The Berliner Philharmoniker mourn the death of Ottomar Borwitzky, who passed away after a long and
serious illness on 29 March 2021 at the age of 90. Borwitzky was a member of the orchestra for 37 years
as 1st principal cellist. Born in Hamburg in 1930, he left school before graduating to become 1st principal
cellist with the Hamburg Radio Orchestra. He held the same position at Hanover Opera House from 1954
before joining the Berliner Philharmoniker as 1st principal cellist in 1956. He was one of the founding
members of the 12 Cellists. From 1979, he was also a teacher at the Karajan Academy. Among his solo
appearances with the Berliner Philharmoniker, his interpretations of Antonín Dvořák’s Cello Concerto and
Richard Strauss’ Don Quixote are particularly memorable.
Knut Weber, cellist and media representative of the Berliner Philharmoniker: “Ottomar Borwitzky was a
musical personality of extraordinary charisma. He played with an intensity that gave expression to even
the briefest musical phrase. His sound was flawless, yet always lively. Through his skill, musicality and
incomparable charisma, he was an inspiration to the orchestra’s cello section for decades. In a personal
capacity, he was gracious, humorous and always willing to share his immense knowledge with others.
With Ottomar Borwitzky we lose a key musician of the Karajan era. We will not forget him.”
Sad news: Death of Ottomar Borwitzky, former principal cellist of the Berliner Philharmoniker.
Ottomar Borwitzky’s name has a particular significance for music-lovers in New Zealand, as he was, for a few years a member of the Richard Farrell Piano Quartet, an ensemble formed by Farrell, a New Zealand pianist based at the time in London. With Borwitzky and Farrell in this quartet were Australian-born violinist Brenton Langbein, and violist Eduard Melkus. The only recording that exists of the ensemble’s playing is one of the Schumann Piano Quartet, recorded by Swiss Radio in 1956. The group gave concerts in Switzerland and Germany, but, sadly, the Quartet never made it to Richard Farrell’s birthplace, New Zealand, to perform, as Farrell was killed in a motor accident early in 1958. Now, with Borwitzky’s passing, only Eduard Melkus is left of the “merry band” as described by the late cellist. From music-lovers in New Zealand, RIP Ottomar Borwitzky