RIP LarryC

[garymd]

Sadly, our friend and longtime forum member, Larry Clare passed away yesterday.  Larry was 88 and his health had been deteriorating steadily over the past several years.

Those of us who have been around this forum since the early days remember Larry for his classical music expertise and his willingness and enthusiasm in sharing his knowledge and lifelong passion with others.

 

Larry hosted a number of forum gatherings that would begin at his house in Bethesda, MD and end in an evening of classical music at Strathmore Music Center.  The most memorable of these was an evening with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performing Holst’s “The Planets.”  The concert was fantastic and our large forum group caused somewhat of a scene at the end, cheering as though Led Zeppelin just walked off stage.  Larry also enjoyed hosting classical music workshops at the early pilgrimages in Indy.

 

There will be a memorial service sometime in the next couple of weeks.  If any local MD/DC area forum members are interested, please shoot me a pm.

 

Gary

[Peacemaker]

😪

[The Dude]

RIP, definitely an icon around here.

[billybob]

Rest in Peace...

[Woofers and Tweeters]

RIP Mr. Clare. 

[Khornukopia]

LarryC,   

 

Rest In Peace

[Marvel]

I've missed his posts and will now miss him. Rest in Peace!

 

He must get added to the long list of departed members of the forum.

[DeanG Crossovers]

I’m sorry to hear that Gary. Good memories from the past. 
 

Dean

[thebes]

Sad news indeed.  Larry was one of those special people you are happy to have in your life. His intellect always left me in awe.  Holder of a PhD and an MD, a government career in the Public Health Service, he was a passionate and knowledgeable fan of classical music, yet also liked folk music.  A good example of his love for  and proselytizing of the classics was when he went into Bethesda Naval Hospital for some surgery and the next concert we attended his surgeon joined us for the concert! His presence graced the finest of concert halls, but he'd also don chaps and cowboy gear  for his annual  journey to Custer/Battle of Big Horn reenactments.

 

He was an ardent lover of history, and never was without a history book at his side.  A truly knowledgeable lover of high end stereo equipment, I always learned something when we'd go to the Capitol Audiofest together. Indeed he was always happy to share his knowledge and had a gentle sense of fun and humor.  Granted, he was a bit quirky.  Sometimes it was like we had an alien in our presence because somethings he just didn't get, but he knew that (well not all the time) and allowed for it.

 

He had a full life, an interesting life, and an intellectual life, and what more could one ask for.  Sleep well Larry.

 

 

[Coytee]

Gads, hate to hear this.  He once put on some "seminars" to show some concert videos, might have discussed part of what was going on.  Maybe the different styles of the conductors (he said something about one of the conductors but I don't recall what)  I think I'll go put Dvorak "From the New World"  I literally think of him every time I play that.

 

 

[SilverSport]

sorry to read this...fond memories talking Klipschorns and classical music with him on this Forum as well as at some of the Pilgrimages...RIP Larry

 

Bill

[mikebse2a3]

I was fortunate to have met Larry several times and our conversations were always interesting.

 

Rest In Peace🕊️

[tonibird]

Wow, a doctor doctor! I'm late to the party and really missed out picking his brain concerning perceived sound, space and time. Great that you folks got to do that. Be well.   

[mark1101]

RIP LarryC.

[DoubleJ]

Sad news, indeed.

 

Larry was my go to guy when I had questions on which recordings to get for classical music.

 

He was my car pool buddy to and from the airport for quite a few Indy pilgrimages.

 

My "Classical Music" collection grew quite large over the years due to Larry's Pilgrimage sessions and posts on Klipsch forums.

 

Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I had to cancel my trip to one Larry's forum parties in which also missed out on meeting Gary and Thebes.

 

I will have to fire up my recording of Holst's "The Planets" tonight which I listened to while the others were listening to it live.

 

Rest in peace, my friend.

 

JJ

 

 

[rplace]

Well said Marty, and indeed sad news to hear of Larry's passing. I was fortunate enough to hear his system in his house and have him over to mine. He was well spoken, soft spoken and an oracle of classical music knowledge. A true gentleman.

 

I hope he has many, many good times picking the brains of all the composers, conductors and artists that went before him. He will probably teach them a thing or too as well.

 

Oh my, I was shocked to look back and see when Larry was at my house for a MD/D.C. Klipsch get together it was way back in 2008. Time it truly flying by.

 

Raise a pint when you get a chance, the world is a poorer place without him in it.

[Dr Morbius]

He got me looking for Klipschorns, he will be missed! Almost 90, a full life.

[thebes]

Been thinking about Larry a lot this week. Whenever I called him, he answer with "Hello There", his voice full of humor  and happiness. Gonna miss that.

 

Then there was the time Larry, Gary and I hooked up for a classical concert.  Gary was bringing him, so I was wandering around the concert hall and finally found them. For some reason they were in a room full of tween-age ballerinas.  One time I stopped by for a visit and Larry and a close female friend from back West were sitting in his living room, pursuing the Sunday Washington Post.  Sections were scattered around the floor and there was total palpable silence as they parceled out the day's stories like they were examining an ancient architectural site.

 

I envision him sitting up there with Paul Klipsch, in cloud-like chairs, discussing the merits of their favorite classical pieces.  Surely a conversation that could last for eternity.

 

[Mike Lindsey]

Long time since I have posted here. Gary called me about a week ago about Larry’s passing and I have been thinking a lot about him. He for sure opened my eyes regarding classical music, and I have him to thank for my modest classical vinyl collection. I fell in love with the big symphony recordings, and managed to see a few of them with him, Gary and Marty. 
 

I too had been to his place a few times and got to see and listen to his rig, and it was very impressive to say the least. As others have mentioned, Larry was soft spoken, kind and a true gentleman, and he will be sorely missed. 
 

Thinking of you Larry. RIP brother!

 

Mike

[Marvel]

3 hours ago, Mike Lindsey said:

He for sure opened my eyes regarding classical music, and I have him to thank for my modest classical vinyl collection. I fell in love with the big symphony recordings, and managed to see a few of them with him, Gary and Marty. 

When my late wife and I were first married, she worked as a clerk/mail sorter for the USPS. One of her co-workers, a single guy, decided he wanted to learn about classical music. He bought the entire catalog of a record label... a collection of around 250 LPs. He loaned us ALL. of the Bach recordings he had, probably thirty or more. We worked our way through a lot of them.

 

We were mostly into folk and country rock that was out at the time (early '70s). Maybe that's why, years later, after our youngest son was born and growing up, told us he wanted to learn trumpet. We were a bit puzzled by that, but he went on to do well, played in the Chattanooga Youth Symphony and got a degree in music composition at Valparaiso University.

 

Our own classical collection grew over the years, and (back to the point of this ramble) Larry's wonderful posts helped us along our journey as well.

 

And thanks to Mike for his connection. And welcome back! @Mike Lindsey