Peter Graeme FRCM

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Peter (Timmy) Graeme, oboe professor at the RCM for many years, has died. 

Peter studied with Léon Goossens and was one of a generation of musicians whose finely-honed artistry elevated the status of the woodwind section to its rightful place at the very heart of an ensemble.

Peter was closely associated with the music of Benjamin Britten. As oboist of the Melos Ensemble, Peter participated in the premiere of the War Requiem conducted by the composer at the Coventry Cathedral in 1962. He later played in Britten’s own recording of Albert Herring and, in 1972, in a recording of The Turn of the Screw.

As a member of the English Chamber Orchestra, Peter continued to work with Britten, taking part in the composer’s recordings of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, St John Passion, and the cantatas Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben and Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömm, with distinguished soloists including Janet Baker, Peter Pears and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.