driven by a frenzy of
recordings, especially when he was at the
podium of his Academy of St. Martin-in-the-
Fields with which he released 300 records.

Because just like Karajan, Sir Neville Marriner
was one of the names that entered the homes
of music lovers, emeritus or not. Whether it's
with a symphonic, concertante, vocal or lyrical
recording, but above all, like his Austrian
colleague, with albums of short orchestral
pieces, there is no way to do without this
conductor who leaves a digitally incredible
discography with the companies now of the
Warner group, but also with Decca, Philips, DGG, Capriccio, Sony Classical, RCA, Telarc or Hanssler...

As we have written, Sir Neville Marriner was a builder of music. A violinist by training, he was equally
at ease in chamber music as for example as second violin of the Martin String Quartet, in duo with
harpsichordist Thurston Dart with whom he initiated the Virtuoso String Trio. He was also an
orchestral musician with London orchestras, including the Philharmonia and the LSO as second violin
conductor (1956-1969). He was thus able to play under the direction of the greatest conductors,
including Arturo Toscanini on the occasion of his Brahms concerts in 1952. Finally, one of his other
strings was the teaching he gave at the Royal College of Music and, from this teaching experience,
the musician retained a devotion to youth, showing particular attention to young soloists, many of
whom owe him the accompaniment of their first orchestral albums.