TOP professional musician and teacher Robert Edward Aspden has died in hospital at the age of 74.

Mr Aspden, of Bentcliffe Gardens, Accrington, suffered a heart attack earlier this month and died last week in Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn.

The Accrington-born musician was second horn with the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, now known as the Philharmonic, from 1952 until 1975.

During his teaching career, he taught at leading schools across the North West, as well as at a private studio in Manchester and at his home.

Many of his former pupils play with leading orchestras across the UK and abroad and the family have been receiving messages of sympathy from all over the world.

His widow, Dorothy Aspden, a retired primary school teacher who taught in Accrington and Rossendale, said: "Music was his life and his music lives on in his pupils."

Mr Aspden won a scholarship to the Manchester Royal College of Music, studying for three years under Mr Otto Paersch before joining the Buxton Spa Orchestra in 1946. He was then offered principal horn in the City of Durban Symphony Orchestra, South Africa, but instead took up an appointment with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Glasgow. After five years in Scotland, he accepted his former tutor's position with the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, travelling across Europe with them.

He was then invited to take charge of horn teaching by Lancashire County Council, teaching at Manchester Grammar School; Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn; Chetham's School of Music, Manchester; Sedbergh Public School; and Cheadle Royal Grammar School.

Although Mr Aspden retired 15 years ago, he was still teaching at home until about 12 months ago and only recently parted with his horn, now being played by the second horn in the Scottish National Orchestra.

He and his wife, who celebrated their golden wedding anniversary three years ago, had planned to hear it being played at a concert in Glasgow but Mr Aspden suffered a heart attack.

The couple have a daughter, Marie, who is married to Guenther Puetz and have four grandsons Markus, Oliver, and Nicolas, and the late Alexander.

They were frequent visitors to their daughter's home in Wiesbaden and Mr Aspden's ashes are to be scattered on the grave of their 17-year-old grandson and on the Rhine.

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