The English bass-baritone John Shirley-Quirk, one of the greatest of his generation, has died aged 82. Although he arguably could have turned his burnished voice, full of vibrant energy (often tastefully restrained by its owner), to a wider repertoire, there is no doubt that he knows what he did supremely well and concentrated on doing it.
The area he will be best-remembered for are the works of Benjamin Britten, who spotted the former chemistry teacher and invited him to work with his English Opera Group. Shirley-Quirk created and interpreted many Britten roles, not least the ambiguous multiple roles in Death in Venice.
His career was a long one, with a magnificent, Gramophone Award-winning recording of the Britten War Requiem in 1992 (one of the few recordings of Britten vocal works to be generally acknowledged to at least equal the composer's own).
He never seemed to really court fame, nor to seek to take over the world in terms of his career. He was what he was, a consummate artist, content to play to his strengths, which mainly meant oratorio and English music (with some excursions to other musical terrains).
Nevertheless, listening to an excerpt from Richard Strauss's opera Feuersnot that has surfaced on the internet, it does make this listener greedy to have heard him in more.
Some Wagner, perhaps (Beckmesser? Kurwenal?), some Strauss, some French repertoire...
Yet, as he always seemed content, so must we be, and grateful for what he gave us. He will be missed.
