IDRS OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
Keith Sweger
School of MusicMIB125
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306-0410
Bus: (765) 285-5511
Fax: (765) 285-5401
E-mail: [email protected]

PAST PRESIDENT
Martin Schuring
School of Music0405
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287-0405
Bus: (480) 965-3439
Fax: (480) 965-2659
E-mail: [email protected]

GILLET-FOX BASSOON CHAIR

Peter Kolkay
Blair School of Music
Vanderbilt University
2400 Blakemore Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Bus: (615) 322-4918
E-mail: [email protected]

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

Eric Stomberg
460 Murphy Hall
1530 Naismith Drive
Department of Music
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045
Bus: (785) 864-9717
Fax: (785) 864-5866
E-mail: [email protected]

OBOE EDITOR
Daniel J. Stolper
7 Hermosillo Lane
Palm Desert CA 92260-1905
Bus: (760) 837-9797
E-mail: [email protected]

GILLET-FOX OBOE CHAIR

Margaret Marco
Associate Professor of Oboe
School of Music
University of Kansas
1530 Naismith Dr., Room 460
Lawrence, KS 66045
Bus: (785) 864-9719
E-mail: [email protected]

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

Hitomi Sugawara
2-12-4 Higashi-machi
Nishi Tokyo-shi
Tokyo 202-0012 JAPAN
E-mail:
Carlos.Yasu.Kikuta
@gloryworldseries.co.jp
SECRETARY
Michele Fiala
Glidden 584 School of Music
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
Bus: (270) 303-0517
E-mail: [email protected]
AT LARGE MEMBERS
Jeffrey Rathbun
3633 Deer Creek Trail
Richfield, OH 44286
Bus: (440) 564-9283
E-mail: [email protected]
Leonard Hindell
277 West End Avenue 5C
New York, NY 10023
Bus: (212) 873-8752
E-mail: [email protected]
AT LARGE-BUSINESS
Trevor Cramer
TrevCo Music Publishing
PO Box 4
Tellevast, FL 34270-0004
Bus: (941) 907-6944
E-mail: [email protected]

IDRS-ON-LINE
PUBLICATIONS EDITOR
Yoshiyuki (Yoshi) Ishikawa
University of Colorado at Boulder
Boulder, CO 80309-0301
Bus: (303) 492-7297
Fax: (303) 581-9307
E-mail: [email protected]
BASSOON EDITOR
Ryan D. Romine
Shenandoah University
1460 University Drive
Winchester, VA 22601
Bus: (540) 327-4252
E-mail: [email protected]
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/
TREASURER
EXHIBIT COORDINATOR
Norma R. Hooks
2423 Lawndale Road
Finksburg, MD 21048-1401
Office: (410) 871-0658
Fax: (410) 871-0659
E-mail: [email protected]
CONFERENCE
COORDINATOR
Marc Fink
529 Edward Street
Madison, WI 53711
Bus: (608) 274-6480
E-mail: [email protected]

YOUNG ARTIST
BASSOON CHAIR
Saxton Rose
University of North Carolina
School of the Arts
School of Music
1533 South Main Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27127
Bus: (336) 770-3359
Fax: (336) 770-3248
E-mail: [email protected]
YOUNG ARTIST OBOE CHAIR
Michele Fiala
Glidden 584 School of Music
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
Bus: (270) 303-0517
E-mail: [email protected]
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
Wayne Gaver
15 Crestwood Drive
Milton, PA 17847
Home: (570) 742-8434
E-mail: [email protected]
LEGAL COUNSEL
Jacob Schlosser
4937 West Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43228-1668
Bus: (614) 878-7251
Fax: (614) 878-6948
E-mail: [email protected]
IDRS ARCHIVIST
Michael J. Burns
1015 Wharton Street
Greensboro, NC 27401-1938
Bus: (336) 334-5970
Fax: (336) 334-5497
E-mail: [email protected]

THE

DOUBLE REED
Quarterly Journal
of the

INTERNATIONAL
DOUBLE REED
SOCIETY

VOL. 37 NO. 1
Ryan D. Romine and
Daniel Stolper, Editors
2014 International Double Reed Society
www.idrs.org
ISSN 0741-7659
Designed by Edward Craig
Ecraig3 Graphic Design
Baltimore, MD 21212 U.S.A.
Printed by The J.W. Boarman Company
Baltimore, MD 21230 U.S.A.

TABLE OF CONTENTS VOL. 37 NO. 1

ON THE COVER:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Vol 37 No. 1

IDRS 2014, New York University

New York City, New York
August 5-9, 2014

IN THIS ISSUE:

DR
NEWS

DOUBLE REED

NEWS OF INTEREST

Compiled by Dan Stolper and Ryan D. Romine

28

Louis Rosenblatt III

The Philadelphia Years 1979-2009

Michael Finkelman

51

INVITED ARTICLE

BASSOON

Reflections on Competitions
From A Variety of Angles
Peter Kolkay

83

Joseph Sellner Praises Henri Brods

New Gouging Machine
Carol Padgham Albrecht

89

Sound Characterization of a New

Experimental Bassoon: the Bassoforte
Timo Grothe

97

THE DOUBLE REED

FRONT MATTER
Honorary Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Message from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Keith Sweger
Report of the Executive Secretary/Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Norma Hooks
Contributing Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Submission Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
43rd Annual Conference, New York University, New York, New York, USA . . . . . . . 15
IDRS WWW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Yoshiyuki Ishikawa

CURRENT EVENTS
Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Brian Pollard (19302013)

Ray Still (19202014)

Nancy E. Clauter (d. 2013)

Blaine Ellis Edlefsen (19302013)

Gunther Passin (d. 2014)

Jethro James Woodson, Jr. (d. 2013)
Double Reed News of Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Compiled by Dan Stolper and Ryan D. Romine

ARTICLES
Louis Rosenblatt IIIThe Philadelphia Years, 19792009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Michael Finkelman
Invited Article: Reflections On Competitionsfrom a Variety of Angles . . . . . . . . . . 83

Peter Kolkay
Joseph Sellner Praises Henri Brods New Gouging Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Carol Padgham Albrecht
Sound Characterization of a New Experimental Bassoon: the Bassoforte . . . . . . . . . 97

Timo Grothe
An Interview with New York Bassoonist Leonard Hindell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Nora Post
A New Way of Manufacturing Bassoon Crooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

David Nissen
Alternate Fingerings! Do I Have to Learn Them? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Lawrence Stewart (19402013)
Polyvalent Fingerings for Bassoon: An Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Jamie Leigh Sampson
A Bassoon Lite, Please...

Bassoon SEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Alan Goodman

TABLE OF CONTENTS VOL. 37 NO. 1

REVIEWS
Bassoon Music Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Daniel Lipori
From Potenza Music
Stravinksy, Igor. The Rite of Spring, arranged for Woodwind Quintet
by Jonathan Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Halvorsen, Johan. Passacaglia, arranged for Oboe, Clarinet,
and Bassoon by Peter Simpson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Three Reed Trios. Arranged for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon
by Peter Simpson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

146

146
146
146

Music From Associated Music Publishers

Tower, Joan. Red Maple, for Bassoon and Strings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
From TrevCo Music Publishing
Fernandez, Charles. Remembrance, for Bassoon and Piano . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fernandez, Charles. Casablanca Sonata, for Bassoon and Piano . . . . . . .
Martini, Jean-Paul gide. Plaisir damour, arranged for Bassoon
and Piano by Eric Varner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shields, Graeme. Four Onomatopoeias, for Bassoon and Piano . . . . . . . .
Granados, Enric. Capricho Espaol op. 39, arranged for
Three Bassoons by Silvia Coricelli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rossini, Gioachino. Largo al factotum from the
Barber of Seville, arranged for Four Bassoons
and Contrabassoon by Silvia Coricelli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

148
148
149
149
149
150

Bassoon Recording Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Ryan D. Romine
Kristin Wolfe Jensen: Virko Baleys Parables & Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Christin Schillinger: Bassoon Transcended: Contemporary
Music for Bassoon and Piano by Women Composers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Oboe Recording Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Jeanne Belfy
Sherry Sylar: Oboe Dolce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Michael Lisicky: Turbine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Oboe Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Mary Ashley Barret
Jaqueline Leclair: Oboe Secrets: 75 Performance Strategies for
the Advanced Oboist and English Horn Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Back to Table of Contents

THE DOUBLE REED

Honorary Members
Maurice Allard (1923-2004)
Gnter Angerhfer (1926)
Lady Evelyn Barbirolli (1911-2008)
Philip Bate (1909-1999)
Neil Cathcart Black (1932)
Robert Bloom (1908-1994)
Maurice Bourgue (1939)
Gwydion Brooke (1912-2005)
Victor Bruns (1903-1996)
Donald Christlieb (1912-2001)
Lewis Hugh Cooper (1920-2007)
Gerald Corey (1934-2010)
John de Lancie (1921-2002)
Robert De Gourdon (1912-1993)
Ferdinand Del Negro (1896-1986)
Willard S. Elliot (1926-2000)
Alan Fox (1934)
Bernard Garfield (1924)
Bert Gassman (1911-2004)
Alfred Genovese (1931-2011)
Julie Ann Giacobassi (1949)
Fernand Gillet (1882-1980)
Loren Glickman (1924)
Harold Goltzer (1915-2004)
Ralph Gomberg (1921-2006)
Leon Goossens, CBE (1897-1988)
Ingo Goritzki (1939)
George F. Goslee (1916-2006)
E. Earnest Harrison (1918-2005)
Norman H. Herzberg (1916-2007)
Stevens Hewitt (1924)
Heinz Holliger (1939)
Cecil James (1913-1999)
Richard Killmer (1938)
Ronald J. Klimko (1936-2012)
Benjamin Kohon (1890-1984)
Simon Kovar (1890-1970)
Dr. Paul Henry Lang (1901-1991)

Presidents Award
Peter Klatt (Industry Liason)
Jim Prodan (Archivist)
Noah Knepper (Founding Member)

Lyndesay Langwill (1897-1983)

