TonMus

BIZARRE MUSICAL DEATHS

The history books give the important information about musicians, but they often omit the most intersting facts. Musicians have found many bizarre ways to pass to the next world. We shall try to cover them here. Many would be qualifiers for a Musical Darwin Awards.

As this is site for the more traditional music, we shall devote our energies there, ignorning the Pop/Rock scenes, except where for the truly exceptional or amusing efforts. They are well covered elsewhere, try fullerup.

Likewise for Drug and Aids-related deaths. They are far to numerous to cover.

Unfortunate Accidents	Bungled Medicine	Suicides	Suicide Attempts
On the Road	In the saddle (horseback)	On and In the Water	In the Air
War & Guns	Peculiarities	Some Near Misses	Poison
Jealous & Angry Spouses	Too Young	Some Others	Some Myths Exploded
Conductors in Front of the Orchestra	Performers in Front of their Public	Death by a Work of Art	Finale

Sources & Disclaimer:

We have checked all the details here, we try to be correct, but we are not omniscient.
For a comprehensive list of recently departed musicians: Musical Necrology

Much of the information on this page is from:

Baker’s Dictionary of Composers and Musicians compiled by Nicolas Slonimsky. It is great reading, being both amusing and informative.
Fritz Spiegl’s books are similarly entertaining: especially Lives, Wives and Loves of the Great Composers and Musical Blunders and other Musical curiosities.
Kauffmann’s 100 great composers
Solo Recital, the Reminiscences of Michael Kelly.
The Record of Singing in two volumes, by Michael Scott.
Special thanks to Warren Moulton for contributing many of the operatic offerings.
To the above, and to the many others who have loaned us a phrase or two, our gratitude. Your prose is better than ours!