Forwarded from the AMS list.
Geoffrey Chew
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From: Michael Ochs <
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With profound sadness I must report the death today of Stanley Sadie.
Stanley suffered motor neurone disease -- a less usual type, which attacks
the respiratory system first. He had been losing weight and getting weaker
for some time, but it was only one week ago that the diagnosis was made.
He was discharged from the hospital yesterday since there is no effective
treatment for the disease.
He got back to Cossington yesterday for a concert by the Chilingirian
Quartet. He managed to hear the first half of the concert, but was clearly
not doing well so stayed at home for the second half, lapsing into a
peaceful sleep. After the concert was over the Chilingirian quietly came
over and, sitting down in the room with Stanley, played the slow movement
from op.135. It was deeply moving - Stanley gradually woke up and
listened, gently, all alert again, but so weak. He rallied enough to be
helped upstairs but then lapsed into a peaceful sleep. It's thought that
Stanley's one goal was to get home again and to hear the concert.
Just a few weeks ago Stanley finished writing a manuscript on the composer
who was dearest to his heart, Mozart: The Early Years, 1756-1781, and from
his hospital bed worked out queries with the copy editor.
His loss will be deeply felt by everyone who has known him and worked with
him, which takes in a good part of the musical world, and by everyone
who has ever used The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, which
takes in all the rest of us. His widow, Julie, may be reached at The
Manor, Cossington, Somerset TA7 8JR, United Kingdom, phone +44/0 1278
723655.
Michael Ochs (Stanley's editor for Mozart)
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