James Laslie (1923-2011)
Alfred Laubin (1906-1976)
Humbert J. Lucarelli (1937)
John Mack (1927-2006)
Stephen Maxym (1915-2002)
Robert M. Mayer (1910-1994)
John Minsker (1912-2007)
W. Hans Moennig (1903-1988)
Frederick Moritz (1897-1993)
Karl hlberger (1912-2001)
Fernand Oubradous (1903-1986)
Brian Pollard (1930-2013)
Valeri Popov (1937)
Ivan Poushechnikov (1918-2010)
Wayne Rapier (1930-2005)
Mordechai Rechtman (1926)
Charles Robert Reinert (1913-2007)
Lowry Riggins (1930)
Matthew Ruggiero (1932-2013)
Roland Rigoutat (1930-2007)
Louis Rosenblatt (1928-2009)
Frank Ruggieri (1906-2003)
Sol Schoenbach (1915-1999)
Leonard Sharrow (1915-2004)
Jerry Sirucek (1922-1996)
Louis Skinner (1918-1993)
Robert Sprenkle (1914-1988)
Ray Still (19202014)
Daniel Stolper (1937)
Laila Storch (1921)
Jane Taylor (1932-2012)
Klaus Thunemann (1937)
Milan Turkovic (1939)
K. David Van Hoesen (1926)
William Waterhouse (1931-2007)
Christopher Weait (1939)
Arthur Weisberg (1931-2009)

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Message from the President

Keith Sweger
Muncie, Indiana

To the IDRS Membership

I am pleased to write this, the first of my messages to you as President of the International
Double Reed Society. I have served the IDRS in many different capacities, including hosting
the 2006 conference at Ball State University, chairing the Gillet-Fox Bassoon Competitions
in 2008 and 2010, and serving as Secretary and, most recently, as First Vice President on the
Executive Committee. I am very excited and honored to now be able to serve the society and
its membership in this new capacity. I am thankful for the confidence that the membership
has shown in me by allowing me to serve and look forward to the continued health and
success of the society.
For the next two years, I will be serving with a group of very thoughtful and committed
Executive Committee members. Eric Stomberg will serve as First Vice President, Hitomi
Sugawara continues to serve as Second Vice President, and Michele Fiala will serve as Secretary.
The Members at Large will be Jeff Rathbun and Leonard Hindell, while Martin Schuring
will serve as Past President and Trevor Cramer will continue to serve as Member at Large
representing business. Our print editors remain Dan Stolper and Ryan Romine and Yoshi
Ishikawa will continue to be online editor. Marc Fink serves as Conference Coordinator.
Finally, Norma Hooks continues to serve as our Executive Secretary/Treasurer. I am grateful
to all of these people for their work and support. You can contact your representatives on
the Executive Committee through the e-mail links found on the Officers page on the IDRS
website. You can also find other people doing very important work for the society, including
associate editors, competition coordinators, and advertising coordinator. Please note that
we are now using idrs.org e-mails for all IDRS representatives; you can link to their e-mail
addresses through the Officers page on the IDRS website.
I wish to thank those who have recently completed their terms on the Executive Committee.
These people have all put in many hours of work for the society and have been committed
to its advancement and health. These people include Kristen Sonneborn and David Weiss,
Members at Large, and Nancy Ambrose King, Past President. If you have a chance, please
thank these three people for all of their work.
I wish to remind you of our upcoming 43rd annual conference to be held by the NYU
Steinhardt Department of Music and Performing Arts and hosted by Matt Sullivan and
his hosting committee. The conference, to be held in the heart of Manhattans West Village,
promises to be an exceptional one. Come for some incredible music, presentations, and
exciting exhibitions and take advantage of the convenient access to some of New York
Citys most famous landmarks. For more information, please go to the conference site at
http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/IDRS2014. Also, keep in mind that we will be in Tokyo, Japan
for our 2015 conference. We are very excited to be in two of the worlds great cities for our
2014 and 2015 conferences.
Once again, thank you for the privilege of serving as your President. The Executive
Committee, coordinators, and I are dedicated to serving the membership and the societys
interests, so please do not hesitate to contact us with thoughts about our society.
Best,
Keith Sweger

Back to Table of Contents

THE DOUBLE REED

Report of the Executive Secretary/Treasurer

Norma R. Hooks
Finksburg, Maryland

Nominating Honorary Members

You can have a part in selecting this years Honorary Members. Honorary membership is
the highest honor our society gives. Contact Eric Stomberg, [email protected]. He is the
chair of this years Honorary Membership committee. You can also contact Carlo Colombo
[email protected] or Nancy King [email protected], with your nomination. We would
like to have nominations in as soon as possible so that the nominee can be notified and
attend our conference in August if possible.

2014 International Double Reed Society Conference

Im sure you know by now that our conference this year will be held at New York University
(NYU) in the heart of New York City. This is the first time we have held a conference within
a US city, instead of a college campus. Its bound to be exciting, but will require a different
way of thinking about the logistics of your trip. Parking will be VERY limited, so even if
youre comfortable driving in the city, you might want to park outside the city and take public
transportation to the conference site. Most hotel accommodations will require some walking
or taking public transportation. Its not hard, but something to think about in advance.
If you are planning to stay in the dormitory you should make your reservation sooner,
rather than later, and you should know this information. We have 400 beds set aside for our
conference. Dormitory rooms have two beds, but can be single rooms if required. However,
that cuts the number of available beds in half. Restroom/shower facilities are shared and
down the hall. Please keep these things in mind when looking for accommodations. If you
have any questions or concerns see the conference website first: www.IDRS2014.org. Updates
are being added every day. If you are not able to locate answers you can contact our hosts at
NYU. Im sure that they will be more than happy to help.

Membership Cards
If you are expecting a membership card, please be patient with me. Im hoping to get them
all out soon.
All the Best!

CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS

Contributing Members
The Society thanks those who have given additional financial support
by becoming contributors. Their additional support is vital to the
accomplishment of our goals.
BENEFACTOR
Sue Schrier Bancroft
Peter ChristCrystal Records
Carlos E. Coelho Woodwinds
Trevor CramerTrevco Music
Thomas C. Heinze
Norma R. Hooks

Jan Kennedy
Richard Killmer
Ke-XunK.GE Reeds (Shanghai Workshop)
Richard Meek
Christopher Millard
Christopher Weait

PATRON
Lisa M. Alexander
Little Church of the West
Michael A. Ellert
Kenneth Fenner
Forrests MusicJohn Goebel
Kathy Henkel
Edwin V. Lacy
Donald J. McGeen
Frank A. Morelli, Jr.
James H. Moseley
Edmund Nielsen Woodwinds, Inc.

James M. Poe
RDG Woodwinds, Inc.Nancy Huang
Harry G. Searing
Hannah S.Selznick, hannahsoboes.com LLC
Thomas A. Standish
Virginia K. Stitt
Barry Trent
Eric V. Varner
Frank & Kim Wangler
Gail Warnaar Double Reed Shop

DONOR
Alexander & Helen Ackley
Dr. Lucinda Atkinson
Alexander Bakker
John Charles Beck
Charles Bell
David J. Bell
James T. Berkenstock
E. Edwin Bloedow
Michael Britton
Cynthia Lynn Budd
Anthony ChristliebChristlieb Products
Tong CuiInnoledy
Troy Davis
William J. Dawson, M.D.
Gilbert Dejean
Michael H. Dicker
Krzysztof Fiedukiewicz
Marc D. Fink
Lewis T. Fitch
Bernard Garfield
Gem WW ProductsGary Moody
Robert G. Gemmell
Anne Gilby
Nancy E. Goeres
Cathy Golde
Lauren Green Gombolay
Peter J. & Elizabeth Hedrick

Back to Table of Contents

Aaron Hill
Leonard W. Hindell
Yoshiyuki Ishikawa, DMA
Peter Klatt
Andrea Jones
A. John Larsen
Trond Olaf Larsen
Judith Zunamon Lewis
Stephen Margolis, M.D.
Donald C. Mattison
James R. McKay
Prof. Phillip J. Moloso III
James A. Moore, III
Bernd Moosmann, Ltd.
Fratelli Patricola
Duane Peltier
Christopher Philpotts
Janet Polk
Seth M. Powsner
James C. Prodan
Anthony Raho
John Richardson
Howard Rockwin
Roger Roe
Bruce M. Salad
Leo H. Settler, Jr.
Robert and Bailey Sorton

THE DOUBLE REED

Michael T. Spevak, Ph.D.

Robert J. Stephenson
Keith W. Sweger
Alvin Swiney
David Taylor
David Threatte
Charles G. Ullery
Charles O. Veazey
Rudolf Walter Co Holzblasinstrumentbau
Lyndon Watts
Abraham M. Weiss

David E. Weiss
Karl-Friedrich Wentzel
Eugene M. White, Ph.D.
William Wielgus
Jan Henrik Eyvind Wiese
Womble/Williams Double Reeds
Richard C. Woodhams
William S. Woodward
William E. Wright, M.D.
Rosemary Yiameos
David Zar

BUSINESS DONOR
BG Franck Bichon
HB Oboe ReedsHeidi Brann
David C. Berliner
Fratelli Bulgheroni SNC
Ferald Buell Capps
Charles Double Reed Company
Mark Chudnow Woodwinds
Clark Bassoon Reeds
Wilhelm Heckel GmbH
Ann HodgeHodge Products, Inc.
Japan Double Reed Inc.
Legere Reeds Ltd.Guy Legere
McFarland Double Reed Shop
John MathenyHelen Fisher Reeds
Carles Medir HuertaMedir S.L.
Roger O. Miller
The Miller Marketing Co., Inc.
Moennig Woodwind Instruments

T.D. EllisThe Music Source

Paul Nordby
North Texas Oboe Reeds and Cane
Bethany M. Schoeff Northwest Oboe Cane
Shawna LakeOboe Chicago, Inc
Sharons Oboe Shoppe
J. Pchner SpezialHolzblasinstrumentbau
Richard Rath
Udo HengReeds n Stuff
Gudrun Rimpl
Yuhiko TakedaTakeda Bassoon
Harry A. Vas Dias
Ye YuGolden Bamboo Services
David WeberWeber Reeds
Glenn U. West
Ms. Bernadette Zirkuli
Zhang JingZJ Reeds

SUSTAINING
Rodney F. Ackmann
James E. Addison
Carol Padgham Albrecht
John Amstutz
Barbara J. Anderson
Heather Armstrong
Jon B. Arnason
Shinnosuke Asahara
Robert Atherholt
Keith C. Atkinson
H. Thomas & Dr. Gilda Baise
Donald Baker
Derek Bannasch
Eric Barr
Paul H. Barrett
Lindsey M. Bartlett
Michael Bates
Carolyn L. Beck
Fredric Beerstein
Jeanne Marie Belfy
Michael Bernard
Steven Bernstein
Donald Beyer
Rebecca Bickel
LoriLee Bielski

