Brewer, Edward (31st August 1937-3rd April 2020)

He was a harpsichordist, organist and teacher born in Erie, Pennsylvania who studied at Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Illinois University Urbana-Champaign and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to continue his organ studies in Frankfurt, Germany.

He became based in New York and specialised in Baroque works, performing as a soloist and with ensembles such as the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra , Soclair Ensemble and his own Brewer Chamber Orchestra. He also lent his talents to the New York production Book of Beasts by the Paul Taylor Dance Company and performed at Carnegie Hall with the Oratorio Society of New York.

Appearing on numerous recordings he can be heard on albums that include Baroque at Versailles, Handel; Deidamia and Handel: Joshua with the Brewer Chamber Orchestra, Fury With Red Sparkling Eyes with the Brewer Baroque Chamber Orchestra & Jennifer Lane, Art of the Trumpet with Edward Carroll and others, Bach: Cello Concertos, Vol. 1 with Simca Heled, Mad About Baroque and Pachelbel: Canon & Gigue with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the compilations For Your Soul, Really Mad About the Classics and The Classic Christmas Album.

In the world of musical education he taught harpsichord and organ to many students. He also worked in the building and design of instruments, building his first harpsichord in the mid-1960s, debuting on it at his church hall in 1966, and later creating one for the Lincoln Center. His wife is the oboist Virginia Brewer.

He died in Leonia, New Jersey in April 2020 when he was 82 years old.

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra recordings
Adagio in G Minor (Tomaso Albinoni /Remo Giazotto)
Deutsche Grammophon 429 390-2 GH (CD: Albinoni: Adagio, Pachelbel: Canon)

Here he is performing the first movement from Giovanni Battista Sammartini’s “Sonata in G major”…

Sources:

Brewer, Edward (31st August 1937-3rd April 2020)

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