Roger G. Hall, 79, RCA Classical Music Executive
Hoodoo
June 12, 2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/12/nyregion/12hall.html
Roger G. Hall, a former executive for classical music at RCA
Victor, died on Monday at his home in Philadelphia. He was 79.
The cause was complications of Parkinson's disease, said his
wife, Katherine Knight Hall.
As the director of artists and repertory at RCA's Red Seal
imprint in the 1960's, Mr. Hall signed deals with some of the
leading artists of the day, including the singers Plácido
Domingo, Montserrat Caballé, Shirley Verrett and Sherrill Milnes.
He also signed recording contracts with André Previn, the
Guarneri String Quartet, the pianist Peter Serkin and the Chicago
Symphony Orchestra.
And in 1967, in what was considered at the time to be a major
coup, he wooed Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra away
from Columbia Records.
Mr. Hall was born in Plainfield, N.J., and graduated from the
University of North Carolina. He got his start as a talent
promoter at Columbia Artists Management, worked as an assistant
manager for the Chicago Symphony, and managed the Philadelphia
Orchestra.
He joined RCA in 1963 and left seven years later to serve as
president of the North Carolina School of the Arts Foundation. He
returned to artist management in the 1970's, buying out Sol
Hurok's contracts after Hurok died in 1974, and brought the
Bolshoi Opera and Ballet to the Metropolitan Opera House.
From 1977 until he retired in 1990, Mr. Hall was an executive at
the public radio station WHYY in Philadelphia. He also served for
many years on the music advisory panel of the National Endowment
for the Arts, and was on the board of the Berkshire Choral
Festival in Sheffield, Mass.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Hall is survived by two sons, Roger
Barclay, of Los Angeles, and Alexander, of Philadelphia; a
daughter, Mary Stockton, of Brooklyn; and two grandchildren.
--
It's a big old goofy world. - John Prine