Vincent Mark Biggam

Nancy Blum
Gail J. Bonath
Geoffrey S. Bridge
Caterina L. Bristol
Christopher & Regina Brodersen
James and Kimberly Brody
Andrew D. Brown
William F. Buchman
Mary Burke
Michael J. Burns
Donald W. Byo
Sandro Caldini
Dave Callen
Gerald I. Carp
Bente Carter
Brenda L. Casciani
Leonard Chalnick
Dr. Joseph C. Ciechalski
Perry V. Clissa
Barbara Cohen
Stephen Colburn
Roger Cole
Cedric Coleman
Julia C. Combs

10

CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS

David P. Coombs
Peter W. Cooper
Timothy H. Cronin
David O. Cushman
Jerry A. Dagg
Glen R. Danielson
Cynthia Koledo De Almeida
Juan A. de Gomar
Leonardo Dean
David A. DeBolt
Renee Anthony Dee
Doris A. DeLoach
John William Denton
Steven A. Dibner
Kylie Dillinger
Michael A. DiPietro, M.D.
George R. Donner
Barbara Jackson Duke
Dan J. Duncan
Daryl W. Durran
B & D PublicationsDavid E. Dutton
Jan Eberle
Pamela S. Epple
Frances Estes
Terry B. Ewell
Judith Evelyn Farmer
Nancy Greene Farnetani
Seon Farris
Arlen J. Fast
James C. Ferraiuolo
MaryAnne & Harvey Fleet
Sandra J. Flesher
Dr. Nancy Fowler
Dean A. Frick
Jonathan Friedman
Paul M. Furlong
David C. Gallagher
Adrienne C. Gallagher
Dr. Edward L. Gaudet, D.D.S.
David L. Gibson
Geralyn A. Giovannetti
James A. Gorton
Kazuhiro Goto
John Green
Michael Green
Julie A. Gregorian
Kristie Greiss
Peter Grenier
Lynn Grice
H. Gene Griswold
Alayne Gyetvai
Elizabeth J. Haanes
James M. Hall
Charles (Chip) Hamann
Per Hannevold
Bryan Harris
Heather Hartwick-Gladden
Lisa Harvey-Reed
Jared and Laura Hauser
Theodore C. Heger
Willa Henigman
Andrea E. Herr

Back to Table of Contents

Rob Roy Hiestand, Jr

Robin Hillyard
Patricia Holland
Steven Houser
Carolyn M. Hove
Charles G. Huebner
William F. Hulsker
John S. Husser
George Hussey
Steven and Jennet Ingle
Arnold Irchai
Audrey Baxley-Jackson
Peter Aaron Janick
Jan Jekel
Michel Jolivet, DVM
Lorraine Jones
Steven Jones
Dr. Gunther Joppig
Susan Kaczmarczik
Charles L. Kaufmann, Jr.
Wayne Kawakami
Sherri L. Kelly
Leo Kenen
Hiroshi Kenmochi
Martin King
Stanley E. King
Joel Kleinbaum
Merilee I. Klemp
David B. Knorr
Laura Koepke
Phillip A. M. Kolker
Jennifer Sloan Kost
Charles J. Koster
Anne E. Krabill
Jette Kristensen
Cecile Lagarenne
Pamela Lehr
David P. LeRoy
Nora A. Lewis
Martin S. Lipnick
Michael Lisicky and Sandra Gerster
Richard W. Lottridge
Bruce Loughry
Jos Lozano
Ivar Lunde
Joshua Luty
Jeffrey G. Lyman
Rob Macaulay
Jan Irma Maria de Maeyer
Alice H. Magos
Dennis Mancl
Martin Mangrum
Dwight C. Manning
Catherine Marchese
Margaret Rose Marco
Joseph Matthews
Bruce McCall
Paul B. McCandless Jr
Evelyn McCarty
Charles McCracken
Dennis P. Michel
John W. Miller, Jr.

THE DOUBLE REED

W. Stuart Mitchell, Jr
Doug Moran
David Nevin
Bo Nathan Newsome
Howard Niblock
Tina R. Nicholson
Jan Joris Nieuwenhuis
Susan L. Nigro
Rebecca J. Noreen
Georg Noren
Earl C. North
Patricia Grignet Nott
Timothy OBrien
Janelle Oberbillig
Barbara R. Herr Orland
Peter Ossanna
Mark S. Ostoich
Michelle Beck Panjwani
Raymond Patricio
William L. Peebles
Homer C. Pence
Gail Perstein
Margaret Phillips
David M. Pierce
Gregory Quick
Paul Rafanelli
Jeffrey J. Rathbun
Grace Rattay
James F. Reiter
Scott E. Reynolds
Shawn R. Reynolds
Andrea J. Ridilla
Ivan Barbosa Rigolin
Wilfred A. Roberts
John Rojas
Mark L. Romatz
D. Hugh Rosenbaum
Steven J. Rovelstad
Walter Hermann Sallagar
Ellie Sanford
Dean H. Sayles
Tracey Scholtemeyer
Clare Scholtz
David Schreiner
Martin Schuring
Norman C. Schweikert
William J. Scribner
Barrett E. Seals
Mark S. Seerup
Kimberly W. Seifert

Laura Jaeger Seiffert

Andrea Sematoske-Rohm
Kristen Severson
David Sheaffer
Robert Sheena
Alan Shlachter
Ann Shoemaker
Joyce Sidorfsky
Carolyn Sienkiewicz
Robert Sirois
Kathryn R. Sleeper
Rheta R. Smith
Scott W. Snyder, M.D.
Jennifer Kelley Speck
Sylvia Starkman
Cheryl S. Stephenson
Paul Stirling
Eric W. Stomberg
Nicholas Stovall
Matthew E. Sullivan
Valerie Sulzinski
Richard Alan Svoboda
Isami Takahashi
Barry Traylor
Nigel Treherne
Richelle Treves
Heather Tyreman
John J. Urban
Steve Vacchi
Eric Van der Geer
Nick VanDuzee
Ruby A. Vineyard
Robert Wagner
Stephen J. Walt
Lecolion Washington
Wolfgang R. Wawersik
William Welter II
Elizabeth Lyon Wheeler
Charles C. Wicker
Shane Wieler
Gary Wilkins
Jacqueline Wilson
Ronald L. Wirt
Saul L. Woythaler
Walter D. Wynn, Jr.
Peter Zeimet
Philipp Zeller
David Zimet
Wilma Zonn
Marilyn J. Zupnik

11

12

IDRS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

International Double Reed Society

Membership Application
For the calendar year of January 1 - December 31 of
New

Renewal

Please TYPE or PRINT (You may also renew/apply on-line at: www.idrs.org)
Name:

Address:

(Last) (First)
(Students should use home address to assure receipt of publication)

(City)

(State/Province)

(Country)

Fax Number

Phone (Area) (Number)

(Postal Code)
Business Phone
E-Mail Address

Instrument(s):
Profession or affiliation (orchestra, school, business):
ANNUAL DUES
$60.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Regular
$60.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Institution
$50.00 Student with Double Reed (print)
$35.00 . . . . . . . . . . . Student (online only)
(Priority/Airmail, add $45.00)

CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS
$500.00 & Up . . . . . . . . Benefactor Member
$350.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patron Member
$175.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donor Member
$150.00 . . . . . . . . Business Donor Member
$85.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sustaining Member

Methods of Payment: Check, bank draft, or money order enclosed

Charge to Visa/Mastercard account below
Card Account Number:
3 Digit Security Code:

Expiration Date:

(Back of Card)

Print name as it appears on credit card

(Signature required for Credit Card payment only)

MAKE PAYMENT PAYABLE TO THE IDRS IN US$ FREE OF CHARGES TO THE PAYEE.
ALL CHECKS SHOULD BE DRAWN ON A US BANK IN US DOLLARS.
Mail application and payment to:

Norma R. Hooks, Executive Secretary/Treasurer

International Double Reed Society
2423 Lawndale Road
Finksburg, MD 21048-1401 USA
Phone (410) 871-0658, FAX (410) 871-0659,
E-Mail: [email protected]

Back to Table of Contents

THE DOUBLE REED

13

Submission Guidelines for

Publication in The Double Reed
ARTICLE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Bassoon-Related Articles: email article as a Word document (.doc or .docx) to
Dr. Ryan Romine at [email protected]
Oboe-Related Articles: email article as a Word document (.doc or .docx) to
Mr. Daniel Stolper at [email protected]
Specific fonts and/or spacing are not required, as articles will be reformatted for
printing.
Endnotes are preferable to footnotes.
There is no length limitation, though the editors may later request/suggest cuts.
Thesis/document/treatise chapters should be adequately introduced and closed so as
to stand alone as a journal article.
When possible, please include a high-resolution digital photograph of the article
author(s).
Accompanying graphics/photographs should be the highest available resolution.
Graphics/photographs may be embedded in the .doc or .docx file or emailed separately
with appropriate captions and notes as to placement.
Article submissions should be accompanied by an emailed cover letter stating
that the material contained in your submission 1) is entirely original; 2) has not
been previously published; 3) is not currently under consideration for publication
elsewhere.
The cover letter should also include the authors 1) email address; 2) mailing address;
3) phone number; and 4) name and title as you would like it to appear in print.
Confirmation of receipt will be sent via email.
Quarterly deadlines are for consideration for print in that particular issue.
However, authors are encouraged to submit their materials at any time.
Submission of materials does not guarantee publication.
Submission of materials by a quarterly deadline does not guarantee publication in that
edition.
The editors reserve the right to edit all articles for style, content, or space
requirements.
The Double Reed retains all copyright on articles published in the journal; however,
upon request, authors may retain copyright and it will be so noted.
To avoid redundancy, it is recommended that individuals planning to submit materials
first do a search of relevant keywords in the archived journals at www.idrs.org.
Submitted materials will not be returned.
SUBMISSION OF DOUBLE REED EVENT REVIEWS
With the exception of major events, reviews of double reed days and music camps will
be limited to two pages of print, including photographs.
One journal page of print (excluding photos) is roughly equivalent to two double
spaced pages of Word document print.
Such reviews should be submitted as articles to the appropriate editors listed above.
SUBMISSION OF OBOE AND BASSOON NEWS OF INTEREST (PRINT)
Bassoon-Related Items: email news items as a Word document (.doc or .docx) to
Dr. Ryan Romine at [email protected]
Oboe-Related Items: email news items as a Word document (.doc or .docx) to
Mr. Daniel Stolper at [email protected]

