The Swedish–American conductor Herbert Blomstedt, who has died aged 99, astonished the musical world by continuing to conduct until shortly before his death.
Indeed he had been touring as recently as the spring of this year, conducting Bruckner with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in late April, and Mahler with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra early in May. But later that month, after his return to San Francisco, where he was conductor laureate of the symphony orchestra, he had to be helped mid-concert into an armchair, and though he resumed the performance he withdrew from further concerts.
