Michael Steinberg, 1928-2009

I just wanted to call your attention briefly to the recent passing of Michael Steinberg, one of the giants of music criticism. The longtime program annotator of the San Francisco Symphony, Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and Minnesota Orchestra died last weekend at the age of 80.

For me (and I'm sure for many others in the business of writing program notes), Steinberg was the pinnacle to which I aspired. His writing was always evocative, clear, personal, detailed, approachable to those both versed or unversed in the technical aspects of music, and full of interesting and cogent historical anecdotes and byways. And he was able to open up musical compositions, to bring one inside the mind of the composer, better than anyone since the great Donald Francis Tovey. It’s a safe bet to say that no writer has taught me more about music than Michael Steinberg has.

His program note collections The Symphony, The Concerto, and Choral Masterworks: A Listener's Guide are constant companions. His most recent book, a collection of essays and incidental pieces co-written with Larry Rothe called For The Love of Music: Invitations to Listening, not only provide short and cogent introductions to some of the great composers of history, but also some insight into Steinberg’s own background.

An obituary by Joshua Kosman from the San Francisco Chronicle can be found here. And to find out more about Michael Steinberg and why was such a significant figure, read Mark Swed’s touching remembrance from the Los Angeles Times.

(photo of Michael Steinberg by Terrence McCarthy)