14

ARTICLE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR PUBLICATION IN THE DOUBLE REED

SUBMISSION OF OBOE AND BASSOON NEWS OF INTEREST (WEB)

Submit appropriate news and notices via the web form located at:
www.idrs.org/support/submit_news.php
SUBMISSION OF RECORDINGS, SCORES, BOOKS, AND DVDs FOR REVIEW
Bassoon Recordings for Review: mail 1 copy (currently CD format only) to
Shenandoah Conservatory, c/o Dr. Ryan Romine; 1460 University Drive, Winchester,
VA 22601
Oboe Recordings for Review: mail 1 copy (currently CD format only) to Boise State
University, c/o Dr. Jeanne Belfy; 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725
Bassoon Scores for Review: mail 1 copy to Central Washington University,
Department of Music, c/o Dr. Daniel Lipori; 400 E. University, Ellensburg, WA
98926
Oboe Scores for Review: mail 1 copy to Dr. Jacqueline Leclair, 3800 Boulevard
Dcarie #6, Montreal QC H4A 3J7, Canada
Bassoon Books and DVDs for Review: send an inquiry to Dr. Ryan Romine at
[email protected]. Please include the books title and a brief description.
Oboe Books and DVDs for Review: send an inquiry to Mr. Daniel Stolper at
[email protected]. Please include the books title and a brief description.
Submitted materials will not be returned.
QUARTERLY DEADLINES
Issue 1 (Printed on February 1): deadline is December 1
Issue 2 (Printed on May 1): deadline is March 1
Issue 3 (Printed on September 1): deadline is July 1
Issue 4 (Printed on November 1): deadline is September 1
ADVERTISEMENTS IN IDRS PUBLICATIONS
The International Double Reed Society sells advertising space in The Double Reed to
individuals, institutions, and businesses for payment of the current advertising rates.
The Society does not attempt to verify the accuracy or reliability of any advertising claims
made herein, and thus the IDRS does not recommend or endorse any of the products,
businesses, or services advertised in the advertising section. Please contact the IDRS
Advertising Coordinator, Wayne Gaver, at [email protected] for advertising
information (see inside front cover for mailing address and phone number).
BACK-ISSUES
When available, back-issues of The Double Reed are available for purchase. For price
and mailing information, please contact the IDRS Archivist, Michael Burns, at
[email protected].
THE USE OF THE IDRS TRADEMARKS
The logo and the seal of the International Double Reed Society are the exclusive property
of the Society and may not be reproduced or used without written permission. The
Society will permit the use of logo or seal only if used in conjunction with an official
application for membership in IDRS and not used in a manner that may give the casual
reader the appearance of an endorsement by the IDRS of the person, entity, or product
associated with such reproduction. Prospective users must obtain permission in
writing and submit a press proof of the proposed printed item in advance of publication.
Please direct inquiries to IDRS At-Large (Business) Board Member, Trevor Cramer, at
[email protected].

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THE DOUBLE REED

15

We invite you to join us

for five extraordinary
days of concerts, lectures,
and masterclasses in the
heart of New York City!
Host
Matt Sullivan
Director of Programming
Gina Cuffari
Conference Coordinator
Kaitlyn Walker
Director of NYU Summer
Double Reed Teen Workshop
Michael Breaux

August 5 - 9, 2014
www.idrs2014.org
[email protected]
Like us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/idrs2014
Follow us on twitter
@idrs

16

43RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA

Evening Concerts
The Skirball Center
for the Performing Arts
Tuesday, August 5th
Concerti with Orchestra of St. Lukes
Wednesday, August 6th
Chamber Music
Thursday, August 7th
Concerti with The West Point Band
Saturday, August 9th
Concerti with Orchestra of St. Lukes

The Skirball Center for the Performing Arts

Conductors
Orchestra of St. Lukes: Milan Turkovic and Gordon Hunt

Featured IDRS 2014 performers:

Oboe/English horn
Pedro Diaz, Arnaldo de Felice, Joel Evans, Christoph Hartmann, Carolyn Hove,
Nancy Ambrose King, Jacqueline Leclair, Paul McCandless, Elizabeth Siffert, John
Snow, Thomas Stacy, Sherry Sylar, Jan Wiese, Richard Woodhams, and more!
Bassoon/Contrabassoon
Stefano Canuti, Fabio Cury, Arlen Fast, Pascal Gallois, Paul Hanson, Julian Hardy,
Rebekah Heller, Martin Kuuskmann, Kim Laskowski, Judith LeClair, Frank Morelli,
Susan Nigro, Roger Nye, Mike Rabinowitz, Saxton Rose, William Short, Barrick
Stees, and the list keeps going!
Chamber Music
New York Philharmonic Bassoon Section, The Breaking Winds, Contraband,
Imani Winds, Threeds, Wind Sync, The Glickman Ensemble, Juilliard Baroque,
Rushes Bassoon Ensemble, Quintet of the Americas, and many more!

Masterclasses/Workshops
Oboe/English horn:
Humbert Lucarelli

The Oboe as Chameleon:

Chamber Music, Solo, Orchestral

Thomas Stacy

How to Make the Committee Listen

Sherry Sylar

The Art of Second Oboe Playing

Robert Sorton

Oboe Reedmaking Workshop

Bassoon:
Judith LeClair

Bassoon Orchestral Excerpts

Pascal Gallois

20th and 21st Century Bassoon Techniques

Giorgio Mandolesi

French Recital Pieces from the Paris Conservatory

William Short

From Behind the Screen to Opening Night:

Auditioning vs. Performing

Mike Rabinowitz

Free Yourself from the Page

Improvisation classes (ob/bsn)

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17

THE DOUBLE REED

Lectures
Joseph Robinson

Marcel Tabuteau and the Interpretive Art of Music

Arlen Fast

Octave Keys, Flicking, and Clarity of

Articulations Demystified

Lenny Hindell

A Look at the Variety of Paths Taken En Route to

a Life of Music

Lyndon Watts

Le Basson Savary

Nora Post

Team Donizetti - The Rebirth of the English Horn

Concertino featuring Dr. Robert Howe,
Pedro Diaz, and more

Paul Nordby

Bassoon Care and Maintenance

Wellness
In this era of high stress and immediate response, our well being, both physical
and mental, is a very important component for performing at our very best.
IDRS 2014 will bring together an extraordinary team of practitioners and
experts in this very important field. Presentations and workshops will include,
Positive Excellence: The potential impact of positive psychology on the road
to excellence and expertise, Music and the Brain, When Playing Becomes
Painful and Yoga for the Arts.

Nights Out In The Big Apple

Nights Out in the Big Apple will be an exciting array of evening events
programmed throughout the week in and around Greenwich Village. From
the hip vibe of SubCulture and Joes Pub to beautiful outdoor venues such as
Washington Square Park, double reed players from around the world will share
their unique talents with conference attendees. There will be something for
everyone - classical, jazz, Broadway, pop, new music, and more! A sampling
of events will be
Jazz Night at SubCulture featuring: Mike Rabinowitz, Paul Hanson, Paul
McCandless, Jan Wiese and Combo Nuvo.
New Music Night at SubCulture curated by the composers collective Circles
and Lines. World Premieres performed by Jacqueline Leclair, Rebekah Heller
and more!
An evening of Pop, Rock and Jazz at Joes Pub with oboe trio Threeds

SubCulture

Joes Pub

Cornelia Street Cafe

18

43RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA

Registration
Be sure to register for IDRS 2014 before June 26, 2014 in order to receive
the discounted rate !
Before June 26

After June 26

Members

$395

$470

Non-member

$475

$550

Student member

$170

$210

Non-member student

$220

$260

Members family

$175

$205

Daily registration

$100

$120

Pre-college

$150

$150

Transportation
Transport to NYC: Traveling to, in and around NYC is easy. Choosing from 3
major airports (LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark), one lands just minutes from
New York City. Once in New York City and at NYU, you will find the subways,
buses and cabs convenient, user friendly and inexpensive. If you drive, parking
garages are located conveniently around NYUs campus.

Housing
We have both single and double dormitory rooms
available for the IDRS 2014 conference. Founders
Hall is a beautiful and convenient place to stay
during your trip to New York City!
Single Rooms: $82.00 a night
Double Rooms (2 people/room): $55.00 a night
Be sure to visit www.idrs2014.org for more
information on bookings and rates.

Founders Hall
20 E 12th St,
New York, NY 10003

Back to Table of Contents

Hilton Newark NJ
Gateway Center Raymond Blvd
Newark, NJ 07102

The Washington
Square Hotel
103 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10012

The Jade Hotel

52 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10012

The Holiday Inn Soho

38 Lafayette St
New York, NY 10013

The Park South Hotel

124 East 28th Street
New York, NY 10012

THE DOUBLE REED

19

NYU Summer Double Reed Teen Workshop

Location:

Third Avenue North (75 3rd Ave., NYC)

Dates:

August 3, 2014 through August 8, 2014

Web Information
General Information:

steinhardt.nyu.edu/music/summer/doublereed

Application:

steinhardt.nyu.edu/music/summer/apply

Audition Requirements:

steinhardt.nyu.edu/music/summer/audition

Important Deadlines
Priority Application
Deadline:

May 17, 2014

Final Application
Deadline:

June 27, 2014

Required Orientation:

August 3, 2014

Program Dates:

August 4, 2014 through August 8, 2014

Housing Dates:

August 3, 2014 through August 9, 2014

Costs
Application Fee:

$50

Tuition:

$850

Housing/Meal Plan
(Optional):

$359 for shared room with10-meals

Calling all oboe and bassoon students between the ages of 13 and 19! You are
cordially invited to attend the NYU Summer Double Reed Teen Workshop taking
place at New York Universitys campus in Greenwich Village. This workshop will
be hosted by NYU Steinhardts Music Department, and will take place at one
of NYUs most beautifully renovated buildings: Third Avenue North. We will
occupy an entire floor of the building so that we may have access to practice
rooms, class rooms, and large rehearsal spaces thus allowing for all of the very
exciting activities planned during this workshop.
Leading this program is Michael L. Breaux, member of the NYU music faculty
and director of the NYU Concert Band and Music Education Jazz Ensemble. He
brings more than twenty-five years of teaching experience and double reed
performing to this workshop. His very capable assistant is Carolyn Johnston,
oboe graduate student at NYU. The faculty profile for this workshop will include
members of the wonderful double reed faculty at NYU:
Oboe:

Vicki Bodner, Rob Botti, Humbert Lucarelli, Matt Sullivan,

Liang Wang

Bassoon: Gina Cuffari, Mark Goldberg, Leonard Hindell, Daniel Shelly,

Mark Timmerman
While attending this workshop, attendees will have the opportunity to meet
and perform with other young double reed musicians from around the world.

