Adam Abeshouse, R.I.P.

 by Karl Nehring

Less than a fortnight ago, I posted a bittersweet “Appreciation and Lament” column that reported on how a group of musicians had gathered in the studio of producer Adam Abeshouse to play for him one last time, for their dear friend was dying from cancer; this was their way of expressing their love and appreciation for his devotion both to his craft and to them. When I wrote that post, which you can find here or in the column to the left, I had no idea that his death would come so soon; sadly, however, Mr. Abeshouse passed away on October 10. Not only has the classical music world lost a great producer and engineer, but we have lost a great human being. You can get a sense of the regard in which he was held in the musical world from this NPR article that announced his death (to be found here). Another perspective on the man can be found in this obituary from the Jewish Telegraph Agency. Finally, there is an obituary (which you can find here) that contains a link to one of those “movies” that are sometimes assembled as tributes to those who have passed away. Consisting of a series of photographs accompanied by a musical soundtrack, these photos give us a sense of the person’s life. In the case of Adam Abeshouse, there are many, many photos – the movie lasts for a good 45 minutes, and is utterly fascinating. Even if you have never heard of the man, you will wind up loving him. 

Please allow me to close with a suggestion. The next time you plan to listen to some music, type “Abeshouse” into the Classical Candor search box to the left of this post and scroll through the many recordings that pop up. Find one that suits your mood, then give it a listen in honor of our fellow human being who was taken from us far too early.