Birth

:

January 30, 1944 in New York City, NY

Death

:

April 27, 2020

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

Lynn Harrell was a renowned American cellist who was born on January 30, 1944, in New York City. He was the son of the famous baritone Mack Harrell and pianist Marjorie McAlister Fulton. Lynn Harrell grew up in a musical family and started playing the cello at the age of eight. He received his early training from his parents and later studied with Leonard Rose at the Juilliard School. Harrell made his debut as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic at the age of 17, playing the Schumann Cello Concerto. He went on to perform with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic. He was also a frequent guest artist at major music festivals, such as the Tanglewood Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, and the Salzburg Festival. Throughout his career, Harrell was known for his rich, warm tone and his expressive playing. He was particularly admired for his interpretations of the works of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Dvořák. He was also a champion of contemporary music and premiered works by many leading composers, including Krzysztof Penderecki, William Bolcom, and John Williams. Harrell was a prolific recording artist and made over 100 recordings throughout his career. He won numerous awards for his recordings, including two Grammy Awards for Best Chamber Music Performance. He was also a sought-after chamber musician and performed with many of the world's leading ensembles, including the Tokyo String Quartet, the Emerson String Quartet, and the Guarneri Quartet. One of the highlights of Harrell's career was his performance of the Dvořák Cello Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Herbert von Karajan in 1971. The performance was widely acclaimed and helped to establish Harrell as one of the leading cellists of his generation. He went on to perform the work many times throughout his career, including a memorable performance with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Leonard Bernstein in 1982. Harrell was also a dedicated teacher and taught at many leading music schools, including the Juilliard School, the Royal Academy of Music in London, and the University of Southern California. He was known for his generosity and his commitment to nurturing young talent. Many of his students went on to have successful careers as soloists and chamber musicians. In addition to his musical achievements, Harrell was also a passionate advocate for social justice and environmental causes. He was a supporter of the Natural Resources Defense Council and served on the board of the Rainforest Foundation. He was also a vocal critic of the death penalty and worked to raise awareness of the issue. Sadly, Lynn Harrell passed away on April 27, 2020, at the age of 76. His death was mourned by the music world, and many of his colleagues and former students paid tribute to his talent, his generosity, and his kindness. He will be remembered as one of the greatest cellists of his generation and a true ambassador for classical music.

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