20

43RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA

All attendees will have the opportunity to work with world-class artist teachers
and performers in master-classes, lectures, reed-making sessions, ensemble
coaching sessions, and private lessons.
Housing will be located at Founders Hall (120 E. 12th St.), located approximately
half a block away from the building where Lady Gaga stayed while attending
NYU, and where the workshop activities will take place: Third Avenue North
(75 3rd Ave.). Tuition will also include group activities, concerts, lectures,
and admission to the IDRS (International Double Reed Society) International
Conference also being held on the NYU Campus. Please consider joining us for
this very exciting and unique opportunity to experience the Big Apple, make
new friends, and share your passion for playing oboe and bassoon!
Michael L. Breaux, Director
NYU Summer Double Reed Teen Workshop
Carolyn Johnston, Assistant Director
NYU Summer Double Reed Workshop
35 W. 4th Street, Suite 1077-G
New York, NY 10012
(212) 998-5613 - office
[email protected]

Housing Facility: Founders Hall

Workshop Facility: Third Avenue North

Our wonderful Vendors will be in the beautiful

Rosenthal Pavilion and the Eisner Luben
Auditorium at the Kimmel Center.
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THE DOUBLE REED

21

IDRS WWW
Yoshiyuki Ishikawa, Editor, IDRS OnLine Publications
Boulder, Colorado

Join IDRS Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/idrsemail/

22

CURRENT EVENTS

CURRENT E VENTS

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23

THE DOUBLE REED

Obituaries

Brian Pollard (1930-2013)

Born in 1930 in North England. Died December 2013 in Amsterdam, Holland.
Brian started to play the bassoon when he was twelve years
old. As it was wartime then (1944) and all the adult men were
in the army or in the mines, he was asked just two years later
at age fourteen to play in the Ballet Jooss, an ensemble that
had fled to England from the Nazi regime in Germany. From
then he was a professional and immediately went on tour for
a year all through England.
When that was over he started studying with Archie
Camden at the Royal College of Music and also got a job with
the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Thomas Beecham.
He was sixteen then and was one of the founding members.
At eighteen, Brian had to join the army. He chose the Royal
Brian Pollard
Air Force (RAF). He was sent to Germany where he played
in a military band. It was there that he came in contact with
records of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, immediately fell in love with that orchestra, and
hoped to one day become a member.
After his time in the RAF, he became First Bassoon in the Royal Opera House of Covent
Garden. When the Concertgebouw Orchestra later came to London with Eduard van Beinum,
Brian went to the concert and was enthralled. He did an audition, as there happened to be
a vacancy. He was accepted and he stayed there forty-two years until he began his pension.
With the Concertgebouw, he enjoyed playing wonderful repertoire for excellent conductors
such as Otto Klemperer, Carlo Maria Giulini, Bernard Haitink, Colin Davis, etc. This was
where he wanted to be.
At the same time, he was a founding member of the famous Danzi Quintette, with whom
he performed all over the worldmany of their programs including much modern music.
He hated to stop playing after his pension, but he then did a lot of coaching and served
on numerous competition juries.
Brians death is a great loss to many musiciansnot only bassoonists. He was renowned
for his philosophical attitude to life and his interest in people.
Marion PollardBrians wife

CURRENT EVENTS

Brian Pollard (19302013)

Ray Still (19202014)
Nancy E. Clauter (d. 2013)
Blaine Ellis Edlefsen (19302013)
Gnther Passin (d. 2014)
Jethro James Woodson, Jr. (d. 2013)

24

OBITUARIES

Ray Still (19202014)

Ray Still, legendary CSO oboist and teacher remembered

CURRENT EVENTS

John von Rhein | March 12, 2014

Most oboe players are famous for being rather neurotic and
even a bit crazy. The stereotype derives from all those long
hours oboists spend making reeds and having to force air
through an aperture no bigger than the eye of a mediumsized needle, all to produce a beautiful sound on a recalcitrant
wind instrument.
Ray Still was famous for being the best of the best, one
of the finest and longest-tenured orchestral oboe players
of all time.
He played oboe in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for an
astonishing 40 years, 39 of them as principal oboe. He served
with distinction under four CSO music directors, from Fritz
Reiner to Daniel Barenboim, until his retirement in 1993.
Ray Still performed
with the Chicago
A celebrated symphonic and chamber musician, soloist
Symphony Orchestra
and educator who taught and coached several generations
from 1953 to 1993. He
of American oboe players, Still died early Wednesday, the
died on his birthday
day of his 94th birthday, surrounded by family, at his home
at 94. (Rosenthal
Archives/CSO)
in Woodstock, Vermont. Bachs St. Matthew Passion was
playing in the background.
He had been in failing health since August, according to a son-in-law, Peter Bergstrom,
who did not specify the cause of death.
Ray was one of the greatest oboists of the 20th century, said Michael Henoch, the CSOs
assistant principal oboe, who studied with Still at Northwestern University and played alongside
him in the CSO for 21 years. He was acclaimed throughout the world for his extraordinary
musicianship and his command of the instrument, along with his singing tone, clear articulation, rock-solid sense of pulse, and most importantly, his legendary ability to project the
musical line with apparent ease.
Even with all the accolades he received as a performer, he told me he considered his most
important contribution to music was his teaching. He was a most dedicated teacher. Studying
with him could be scary, but always enlightening. He held his students to the high standards
to which he held himself, and that is why the Ray Still legacy thrives to this day.
The editors of The Double Reed are planning a section of tributes for recently departed IDRS
Honorary Members Brian Pollard and Ray Still to be printed in our next edition (DR 37-2
printed May 2014). Members interested in contributing to these tributes should email their
photographs and short writings to [email protected] (Pollard) or [email protected] (Still).

Nancy E. Clauter

Nancy E. Clauter passed away on December 24, 2013 in Prescott, Arizona. She is survived
by her brother and sister-in-law, Steven and Annie Clauter of Goodyear, nieces Lisa Weston
and Lorin Clinkenbeard and their families in Phoenix, and her beloved cats, Sasha and
Simon. Nancy also is survived by the hundreds of students and colleagues whose lives were
immeasurably touched by her presence, compassion, and artistry.

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THE DOUBLE REED

25

Blaine Ellis Edlefsen

August 24, 1930December 22, 2013

Blaine Edlefsen

Blaine Ellis Edlefsen, 83, of Champaign, died on Sunday, Dec 22, 2013
in Draper, UT, of cancer. He was born August 24, 1930, in Soda Springs,
Idaho, the son of Jesse Abner Edlefsen and Ethel Rowley Edlefsen. He
married Jean Josephine Harris August 29, 1952 in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
He is survived by five children and 10 grandchildren, Steven Jonn
and Jo-Ann and their children Kirsten, Alexander, and Natasha of El
Segundo, California; Paul Jay and Sharon and their son Nathaniel of
Salt Lake City, Utah; Erik Blaine of Champaign; Miriam Sara Edlefsen
Ballejos and her husband Ernest of Tacoma, Washington; and Kathryn

CURRENT EVENTS

Nancy began playing oboe at age 9 while living in a suburb

of Chicago. After moving to Phoenix during her high school
years, she became interested in music theory and composition,
which she studied at Arizona State University for her Bachelor
of Music degree. Following this, she earned a Master of Music
degree in oboe performance from the University of Arizona.
Nancy taught oboe and music theory at Grand Canyon University
for 16 years and was the professor of oboe at the University of
Kentucky from 1997 to 2012. While at UK, she was the principal oboist with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra. In
her final year at the university, she won a Teacher Who Made
a Difference award.
Nancy E. Clauter
Nancys performances included solo recitals in the United
States and Italy, as well as performances with the Louisville
Bach Society, the Louisville Orchestra, the Owensboro Symphony, the Richmond (Indiana)
Symphony, the Knoxville (Tennessee) Symphony, the Phoenix Symphony, the Flagstaff
Symphony, the Trade Winds Ensemble, and at the Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt,
Austria. She was a frequent performer/lecturer at convention venues for the Kentucky Music
Educators Association, the Music Educators National Conference, the American Choral
Directors Association, and the International Double Reed Society. As a scholar, Nancy published three oboe method books with Carl Fischer and Theodore Presser and wrote articles
for the Journal of the International Double Reed Society.
Nancy was a founding member of the Phoenix-based Quintessence Wind Quintet,
which performed throughout the United States, Germany, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. During
her tenure with the group, Quintessence won the prestigious Best Wind Group award at the
National Fischoff Competition. For many years Quintessence was the resident wind quintet
of the Bay View Music Festival in Traverse City, Michigan.
During the past two years, Nancy performed with the Prescott Pops Orchestra, the
Prescott Chamber Orchestra, and as member of the Prescott Trinity Presbyterian church
and the Prescott Chamber Society.
In 2011 the University of Kentucky made a documentary entitled The Ascending Journey
about Nancys struggle with multiple myeloma and the making of her CD Meridian: The
Ascending Journey. To date, the film has aired on Kentucky Public Television over 30 times.
The DVD of the documentary and CD are available for purchase through the Multiple
Myeloma Research Foundation (theMMRF.org) gift shop, where 100% of the proceeds go
for multiple myeloma research. Donations in Nancys name also can be made to the MMRF.

