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Allan Evans dead at 63
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O...@aol.com
Jun 7, 2020, 5:01:08 AM6/7/20
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Just terrible news. I knew he had been stricken by an illness some years ago. One of the really great reissue producers of our time. Arbiter Records is a treasure.
Tribute by longtime Gramophone‘s ‘Replay’ editor, Rob Cowan:
<< There are people (like me) whose voices suggest someone far younger than they are while others (like the late Allan Evans) look far younger than they sound. My friend the pianist-composer Jed Distler has just informed me that Allan, one of the most significant historical audio restoration pioneers, died yesterday in New York. I’m gutted. Allan was a diamond, always concerned for others, good fun and most important as far as posterity is concerned, a brilliant teacher, scholar and an historian whose non-profits arts organisation Arbiter, which he founded in 1996, published more than 150 recordings by historic interpreters, some of them obscure to the point of previous invisibility – but always worth hearing.
I will never forget the first time we met. It was at the (London) Swiss Cottage home of Michal Hambourg (1919-2004), daughter of pianist Mark Hambourg (1879-1960) and the violinist Dorothea Muir Mackenzie (1881-?). I’d previously only conversed with Allan over the phone. He sounded like a wise elderly gent and when he answered the door, I just couldn’t square the young-looking guy in front of me (Allan was merely in his early sixties when he died) with that deep, gravelly voice. We had a ball, Michal cooking the freshest vegan meal you could imagine while reminiscing about her Dad – ‘old school’ isn’t the word, Mark’s playing as recorded was positively Shakespearean – and how they recorded Liszt together for HMV. Thereafter Allan and I kept in touch. His book on – and passionate advocacy of – the Polish-Jewish pianist Ignacy Friedman (1882-1948) illuminated the art of a player whose every recording shines like a beacon in the firmament. Largely because of Allan, Friedman’s legacy has appeared on, for example, Danacord (who had first reissued it, on vinyl), Naxos and Pearl, with individual albums on APR, Marston and Allan’s own Arbiter label. Allan’s superb book ‘Ignace Friedman: Romantic Master Pianist’ is published by Indiana Press.
But writing on Friedman and the Liszt-pupil Moriz Rosenthal, as well numerous cd booklet notes, was far from being Allan’s sole talent. His biography will tell you that he was ‘dragged into music when first hearing the music of Gospel singer/banjo-and-guitar player Rev. Gary Davis and became his last pupil’. His recording excavations delivered to our door, in addition to copious first-releases of recordings of the great Polish-American pianist Mieczysław Horszowski, the likes of pianists Alfred Hoehn (in Brahms), Iren Marik, Madeleine de Valmalète and the ‘lost legend of Cairo’ Ignace Tiegerman - a Friedman pupil, ‘the greatest talent papà ever worked with’ was Friedman’s own assessment according to his daughter Mme Lydia Walder. You can check out the amazingly wide-ranging Arbiter legacy for yourself on https://arbiterrecords.org/ Allan Evans was a true musician, the sort of listener who because of his passion for what he heard made you want to listen all the more carefully. God rest him. >>
Tribute by longtime Gramophone‘s ‘Replay’ editor, Rob Cowan:
<< There are people (like me) whose voices suggest someone far younger than they are while others (like the late Allan Evans) look far younger than they sound. My friend the pianist-composer Jed Distler has just informed me that Allan, one of the most significant historical audio restoration pioneers, died yesterday in New York. I’m gutted. Allan was a diamond, always concerned for others, good fun and most important as far as posterity is concerned, a brilliant teacher, scholar and an historian whose non-profits arts organisation Arbiter, which he founded in 1996, published more than 150 recordings by historic interpreters, some of them obscure to the point of previous invisibility – but always worth hearing.
I will never forget the first time we met. It was at the (London) Swiss Cottage home of Michal Hambourg (1919-2004), daughter of pianist Mark Hambourg (1879-1960) and the violinist Dorothea Muir Mackenzie (1881-?). I’d previously only conversed with Allan over the phone. He sounded like a wise elderly gent and when he answered the door, I just couldn’t square the young-looking guy in front of me (Allan was merely in his early sixties when he died) with that deep, gravelly voice. We had a ball, Michal cooking the freshest vegan meal you could imagine while reminiscing about her Dad – ‘old school’ isn’t the word, Mark’s playing as recorded was positively Shakespearean – and how they recorded Liszt together for HMV. Thereafter Allan and I kept in touch. His book on – and passionate advocacy of – the Polish-Jewish pianist Ignacy Friedman (1882-1948) illuminated the art of a player whose every recording shines like a beacon in the firmament. Largely because of Allan, Friedman’s legacy has appeared on, for example, Danacord (who had first reissued it, on vinyl), Naxos and Pearl, with individual albums on APR, Marston and Allan’s own Arbiter label. Allan’s superb book ‘Ignace Friedman: Romantic Master Pianist’ is published by Indiana Press.
