We were desperately saddened to hear the other day of the death of Yonty Solomon, a pianist who was one in a million. Born in South Africa, he became a student of Dame Myra Hess and for many years enriched his students at the Royal College of Music with his wisdom, humanity and humility. He had suffered from a brain tumour.
I will never forget the beauty of his tone, the freshness and deep love of music that infused his interpretations and the terrific regret that I felt, when I finally met him a few years ago at the Chetham's Piano Summer School, that I hadn't met him and studied with him a very long time ago.
His former student Vanessa Latarche wrote this beautiful tribute which was read out at his funeral on 29 September:
"Yonty was for all of his students the best role model that a teacher could possibly be, a colossus of the piano world, warm-hearted, generous, enthusiastic, energetic, and intellectually curious. To say that he will be sorely missed by us is an enormous understatement; his passing has left a huge hole on the second floor of the RCM, but his exceptional legacy is legendary. I know I can speak for all my colleagues when I say we feel very privileged to have known him."
2 comments:
Very sad to hear about Yonty Solomon's death. He did a wonderful job in his short time as President of the Alkan Society, including arranging a concert at Trinity which involved no fewer than 17 of his students playing music by Alkan. He took very seriously his role in introducing this neglected music to performers of the future. After Ronald Smith's long service and Yonty's, I wonder who will be worthy to take their place.
It's a shame that the link on Yonty's page for Myra Hess leads to Credo Reference and an article about American Fire Protection Week. How does that happen?
as a member of the jury at the Dudley International Piano Competition I often heard students of Yonty and their working scores were usually presented to us for their performances. The imagery behind Yonty's pencil markings testified to an extraordinary mind and a rare intellectual curiousity; a single word would usually describe a world of feeling. For him thinking and feeling were the alpha and omega of great pianism. His masterclasses at Birmingham Conservatoire were models of lucidity; his generosity and encouragement much commented on by those who played for him.
John Humphreys
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