CURRENT EVENTS

26

OBITUARIES

Ann Edlefsen Enniss, her husband Ryan and their six children, Rachel, Joseph, Alayna, Jack,
Michael and Sarah, all of Draper, Utah. Also living is Blaines brother, Lynn Edlefsen and
his wife Nan of Chubbuck, Idaho.
Blaine was raised in Driggs, Idaho, and from an early age learned to sing from his mother.
He played saxophone and clarinet in school bands and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
degree from Brigham Young University in Provo, UT in 1952. He completed his Master of
Music degree in Music Literature and Performance on the oboe from Eastman School of Music
of the University of Rochester, New York in 1953. From 1953-1961, he was an Instructor of
Music at BYU and performed with the Utah Symphony Orchestra. From 1959-61, he again
attended the Eastman School of Music, earning his Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance
and Pedagogy of the Oboe in 1966.
He became an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois School of Music in 1961,
retiring as Professor Emeritus in 1994. During the summer of 1965 he held what is believed
to have been the first oboe camp in the US. His film, Making the American Scrape Oboe
Reed, made in 1969 was the first to illustrate the art of oboe reed making. He published
courses of study for students learning the oboe at the beginning, intermediate and advancedintermediate level for Belwin Mills. He was a member of the Illinois Woodwind Quintet and
performed in the Champaign-Urbana, Springfield and Kankakee Sympony Orchestras and the
Univerity of Illinois Sinfonia da Camera as principal oboist. He was also a founding member
of the International Double Reed Society. He was a versatile musician playing clarinet, flute
saxophone and English horn as well as the oboe.
His hobbies include travel, italic hand writing, bridge, reading about exploration and
primitive cultures; mnemonics and awareness; physical fitness including weight lifting and
tai chi, in which he has a blue belt. He was a loving husband, father, brother and friend who
will be greatly missed.

Gnther Passin
I just received an email from Japanese oboist Mr. Ryoichi Narusawa
that German oboist Professor Gnther Passin has died at age 76.
From Mr. Narusawa:

Gnther Passin

Prof. Gunther Passin, longtime principal at Rundfunk-SinfonieOrchester, Berlin (West) has passed away at the age of 76. He
also taught many students in Munich and Salzburg (Mozarteum)
including some of the leading players in Japan.

If we are able to find out further info, well be sure to post it at the IDRS website here:
http://www.idrs.org/IDRSBBS/viewtopic.php?id=3D15530
If you arent familiar with his playing WATCH and listen to him here:
http://youtu.be/x40sGe5FEsk

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27

Jethro James Woodson, Jr.

CURRENT EVENTS

Dr. Jethro James Woodson, Jr., age 55, having waged a lengthy and
valiant battle with cancer, succumbed in Kyungju, South Korea,
December 22, 2013.
The son of Jethro James and the late Geneva Tooson Woodson, Dr.
Woodson was born in Brewton, Alabama, and had a twin sister and
a younger brother. Growing up in West Goldwire, he attended Saint
Mark Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and was educated in the
Jefferson County School System. During his high school tenure at W.A.
Jethro James
Berry (now Hoover) High, his potential in music flourished. Passionate
Woodson, Jr.
about and gifted in music; Dr. Woodson distinguished himself as an
extraordinary bassoonist, was a member of the marching and symphony
bands, and received a plethora of first places in district and state music competitions.
Upon receiving a High School Diploma, he enrolled at the University of Alabama in
Tuscaloosa with a four-year scholarship. While at the University of Alabama, Dr. Woodson was
in the symphony orchestra, studied with Dr. William Dole, gave a recital at the Birmingham
museum, participated in the 1979 Yale Summer Music School, and attended the Aspen Music
School during the summers. He received a Bachelor Degree in music at the University and
continued pursuing postgraduate studies. Consequently, he received the Masters of Music
from Yale University in New Haven and a Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of
Michigan at Ann Arbor.
Dr. Woodsons education and artistry in music afforded various opportunities to teach, to
travel, and to perform in individual recitals and symphony orchestras. An acclaimed soloist,
chamber musician, and orchestra player, he performed in the United States, Canada, and
Europe with the Sphinx Orchestra (MI) and the American Wind Symphony (Windsor, ON).
He also played with orchestras in Toledo, Ohio; Flint, Michigan; and Kalamazoo, Michigan.
His employment included a professorship at Central State University (Wilberforce, Ohio)
and an instrumental teaching position at Colonial High School (Dayton, Ohio). At the time
of his death, Dr. Woodson was a professor at Gyeongji University in South Korea.
Surviving the late Dr. Jethro James Woodson, Jr. are his father, Mr. Jethro J. (Marilyn)
Woodson of Birmingham, AL; his twin sister, Mrs. Jephania (Larry) Cotton of McDonough,
GA; his Brother, Mr. William S. Woodson of Hendersonville, TN; an aunt, Mrs. Zenobia
Dale, Brewton, AL; a nephew, Mr. Elijah Cotton of McDonough, GA; and two cousin: Mrs.
Glenda (Samuel) Gant, Brewton, AL and Mrs. A. Faye (Eric) Calhoun, Birmingham, AL. A
funeral service was held in South Korea, December 26, 2013 and plans are being made for
a private family memorial.

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NEWS OF INTEREST

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Compiled by Dan Stolper and Ryan D. Romine

Mother Lode Friends of Music Presents Contemporary Chamber Music
ThePineTree.net | Posted by: Andy Johnson on 03/20/2014 10:28 PM
Updated by: thepinetree on 03/20/2014 11:45 PM

Sutter Creek, CA ...The Mother Lode Friends of Music, the regional organization of classical
music performances, presents a program of contemporary chamber music on Sunday, April
6, starting at 2 pm at the Church of the Nazarene, 14050 Ridge Road, in Sutter Creek. The
program features music for winds by three modern French composers: the Trio dAnches
(Reed Trio) for oboe, clarinet and bassoon of Pierre Max Dubois, the Vent de Folie (Crazy
Wind) for woodwind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon) by Didier Favre, and the
Quintet in C of woman composer Claude Arrieu. Soprano Marie Bedard of Fiddletown, long
familiar to Friends of Music audiences, makes a return appearance with two arias, The Letter
Song and The Willow Song, from The Ballad of Baby Doe by American composer Douglas
Moore. The program concludes with the Piano Trio #1 by the young New York-based composer
Patrick Zimmerli. Full of jazz and Latin motifs and engaging melodies and requiring virtuoso
performances from all three players, the work has been described by Fanfare magazine, the
leading journal of classical music reviews in the United States, as sensational.
The instrumentalists are all regular players on the Friends of Music roster; flutist Janet
Telford of Soulbysville, oboist Jane Buzzard and bassoonist Gail Buzzard of Sonora,
clarinetist Hank King of Pioneer, and hornist Bill Minkel of Camp Connell. Performing the
Zimmerli trio are concert violinist Corina Stoian of Hayward, cellist Erik Urbina of Stockton,
and pianist Ron Brickman of West Point. Urbina was recently acclaimed as the cello soloist
in a performance of Haydns second cello concerto with the Friends of Music Orchestra.

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/2SNRxo

Mother Lode Quintet

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Ars Viva to showcase its strings, oboe

http://skokie.suntimes.com | March 07, 2014 6:07 a.m.

By: by Myrna Petlicki For Sun-Times Media

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/bVndtj

Colburn is also performing regularly with orchestras for the Chicago Master Singers, DuPage
Chorale, and substituting with Lake Forest Symphony. He is continuing as Artistic Director/
Oboist for the Washington Island Music Festival, two weeks of summer chamber music on
glorious Washington Island, Door County, WI.

Oboists highlight of Chamber Music concert

http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com | Posted: 12:00 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014

By Joseph Youngblood | Special to the Daily News
The Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach held its third of six concerts Tuesday evening at
The Mar-a-Lago Club, this one featuring harpsichordist Paolo Bordignon, oboist Matthew
Dine, oboist Stephen Taylor and bassoonist Edward Parsons, playing the basso continuo.

CURRENT EVENTS

You can always expect diverse, fascinating programming from Music

Director Alan Heatherington for Ars Viva Symphony Orchestras
concerts. For the groups Sunday, Feb. 9 performance at the North Shore
Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie he has chosen three winning
selections, two of which feature string orchestra music.
The string orchestra repertoire is near and dear to my heart, said
Heatherington, who was the founding music director of the Chicago String
Ensemble for 18 years, before founding Ars Viva in 1995. Thats where
Stephen Colburn
I spent a lot of my professional life both as a violinist and a conductor.
He noted that Ars Viva has such amazing string players, most of
them playing on very great instruments. What we sometimes lack in numbers, they make
up for in sound, sonority and quality of sound.
Prior to the string selections, the program opens with Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto
in A Minor, featuring Stephen Colburn, Ars Vivas principal oboe. Heatherington praised
his soloist. He always does such an amazing job that other musicians and audience members
ask me routinely, Where did you get that oboe player?
The answer is the Milwaukee Symphony, where Colburn retired as principal oboist
two years ago, after being a member of the orchestra since 1966. Although he still lives in
Milwaukee, Colburn has ties to this area, having been raised in Lombard and Elmhurst, with
a sister in Glencoe and his mother in Chicago.
Colburn joined Ars Viva two years ago because, It has an outstanding reputation as
a topnotch group and the conductor is highly regarded, he said, playfully adding, They
asked me.
The oboist is glad he said yes, noting the music and the people as well as the fantastic
repertoire.
He added that he has played Williams Oboe Concerto before. Its what you might call a
very good exponent of the English pastoral school of music composition. Its characterized
by references to British folk tunes and intriguing harmoniesbut very accessible. Its 20th
century music but its really easy to like.

