Belated Happy 70th Birthday, Simon!

[wolsey]

Oh dear! It seems to have slipped everyone's notice that Simon Preston celebrated his 70th birthday on 4 August. He therefore deserves thunderous celebratory applause at tomorrow's Prom concert (broadcast live on BBC4) which includes the Glagolitic Mass, and in his own solo Prom on the afternoon of Sunday 24 August.

[innate]

Oh dear! It seems to have slipped everyone's notice that Simon Preston celebrated his 70th birthday on 4 August. He therefore deserves thunderous celebratory applause at tomorrow's Prom concert (broadcast live on BBC4) which includes the Glagolitic Mass, and in his own solo Prom on the afternoon of Sunday 24 August.

Yes; Bravo, Simon!

 

Slightly worrying for me is that his 40th birthday, which coincided with a Prom where he was either playing or cinducting, seems like only yesterday

[Vox Humana]

Good wishes from me too. SP was my hero when I was a lad. His playing was always so immaculate, and rhythmically precise. In lesser hands his style of playing could so easily have been simply dull and tedious, but somehow he always managed to make everything sound so vital.

[gazman]

About 18 years ago, as an organ-mad teenager, I used to be a very keen attendee at the summer series of organ recitals at Exeter. I used to think it a real privilege to hear some very fine international performers. But the one that stands out in my mind was the one given by SP. He just seemed to be almost in a different league entirely, and I remember being on cloud 9 for ages. I also recall colleagues (and my then teacher) declaring that they were going to give up playing the organ! I was just inspired to try and improve my game.... 18 years later, I'm still trying!

[Ronald Shillingford]

Simon Preston was always the greatest Organist i ever heard play when I first heard him at the Abbey in the 80's. It's hard to believe his reached 70 lol long may you continue to inspired us with your Organ playing.

[pwhodges]

I recall a performance of the Rossini Petite Messe in Oxford Town Hall around 1980 in which Simon Preston played the harmonium. Near the end of the big solo, there are a couple of places where it dies away, followed by a sequence of loud chords. The memory of SP grinning broadly as he rocked from side to side pumping up for these chords still makes me smile - there were perceptible giggles in the audience, too.

 

Paul