Janos Starker, 1924-2013

[Mark Stryker]

The great cellist and teacher Janos Starker died this morning in Bloomington, Ind., at age 88. Not all things in all repertoire but an imposing musician who deserves his spot in the pantheon. Not long after I arrived in Detroit in 2005 I heard him play the following program with the Detroit Symphony -- Hindemith Concerto, Brahms Double Concerto, Beethoven Triple Concerto. All on the same concert (!) He was 71. It was superhuman. Everything was terrific, especially the Hindemith and Brahms.

I grew up in Bloomington and Starker was the house cellist in town He had an ego. Funny story: A friend once stood behind him in a line at a bank. The teller asked him for ID. Indignant, Starker replied: "I'm the world's greatest cellist!"

RIP

http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/24173.html

Edited April 28, 2013 by Mark Stryker

[Carl Baugher]

One of the great cellists. He'll be missed.

[Blue Train]

I was fortuante enough to see him perform twice.

Be well, and Thank You!

Edited April 28, 2013 by Blue Train

[Blue Train]

k

[Peter Friedman]

Yes, Starker' s Bach Cello Suites and Sonatas are very good.

His recordings of Cello Concertos by Schumann, Lalo, and Saint-Saens are also top notch.

[John Litweiler]

When did Starker come to Bloomington? He played at least 1 David Baker composition and I wonder if David studied w/him.

[king ubu]

says 1958 here:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-janos-starker-dies-20130428,0,1963880.column

[Chuck Nessa]

Yes, he was a customer when we lived in Bloomington in the late '60s. Stern/stiff fellow indeed.

[Larry Kart]

I remember seeing/hearing him play at Ravinia when I was in my early teens. Very impressive experience.

[Mark Stryker]

When did Starker come to Bloomington? He played at least 1 David Baker composition and I wonder if David studied w/him.

Baker did study cello with Starker and wrote his early cello works for him, including the Sonata for Cello and Piano, which premiered at Carnegie around 74 and appeared on LP a couple of times, including in the multi-volume Black Composer Series on Columbia. There's also a chamber piece called "Singer of Songs/Weaver of Dreams" for cello and 17 percussion instruments that was recorded by Starker and percussionist George Gaber on "Starker Plays Baker" http://www.amazon.com/Starker-Plays-Baker-Singers-Weavers/dp/B000007QLG And there's a Baker Concerto for Cello and Chamber Orchestra from 1975 that Starker commissioned and that was also performed in NY. Haven't heard these in a long time but recall them all as good pieces in a flexible third stream idiom

[clifford_thornton]

Sorry to hear of his passing. He was something.

[Mark Stryker]

The Times obit has some fantastic details (scotch, cigarettes, etc.) Re: the Bob Knight reference. It was Knight's habit to often have successful people from all walks of life and from the university speak to his teams. I don't know how exactly he met Starker but he responded to the cellist's pursuit of excellence, discipline, reputation as tough teacher, etc. Steve Alford, the former all-American guard for Indiana (and now coach at UCLA) wrote about the time Starker came to talk to the team in a book about his experiences playing for Knight. I'm going from memory, but I recall Alford saying that one of the things Starker talked about was that if he knew he hadn't played his best at a performance, then he was never satisfied, even if he received a rapturous standing ovation. The lesson reinforced Knight's mantra about playing to one's potential regardless of what the scoreboard says at any particular moment.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/30/arts/music/janos-starker-master-cellist-dies-at-88.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0

Edited April 30, 2013 by Mark Stryker

[doneth]

A dear old friend of mine, who now plays cello in the Montreal Symphony, wanted to go the college in Bloomington in the early 1970s and was being interviewed by a committee; she had been playing for years at that point, and the panel was badgering her about her academic record. Starker finally growled, "Oh, leave the girl alone; she's smart enough."

[paul secor]

Always great to read a story about the person who lives behind the music.