In Memoriam Douglas Schwalbe

Tuesday, August 25th, would have been Douglas Schwalbe’s 93rd birthday. Sadly, he passed away in early April from the Covid virus just one day after his wonderful partner Patricia Bosworth. He was my agent from 1985 until he retired about thirty years later. But he was so much more than that. He was my mentor in the music business and in many ways he was like a father to me through the ups and downs of my career.

He was certainly a person of firm opinions, not every one of which I agreed with, but his advice and guidance were invaluable, even if I didn’t always want to take it. Sometimes the results were very lively discussions out of which good decisions could be taken, ones that we both agreed upon. Several times he had to go to bat on my behalf against orchestra executives who suffered from delusions of grandeur and/or competence. This was way beyond what one could normally expect from a regular agent.

Investiture of Nic's OBE

But it wasn’t only a business relationship, however close. Back in the 1980’s I got to know his wife, Mary Anne and soon afterwards his children. Mary Anne was as remarkable as he. Sometimes David and I would travel with them, usually when I was giving a concert in some interesting part of the world. We travelled to Israel and Jordan visiting Masada, Petra and Jerash. I remember Mary Anne getting on a camel, called Mike, and all of us floating in the Dead Sea. They often visited us in our flat in Scotland and we often attended dinners and parties at their places in both New York and London. Their kindness and generosity knew no limits. I remember a fabulous party for my 50th birthday while I was working at Covent Garden. David and I began our life-long relationship after a party at their magnificent apartment on Central Park West. They came all the way to Scotland to be at a party to celebrate our civil partnership in 2006.

Granada Alhambra 2002

Sadly, Mary Anne passed away in 2009. Doug continued working for about five years after that. He was less and less involved in the day to day running of the agency which he left in the very capable hands of Carrie Sykes, who now owns the business. Instead he got interested in grander scale projects and how the classical music industry operated.

Israel 1995

His final years were brightened by his relationship with Patricia Bosworth. She was a marvelous lady of tremendous accomplishment. Her biographies and autobiographies make terrific reading. Like Doug, she had a very wide circle of friends, especially in the film world. The dinners and parties that they gave, for example to celebrate Doug’s 90th birthday, showed what wonderful friends they had. In later years, I was thrilled to have perfect dinners with them at the Knickerbocker Club, Doug’s home from home.

When they passed away, a day apart, at the beginning of April, it drew a curtain on a whole chapter of my life. I shall miss them both and Doug’s good guidance will remain with me forever.

Doug's birthday dinner, New York