Alan Curtis

Alan Curtis died unexpectedly in Florence on Wednesday, 15 July 2015. He was 80.

Wendy Heller writes from Princeton:

Alan’s contributions to our discipline have been so numerous, it is hard to even known where to begin. An extraordinary harpsichordist and conductor, a kind, gentle, and generous soul, Alan was a brilliant and highly committed musicologist, whose long career exemplifies the ideal marriage of scholarship and performance. I think of his extraordinary recordings with Il Complesso Barocco—always thoughtful and musical (and entirely without gimmicks)— in which he introduced so much new repertory; his commitment to producing responsible performing editions, such as those of the late Monteverdi operas; his numerous oft-cited publications; and of course his mentorship of generations scholars, musicians, and singers (mostly recently one of our own undergraduate countertenors). When I saw him last October in Princeton, he spoke with such enthusiasm and energy about his many ongoing projects one could scarcely believe he had just turned 80!

• Also: Charles T. Downey’s fine post, from Ionarts.