But writing on Friedman and the Liszt-pupil Moriz Rosenthal, as well numerous cd booklet notes, was far from being Allan’s sole talent. His biography will tell you that he was ‘dragged into music when first hearing the music of Gospel singer/banjo-and-guitar player Rev. Gary Davis and became his last pupil’. His recording excavations delivered to our door, in addition to copious first-releases of recordings of the great Polish-American pianist Mieczysław Horszowski, the likes of pianists Alfred Hoehn (in Brahms), Iren Marik, Madeleine de Valmalète and the ‘lost legend of Cairo’ Ignace Tiegerman - a Friedman pupil, ‘the greatest talent papà ever worked with’ was Friedman’s own assessment according to his daughter Mme Lydia Walder. You can check out the amazingly wide-ranging Arbiter legacy for yourself on https://arbiterrecords.org/ Allan Evans was a true musician, the sort of listener who because of his passion for what he heard made you want to listen all the more carefully. God rest him. >>
O...@aol.com
Jun 7, 2020, 5:08:57 AM6/7/20
to
P.S. I beg yr pardon. Mr. Evans was 64.
4 / 4 / 56 - 6 / 6 / 20.
4 / 4 / 56 - 6 / 6 / 20.
MCGM
Jun 7, 2020, 5:15:03 AM6/7/20
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RIP, dear Allan.
Miguel
Miguel
Hank Drake
Jun 7, 2020, 7:40:29 AM6/7/20
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Agreed, this is terrible news. Though I only knew Allan Evans through his label's fine issues and social media, it was obvious he was a person and producer of unimpeachable integrity.
Arbiter's Horszowski and Paul Jacobs reissues in particular are a treasure to me.
Hank
Arbiter's Horszowski and Paul Jacobs reissues in particular are a treasure to me.
Hank
Bozo
Jun 7, 2020, 10:54:33 AM6/7/20
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Terrible news.My library contains his books on Friedman and Rosenthal,and 21 Arbiter cd's.I was fortunate to exchange an occasional email with him, and always learned from him.He was quite knowledgable about all things Italian as well.Simply a wonderful human being.My condolences to his wife and son.
Pavane
Jun 7, 2020, 11:22:06 AM6/7/20
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RIP. Great loss to historical recording lovers.
Bozo
Jun 7, 2020, 2:59:14 PM6/7/20
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His 2/23/2020 Blog post, an example of what we shall miss: https://arbiterrecords.org
number_six
Jun 7, 2020, 3:22:24 PM6/7/20
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On Sunday, June 7, 2020 at 8:22:06 AM UTC-7, Pavane wrote:
> RIP. Great loss to historical recording lovers.
Outside the classical realm, I have some of the Bali 1928 gamelan series.
> RIP. Great loss to historical recording lovers.
Very significant releases.
Néstor Castiglione
Jun 7, 2020, 6:17:15 PM6/7/20
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An irreplaceable loss. Despite the fact that we never met, he was kind of a distant musical mentor of mine since my junior high days. First discovered his Friedman set on Pearl back when I was in 8th grade. The performances and his liner notes so moved me, that I was compelled to write to him. (Actually Pearl, who were kind enough to forward my fan letter to him.) We corresponded on and off since 1996 and were supposed to meet last October, but was prevented because of unforeseen circumstances. We last spoke in April regarding a musical mentor of his youth.
My profoundest and sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones. Allan Evans was a true gentleman and scholar such as rarely exist in any age, much less in our vulgar and blatant times. Requiescat in pace.
My profoundest and sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones. Allan Evans was a true gentleman and scholar such as rarely exist in any age, much less in our vulgar and blatant times. Requiescat in pace.
ctimb...@gmail.com
Jun 7, 2020, 7:21:14 PM6/7/20
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Neil
Jun 8, 2020, 8:36:10 AM6/8/20
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On Sunday, 7 June 2020 10:01:08 UTC+1, O...@aol.com wrote:
> Just terrible news. I knew he had been stricken by an illness some years ago. One of the really great reissue producers of our time. Arbiter Records is a treasure.
Did Allan Evans participate in RMCR ? I read Rob C's tribute.
> Just terrible news. I knew he had been stricken by an illness some years ago. One of the really great reissue producers of our time. Arbiter Records is a treasure.
Néstor Castiglione
Jun 8, 2020, 6:04:13 PM6/8/20
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He participated here and was also a member of SymphonyShare. His last post there was from this past December.
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