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Listening to concerts by string quartets and solo instrumentalists, its

easy to forget that there are dozens of performers of equal ability who play
in various ensembles in New York City the New York Philharmonic,
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, American Ballet Theatre as well as in
the many regional festival orchestras. This concert featured three of
these players.
Bordignon is the associate director of music at St. Bartholomews
Matthew Dine
Episcopal Church in New York. Also an organist, Bordignons recent
appearances have been with the New York Philharmonic, Orpheus Chamber
Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra and Mostly Mozart Orchestra.
Dine is principal oboe with American Ballet Theatre and co-principal
oboe and solo English horn with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, a
position he has held since 1986.
Taylor is solo oboe with the Chamber Music Society and the New
York Woodwind Quintet and co-principal oboe of the Orpheus Chamber
Orchestra.
Stephen Taylor
The two oboists observed that they are so busy that they never get to
play chamber music together. Tuesday they did get to play together, and
what a marvel it was! Both players are consummate artists who can play
the most difficult passages with a beautiful tone and artistic phrasing,
and they did this together. The 12 pieces on the program were, for the
most part, short. They called for virtuosic melody playing but were too
short to involve long-range dynamic effects.
The concert opened with all four playing George Frederick Handels
Edward Parsons
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and two movements from Trio No. 2 by
Czech composer Jan Dismus Zelenka. Both of these works were characterized by impeccable technique and interpretation.
Bordignon then played the Sarabande and Gavotte from J.S. Bachs French Suite No. 5 in
G. Both dances were played with the proper Baroque phrasing. The full ensemble played a
movement by Saint-Saens; Taylor played the oboe damore and observed that he would play
only that instrument if he could.
The Berlioz Trio was outstanding very expressive playing by the two oboes. The Albinoni
Concerto was a marvelthe oboists never missed a note and never played a poor phrase.
These men are real pros. And Piazzolas Oblivion was stunning so clean and so expressive.
This was a magnificent concert; everything was done to perfection. And this first-year
concert series is a wonderful addition to the Palm Beach concert season.

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/KJnBY4

SLSO announces new principal oboe

http://www.stltoday.com | January 21, 2014 4:29 pm

By Sarah Bryan Miller
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has a new principal oboe: Jelena Dirks of Chicago. Shell
join the SLSO at the start of the 2014-2015 season. She replaces Peter Bowman, who has
been out with health problems, and will step down from the post at the end of this season.

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(cont.)

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/pV1ugS

Sunny NACO performance just the tonic for February blues
http://www.ottawacitizen.com | February 12, 2014
By Richard Todd, Ottawa Citizen

OTTAWA This weeks National Arts Centre

Orchestra program is uncommonly sunny and
congenial, just the right tonic against the midwinter blahs. It featured music by Mozart,
Vaughan Williams conducted by Jrmie Rhorer.
It began with Mozarts Symphony no.29 in
A, one of the earliest of the composers symphonies to be heard regularly in todays active
repertoire. For all its subtle beauties, this remains
Charles Hamann
an exceptionally cheery and approachable work.
Conductor Rhorer led an open, gently energetic account of the score. Except briefly in the fourth movement, it was blessedly free of
interpretive events of the kind we often hear in NACO Mozart. The orchestral playing
was more or less at the level weve been able to expect in recent years. In all, a definite treat.
Another treat was the Vaughan Williams Concerto in A minor for oboe and orchestra.
Charles Hamann, the orchestras principal oboist was the soloist. He played superbly which
is, I think, the only way he knows how. He was entirely in tune with the pastoralist feeling
of the score and he received an entirely sympathetic accompaniment from the conductor
and orchestra.
Hamann is one of the gems of the orchestra along with the other principal winds.
Although the entire orchestra plays at quite a high level these days, its wind section has
been a joy for many years
The program concluded with Schuberts Symphony no. 5 in B-flat, yet another sunny
work, balancing the Mozart nicely. The first movement in particular had an airy charm that
launched things along perfectly. The second movement had all the lovely calm you could
want and formed a kind of emotional centre to the piece.

CURRENT EVENTS

Dirks is a native of San Diego. She began piano at age 5 and still
plays professionally. At 11, she took up the oboe as well. Her mother is
now-retired Chicago Symphony Orchestra violist Karen Dirks.
Jelena Dirks teaches both instruments as a member of the faculty of
DePaul University and serves as the schools woodwind coordinator. She
has performed with many major musical groups in Chicago, including
Lyric Opera and the Chicago Philharmonic. For five years, shes done
regular performances, tours and recordings with the Chicago Symphony
Jelena Dirks
Orchestra. She plays chamber music, most often as the oboist for the
critically acclaimed Prairie Winds Quintet, and is a frequent guest artist
on the CSO Chamber Music Series, and with the Chicago Chamber Musicians.
Dirks is a graduate of St. Olaf College in Minnesota and has masters degrees in piano
and oboe performance from the University of Michigan. Her teachers include Alex Klein,
Harry Sargous, David McGill, and Logan Skelton.

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CURRENT EVENTS

Even the Scherzo, which can have a kind of Sturm-und-Drang feel to it in some performances was light and breezy. The finale also had just the right mixture of lightness with
moments of drama.
Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/MRFszg

Classical: Sinfonia offers Invitation to the Dance
The Morning Call | February 19, 2014 |
By Philip A. Metzger, Special to The Morning Call

The theme for Saturdays Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra concert,

directed by Allan Birney, is Invitation to the Dance.
The focus on the music is strings, augmented by three regular
sinfonia members.
The focal point of the concert, in Christ Lutheran Church in
Allentown, if one can be chosen, is Debussys two Danses Sacre et
Profane.
Nobuo
Kitagawa
In 1904, the Parisian instrument maker Pleyel asked Debussy to
write a piece to showcase a newly invented pedal-less chromatic harp.
Instead, strings were added for each missing note in the chromatic scale.
Debussys commission soon entered the repertory of the conventional
harp, and the unwieldy chromatic harp was abandoned.
Its the conventional seven-pedal harp, of course, that soloist
Frances Duffy will use in the piece.
Duffy is a graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University and the Manhattan
School of Music. The well-traveled harpist is principal in both the
Susan Shaw
Wheeling, W. Va., orchestra and the Allentown Symphony.
The program opens with Elgars Serenade for String Orchestra, Op.
20 and concludes with Janaceks Suite for String Orchestra.
Tucked in among these works is one by the rather less well-known Czech composer Jan
Dismas Zelenka. Its a work for strings, oboe and bassoon, and the soloists will be regular
members Nobuo Kitagawa, oboe, and Susan Shaw, bassoon.
Zelenka is a contemporary of J.S. Bach. He was born in a small village near Prague in
1679, and died in Dresden in 1745, after a well-traveled musical career. Bach is on record as
admiring Zelenkas music.

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/m318F9

French Wind Quintets; 20th-century Wind Quintets review
Les Vents Franais
(Warner Classics, two CDs)
theguardian.com | Wednesday 22 January 2014 12.14 EST
Andrew Clements

Les Vents Franais is the wind-quintet equivalent of a supergroup. All its members who
include the flautist Emmanuel Pahud, oboist Franois Leleux and clarinettist Paul Meyer
are international soloists in their own right, and their performances, as youd expect, have a

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(cont.)

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/mQIQhc

New oboe professor at UK looks to build community

http://www.kentucky.com | Herald-Leader culture columnist | March 1, 2014

By Rich Copley
In the studio of new assistant oboe professor ToniMarie Marchioni in the University of
Kentucky Fine Arts building, it looks as if Facebook has exploded all over her left wall.
Filling it are memes, some with the characters we all know and love from our own news
feeds: Grumpy Cat, the Most Interesting Man in the World and Keep Calm signs, all with
oboe variations, such as Keep Calm and Make Reeds.
Then there are some less common images: some of Marchionis students with captions
including, They tried to make me go to reed-hab, but I said no, no, no!, Plays wrong notes,
calls it interpretation, and a number of slogans you probably have to be an oboe nerd to
understand. They are on virtual display at Facebook.com/ukoboe.
Marchioni is working to build a community of oboe lovers in her studio.
Im trying to create a special community where everyone feels like they are really part
of a family, says Marchioni, who is in her first year at UK. The memes are one silly part of

CURRENT EVENTS

marvellous fluency and dazzling range

of colour, even if there are moments
when things get too indulgent.
Though todays French style of windplaying is not nearly as distinctively
reedy as it was 100 years ago, there is
something about the brittle charm of
French music from the first part of the
last century that still seems to suit the
wind quintet perfectly. Thats demonstrated beautifully by the first of the
two discs in this collection, especially in
Dazzling range of colour Les Vents Franais.
Photograph: Wildundliese.de
miniatures such as Jacques Iberts Trois
Pices Brves and Darius Milhauds La
Chemine du Roi Ren, a suite adapted from a film score. The arrangement of Ravels Tombeau
de Couperin as a wind quintet, however, seems unnecessary when bespoke pieces abound.
A couple of less well-known French works are included, too. Music by Andr Jolivet, who
in the 1930s was a member with Messiaen of a group of composers who called themselves La
Jeune France, is rarely heard now, so his Sonatine for oboe and bassoon, comprising three
terse, hieratic movements, is welcome. Elsewhere, the Wind Quintet by Paul Taffanel, still
revered by flautists as one of the most influential teachers of the early 20th century, is a real
curiosity, even though it does suggest he was wise to concentrate on his day job.
The other disc ranges far more widely. Ligetis Bagatelles for wind quintet and Sandor
Veresss Sonatina for oboe, clarinet and bassoon, offer a fascinating comparison between the
music of pupil and teacher, and the different ways in which each absorbed the influence of
Bartk, while Hindemiths Kleine Kammermusik and Zemlinskys late Humoresque belong
to totally different worlds. Samuel Barbers Summer Music provides a link between the two
discs; theres a real French elegance to its evocative neo-romanticism, and Les Vents Franais,
Leleux especially, capture that perfectly.

