Lots of memories of Knussen, who was a mentor, inspiration, and friend to so many. He seems to have been a genuinely decent human as well as a great composer and musician.
- MTT, on Twitter
- Joshua Kosman interviewed Knussen some years ago for the Chron. The Sendak story leaves me mildly flabbergasted.
- Elaine Fine met him at Tanglewood
- NY Times obit by Michael Cooper
- Guardian obit by composer Colin Matthews
- Telegraph tribute by Ivan Hewett (paywalled)
- Telegraph obit (paywalled)
I have heard Knussen live. I think I was at the concert on the occasion of which Kosman interviewed him, at which he conducted "The Way to Castle Yonder", but I don't have a firm record of it. I do know for sure, though, that I heard MTT conduct his Third Symphony in 2008. It was the composer's skill at orchestration which most impressed me.
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