Herman Berlinski
died at the age of 91 on September 27 at Sibley Memorial Hospital in
Washington, after suffering a heart attack and a stroke. His considerable
output included symphonic and chamber works, concertos, song cycles, liturgical
works, as well as music for the organ, which he learned to play at age 40.
Religiously inspired works, such as the oratorios Job and The Trumpets of
Freedom and the organ work The Burning Bush, were among his best known works.
Dr. Berlinski, who fled Nazi Germany in 1933, settled in Washington 30 years
later to become music director at the Washington Hebrew Congregation, a post he
held until 1977. He began his musical career as a pianist, but performed and
recorded on the organ throughout the world well into advanced age. He was
represented by Lilian Murtagh and then Murtagh-McFarlane artist management from
1976-78. Berlinski was a piano graduate of the Leipzig Conservatory of
Music. He moved to Paris in 1933 and composed music for the ballet and the
Yiddish theatre, and studied composition with Nadia Boulanger and Alfred
Cortot. He left Europe in 1941 to live in New York. There he earned the MMus at
Columbia University and a doctorate in composition at the Jewish Theological
Seminary, and served as organist at Temple Emanuel for eight years. His
collection of scores, recordings, correspondence and photographs was given to
the Library of Congress last summer.
Robert Hunter died
on September 10 in Los Angeles at the age of 72. He was accompanist for the
Roger Wagner Chorale and for the Paul Salamunovich choral groups, as well as a
pianist with various groups. Hunter began his career with Wagner in 1946 and
worked with the chorale for a decade. In 1955 he began performing with popular
music groups, including the Freddy Martin Orchestra at the Ambassador Hotel's Coconut Grove, and was Carol Channing's musical director from 1958 to 1971. Hunter later joined Salamunovich to tour with his choruses from Loyola Marymount University and became organist for the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church Choir. In 1991 he became accompanist for the Los Angeles Master Chorale and remained with the chorale until his retirement in 1996.
Howard B. Kelsey,
professor emeritus from Washington University, died September 18 of heart
failure at the age of 90. Following his wife's death in 1997, Mr. Kelsey
had returned to St. Louis where he lived for the past four years. Born in 1911
and raised in Brighton, Illinois, Howard Kelsey began playing the organ at age
5 and took his first church position at age 14. He graduated from Illinois
Wesleyan University in 1933, and went to New York for graduate study at Union
Theological Seminary under Clarence Dickinson. Upon receiving a Master of
Sacred Music degree, he returned to St. Louis where he taught at Eden Seminary
for six years. In 1937 he married Berenice Strobeck, his wife of sixty years.
Howard Kelsey's association with Washington University began in 1945 when
he became the university organist. He was primarily responsible for the
establishment of the Department of Music in 1947, having secured an endowment
for the department from Avis Blewett. During his time at Washington University,
he brought in internationally known artists to conduct classes and work with
the many organists who came to the University. Students had the opportunity to
work with Anton Heiller, Roslyn Turek, Gillian Weir, Geraint Jones, Suzie
Jeans, Michael Schneider, and the Gregorian chant expert Dom Ermin Virty, OSB.
Many of his students found positions in colleges, universities, and large
churches after completing their degrees under Mr. Kelsey's guidance. In
addition to his work at Washington University, Kelsey also served a number of
St. Louis churches and temples from 1936 to 1973, including First
Congregational Church, Second Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Temple
B'Nai El and Temple Israel. He was also very active in the American Guild
of Organists on the local, regional, and national levels, and served as
consultant for many churches for the purchase and installation of new organs. A
memorial service was held for Howard Kelsey on October 21 at Christ Church
Cathedral in St. Louis, Missouri. He is survived by his three children and four
grandchildren.
-Kathleen Bolduan
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Music
Washington University
Roland Münch
died on September 27 in Berlin, Germany. He was born in Leipzig on February 10,
1936, and studied organ with Diethard Hellmann and Robert Köbler. His
first professional position was at St. Wenzel's Church in Naumburg where
he played the historic organ built by Hildebrandt. From 1975 on, he made many
recordings and radio broadcasts. From 1969 until his retirement in March of
this year, Mr. Münch was organist and music director at the Church of Glad
Tidings (Kirche zur frohen Botschaft) in Berlin-Karlshorst where he presided
over the organ built by Peter Migendt in 1756 for Princess Amalia, sister of
Frederick the Great for whom C.P.E. Bach served as court musician from
1738-67. Münch is survived by his wife Ursula and two sons. His most
recent recording, Münch spielt Bach auf Migendt, is on the Ursus label.
Robert Murphy died
on September 22 in Traverse City, Michigan. Born on April 30, 1936, in Benton
Harbor, Michigan, Murphy earned bachelor's and master's degrees
from Western Michigan University. In 1962 he became a member of the Interlochen
Arts Academy Charter Faculty and was chairperson of the keyboard department for
many years prior to his recent retirement. At Western Michigan University, he
had served as director of the chapel choir, graduate assistant and instructor
of music. During his 39 years at Interlochen, he was chairperson of the
building committee for Dendrinos Chapel and Recital Hall, founder and organizer
of the ICA Chapel Organ Recital Series, and chairperson of the music building
committee for ICA. For nearly four decades he was organist and music director
for Central United Methodist Church in Traverse City. A service celebrating Mr.
Murphy's life took place on October 14 at Central United Methodist Church
in Traverse City. Memorial contributions may be made to the Interlochen Center
for the Arts Organ Scholarship Fund in memory of Robert Henderson Murphy.
