David Blum, World-Class Musician, Dies At 62

David Blum, whose writings on cellist Pablo Casals are as prized among classical-music lovers as his Vanguard recordings of Haydn scores, died Friday (April 17) at a Kirkland hospice. He was 62.

The internationally known music scholar and conductor, who was a longtime resident of Switzerland, had lived in Bellevue since 1988.

"Ten years ago my husband had had this surgery for cancer in Switzerland, when he decided to concentrate on his writing," said his wife of 40 years, Sara Blum of Bellevue. "It was less physically strenuous, and you could do it anywhere. He chose Bellevue because he loved the environment, the beauty, the people, the gentleness."

She and Mr. Blum, a Los Angeles native who was director of New York's Esterhazy Orchestra from 1961-1969, were pleased to hear his recordings played on Seattle classical-music stations. He was a leading conductor of music by 18th-century composers, including Franz Josef Haydn.

"His Haydn recordings are the gold standard for others who conduct Haydn," said his wife.

Mr. Blum studied violin, composition and conducting as a young man in Los Angeles. He continued his studies at New York's Juilliard School and guest-conducted orchestras in Berlin, Munich and Jerusalem.

In New York in 1961 he founded the Esterhazy Orchestra, named for a prince who was a patron of Haydn. With Casals as honorary president, the group had annual New York concerts and North American tours.

A London Observer music critic called Mr. Blum's Haydn recordings "a compound of intellectual toughness, elegance and wit which is the hallmark of a really understanding Hayden performance."

Mr. Blum moved to Switzerland in 1969, directed the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra from 1973-1982 and led the Geneva Symphony Orchestra from 1977-1986.

While living in Bellevue he lectured and guest-conducted Northwest Chamber Orchestra.

The past year he made a 30-minute musical documentary that includes his own narration, his color drawings of dreams and recorded music by him and by cellist Yo Yo Ma. The film, made as a way to cope with his cancer, will be released this year.

Besides his wife, Mr. Blum is survived by his children Pamina Blum of Purdue, Ind., and Ardan Michael Blum of Geneva, Switzerland.

A memorial concert will be held in New York. Donations in lieu of flowers may go to Evergreen Hospice and Health Care Foundation, 12910 Totem Lake Blvd. N.E., Suite 200, Kirkland, WA 98034.