AFP/London


Tributes yesterday poured in from all over the world of classical music for legendary British maestro Colin Davis, regarded as one of the greatest ever conductors of Mozart, who died on Sunday aged 85.
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) - which the Surrey-born musician first conducted in 1959 before becoming its longest-serving principal conductor from 1995 to 2006 and then its president from 2007 - expressed “deep sadness” at his death.
Davis, who was awarded a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) in 1965, was knighted in 1980 after which he affectionately became known simply as “Sir Colin”.
He “has been at the head of the LSO family for many years. His musicianship and his humanity have been cherished by musicians and audiences alike.
“Sir Colin’s role in British musical life was immense,” the LSO said on its website. Born on September 25, 1927 into a musical family, Davis studied clarinet at the Royal College of Music, but soon set his heart on conducting.
In addition to his life-long association with the LSO, Davis also forged close relationships with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra.
In its own statement, Covent Garden - where Davis was music director from 1971 until 1986 - said it was “deeply saddened to hear of his death.”
And the house’s current music director Antonio Pappano described his loss as “a huge blow.”
“We had future plans with him in place but more importantly, his passing represents an end of an era, where grit, toil, vision and energy were the defining elements of a leading international opera house,” Pappano said.
“The warmth and excitement of his music-making will be terribly missed. He was a giant. A very sad moment for British music.”
Outside Britain, Davis was also principal guest conductor of Dresden Staatskapelle, which eventually named him their first-ever honorary conductor in 1990. The Dresden orchestra, currently on a tour of the US under its current chief conductor Christian Thielemann, issued a statement describing “Sir Colin” as an “immensely loveable and completely unpretentious person whose warm-heartedness immediately won everyone over.”
The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich, of which Davis was chief conductor from 1983 to 1992, described him as the “gentleman conductor par excellence.”