Paul is to the right in the photo. Left is Ralph Couzens (Chandos MD) and violinist Tasmin Little is standing.
I had known Paul for many years – we shared an enthusiasm for Ansermet but could never agree about Celibidache or Birtwistle (or any ‘modern’ music). Friendly arguments. I shall remember Paul with affection.
1953 recording.
One of Paul’s favourite recordings (and mine) was Jean Martinon’s of the Ballet Music from Massenet’s Le Cid, with the Israel Philharmonic; Decca SXL 2021 (1958).
And I have no doubt Paul would have loved this:
Roxanna Panufnik tells me it would have been Paul’s birthday today, when he would (should) have turned 53.
I am so sorry to hear this. I never met Paul, but we were in a short email correspondence earlier this year. He was so nice. I always meant to keep in touch with him, but so many other things came up and I never did. Somehow it was always in my mind, but never happened. There were so many other people with problems – family and friends – and they came first. ‘The saddest words, it might have been…’ That’s a quote from somewhere, I can’t remember where.
Rest in peace, Paul.
Paul adored vintage recordings of French overtures and the like – Ansermet, Martinon, Paray, Bonynge and others. And old-fashioned? You bet! He recently wrote to me in gratitude that Mercury had retained LP artwork where the New World Symphony is called the 5th rather than the 9th. But that was Paul for you. God rest him!
Another record man gone. I met Paul only a couple of times. His warmth and dedication were instantly apparent. Very sad.
I posted an earlier version of this comment on FB earlier today:
I knew Paul for around 30 years, though it was only about a decade back that we discovered we had similar political views (both of us vigorously pro-Bexit and anti-woke, for example). Shortly before he moved out of London, he invited me round for dinner, cooking an indecent amount of lamb steaks for the occasion. The next day he sent me a photo of the army of bottles we had emptied, with a note saying how proud he was of the damage we had done to his reserves of wine. Paul knew how to live! And he died after a jocularly ghoulish series of FB commentaries on his cancer treatment. He also knew how to die. A fine man, and a friend I am sorry to lose.
a fine tribute, Colin. Without you many such people would go unrecognised. I share your enthusiasm for the LE CID recording..though I have every recording of the piece and love them all. I heard it as a schoolboy in Stockport Town Hall with Jack Thomson (1974) preceded by Land of Mountain & Flood then Ian Whyte’s ‘Edinburgh’ and followed by Dvorak 5 (the modern 5 not 9!)
His vast musical knowledge aside, Paul was an extremely generous and warm-hearted friend with a wicked sense of humour. Wonderfully quick-witted and fearlessly outspoken, he was a ‘one off’. I feel enormously privileged to have had his loyal friendship for over 30 years, during which we shared in equal measure a wealth of music and copious amounts wine! Thank you, Paul. You will be sorely missed.
I am deeply saddened to learn of Paul’s far too early death. He was a truly lovely man who I got to know well during the time my Finzi Singers were recording with Chandos. He was lovely, had a wonderful sense of humour and was hugely knowledgeable. He will be much missed. RIP