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DOUBLE REED NEWS OF INTEREST

(cont.)

that, but overall, I want them to feel

like they have ownership over what
we do here.
As an example, she cites last weeks
divisional recital, in which her oboists
performed a medley of Lady Gaga songs
while wearing Gaga-inspired clothes
and wigs.
They went for it and sounded
great, Marchioni says. And the important thing to me is we can have fun as
ToniMarie Marchioni, an oboist since fifth
long as the artistic standards are high.
grade, has degrees from Harvard and Juilliard.
After all, backing up the Facebook
memes and Lady Gaga appreciation are
Marchionis degrees from Harvard and Juilliard, and a life of playing the oboe since fifth
grade, when she opened the case of her newly issued school oboe and told her mom they had
to take it back because there was no mouthpiece.
Oboes, unlike some other instruments, dont have standard mouthpieces; players must
make or buy reeds to attach to the oboe.
I did not know what I was getting into, she says of her decision to play oboe in her
hometown, Mechanicsburg, Pa. If somebody had set me straight and said, Youre going to
be making reeds the rest of your life, maybe I wouldnt be in this position.
But making reeds, as it turns out, is a way of life for oboists. It even builds community.
On Sunday afternoon, Marchioni will perform in a concert dedicated to a former member
of the UK music community: oboe professor Nancy Clauter, who retired after the 2011-12
school year to focus on her treatment for multiple myeloma, a cancer she battled since 2008.
She died Dec. 24 in her home state of Arizona.
The concert by the Chamber Players of Central Kentucky will be the second one in a
month dedicated to Clauter at which Marchioni will play. She also performed with the
University of Kentucky Wind Symphony on Feb. 15, playing Aaron Coplands Quiet City.
The program for this weekends concert would be music to any oboe enthusiasts ears. It
includes Karl Pliss Sonatina for Oboe and Guitar, on which Marchioni will team with UK
assistant guitar professor Dieter Hennings; Benjamin Brittens Phantasy Quartet; and W.A.
Mozarts Oboe Quartet, one of the icons of the oboe repertoire.
That is one of the best things written for our instrument, Marchioni says of the Mozart
piece. Its just wonderfully virtuosic, but in the best possible musical way. Its virtuosity for
virtuositys sake. Its so musical, and so gorgeous and fun. The second movement is kind of
a mournful aria, but its very concise compared to these other joyful, jubilant movements.
Before this school year, Marchionis stages were primarily in New York, where she worked
as a free-lance musician after earning a bachelors degree from Harvard and a masters and
doctorate from Juilliard. She also is a graduate of The Academy/Ensemble ACJW, a training
program based at Carnegie Hall that included working in New York City Public Schools,
performances at Carnegie and training in arts advocacy.
Its an incredible, incredible program, she says of The Academy. Theres nothing like it.
Being a free-lancer gave Marchioni a chance at many good gigs, but she says they were
always substitute posts. The faculty position at UK was a chance to get a full-time post that
allows her to continue free-lance work around the country.

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COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/7BTWDx

Final Free HAPPY HOUR CSO Concert of 2013-14 Season Set for 3/26
http://www.broadwayworld.com | February 13, 11:32 2014
by Classical Music News Desk

The Columbus Symphony concludes its successful new Happy Hour

series with a free concert at the Ohio Theatre on Wednesday, March 26,
featuring guest conductor Rossen Milanov. The performance will last
approximately 90 minutes with commentary from WOSUs Christopher
Purdy, and feature Thomas Ades Three Studies on Couperin, Haydns
Symphony No. 88, and Tchaikovskys Symphony No. 5, Movements
III & IV.
Respected and admired by audiences and musicians alike, Princeton
Symphony Orchestra Music Director Rossen Milanov is the Principal
Rossen Milanov
Conductor of Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias (OSPA)
in Spain, and also serves as Music Director of the nationally recognized
training orchestra Symphony in C in New Jersey. He studied conducting at the Curtis Institute
of Music and the Juilliard School, where he received the Bruno Walter Memorial Scholarship.
He studied oboe and orchestral conducting at the Bulgarian National Academy of Music,
and holds a Masters degree in oboe performance from Duquesne University. As the former
Chief Conductor of the Bulgarian National Radio Orchestra (2003-08) and Music Director
of New Symphony Orchestra, Sofia (1997-2013), he received the Bulgarian Ministrys Award
for Extraordinary Contribution to Bulgarian Culture. He was named Bulgarias Musician of
the Year in 2005 and won an ASCAP award in 2011 for his programming with the Princeton
Symphony Orchestra.

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/Ac34Dh

Strauss oboe concerto is spring centrepiece

http://www.hebdenbridgetimes.co.uk | 15 March 2014

Following the example of major British Orchestras, broadcasters and music establishments,
Todmorden Orchestra is joining in the 150th birthday celebration of Richard Strauss at their
first concert of 2014 at Todmorden Town Hall on Saturday, March 15 (7.30 pm).
The German composer, was an influential figure with Grand Dukes and The Kaiser
during The Great War. He was later wooed by Hitler and his henchman Goebbels before
they turned menacingly against him.
Strauss survived a Nazi cat-and-mouse game and was in constant fear for his Jewish
daughter-in-law and her two sons. When he died in 1949 at the age of 85, he left a legacy of

CURRENT EVENTS

It was important to me to be in a really vibrant program, and Lexingtons a great city,

Marchioni says.
I remember walking off the plane, and the smell of Lexington was so good, she says,
laughing. UK Music School chair Skip Gray still jokes that was the first thing I said to him.
He asked, Hows your visit? And I said, It smells so good here.
Its a really lovely community to be a part of.

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outstanding music behind, including his acclaimed Lieder, Four

Last Songs, one of the selections played by Todmorden Orchestra
some years ago.
Strauss wrote his charming Oboe Concerto after a meeting with
an American Army Officer in 1945, a professional oboe player who
suggested the composition. At first he refused then happily changed
his mind to produce yet another musical masterpiece in his final
years, a period described by many as his Indian summer.
The concerto will be performed by the talented young player,
Hannah Morgan, who graduated in 2013 with First Class Honours
Hannah Morgan
from The Royal Academy of Music. Supported by the Countess of
Munster Trust and others, Hannah has played at venues in New
York, the Royal Albert Hall and the Wigmore Hall. She is also involved in workshop and
outreach programmes encouraging children to develop a love of music, including young
patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
As is now expected, the Orchestra will start off the evening with a lively opening, on
this occasion the Brahms Academic Festival Overture. The Second Symphony is from the
pen of Sibelius, a composition rightly included in the repertoire of great world music. The
Spring Concert is under the baton of Conductor Nicholas Concannon Hodges with Leader
Andrew Rostron.

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/BQzRo6

From Christopher Millard

A photo taken in Boston November 23 after the first performances of Marc Neikrugs new
bassoon concerto. The work was a co-commission of the Boston Symphony, National Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony and Canadas National Arts Centre Orchestra. BSO principal
Richard Svoboda gave the first performances with the BSO conducted by Rafael Fruhbeck
de Burgos. In attendance were the other principal bassoonists involved in the creation of
this brilliantly orchestrated new work. Each will perform the concerto with their respective
orchestras in the coming year. Pictured left to right are Christopher Millard, Richard Svoboda, Sue Heinemann, composer Marc Neikrug, and Ted Soluri.

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Oboe, Piano Get Casual At Cable Recital Hall

http://cantonartsdistrict.com | Posted by Staff Writer on Mar 13, 2014 in News

Terry Orcutt, Canton Symphony Orchestra principal oboe, will be
joined by pianist Shuai Wang, a accomplished soloist and chamber
player, during a casual matinee performance on Thursday, March 13
at the Cable Recital Hall. The show begins at 1 pm.
They will be playing a program featuring Frances Poulencs Sonata
for Oboe and Piano, Op. 185, Camille Saint-Sans Sonata for Oboe and
Piano, Op. 166 and Oboe Sonata by Henri Dutilleux.
Outside of his work with the Canton Symphony, Orcutt has played
Terry Orcutt
with the Akron Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, The
Wheeling Symphony and the Erie Philharmonic. He received a masters
in music from the Cleveland Institute of Music and has studied with John Ferrillo, Elaine
Douvas, Ricardo Morales and Jim Ryon.
In addition to having played with the Canton Symphony, Wang has been featured at the
Lincoln Center, John F. Kennedy Center, The Gardner Museum in Boston and Kent State.
She recently completed a private concert series featuring All Mozart Sonatas. A native of
Tianjin, China, she studied piano at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and now serves
as a faculty of piano and theory at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/1bfbDi

On 9 January 2014, Scott Pool offered a recital of bassoon music in the
Garrison Choral Room in the Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts at Weber State University.
Alongside pianist Nicholas Maughn, Pool performed his published
arrangement of Sergei Rachmaninoff s Do Not Sing, My Beauty, the
Concerto in A Minor, RV497 by Antonio Vivaldi, Blur for Solo Bassoon
by Chris Arrell, Four Bulgarian Folk Songs arranged for two bassoons
by Maria Wildhaber, and Andante and Hungarian Rondo, Op. 35 by
Carl Maria von Weber.
Pool was joined on the Four Bulgarian Folk songs by recital host
and Weber State professor of bassoon, Thom Priest.

Scott Pool

CURRENT EVENTS

Contrabassoonist Sue Nigro will be a guest artist at Eastern New Mexico

University in April 2013, playing the premier performance of Jared Aragons Little Suite for Big Bassoon, which was written for her. This February she was also guest artist at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, playing the premier performance of Jared Aragons Sonata for Bassoonalso
written for her. Ms. Nigro is set to play recitals at Chicagos Merit School
Sue Nigro
of Music on March 15, 2014, and at The Peoples Music School in Chicago
on March 21, 2014, both of these performances featuring the music of
Scott Joplin. On May 14, 2014, Sue will perform a concert with her newly revived Chicago
Bassoon Quartet at the 2nd Presbyterian Church of Chicago.

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Skuster at home with SD Symphony

Orchestras principal oboist will be soloist in upcoming Masterworks concerts

CURRENT EVENTS

http://www.utsandiego.com | March 20, 2014 9:21 a.m.

James Chute
When she was a child growing up in Victorville, Sarah
Skuster made up a board game in which you had to identify
the instruments of the orchestra. It was accompanied by a
tape with the sounds of modern instruments on one side
and period instruments on the other.
I liked the oboe and the English horn on one side,
Skuster said. And the krumhorn and shawm on the other.
Those are still some of Skusters favorite sounds, and
now shes creating them herself.
Skuster is the San Diego Symphonys principal oboe
and soloist this weekend in Mozarts Oboe Concerto.
I started working on it, just for fun, when I was 12,
San Diego Symphony
she said. I was very precocious (she started on oboe when
principal oboist Sarah
she was 9). I didnt actually play it; I just tinkered with it.
Skuster. Howard Lipin
But she did play the first movement with her local
youth orchestra and then with the orchestra at Michigans
Intelochen Arts Academy, which she attended before entering the Cleveland Institute of
Music and studying with the Cleveland Orchestras legendary principal oboe, John Mack.
Since then, Ive never had a chance to do it, and Ive never performed the whole thing
with orchestra, said Skuster, who joined the San Diego Symphony five years ago, shortly
after graduating from CIM. So it should be very fun.
As the principal oboe of a major American orchestra, Skuster is a member of a small,
elite circle of musicians whose instrument has an association with the orchestra dating back
hundreds of years.
That history, and the instruments central place in the woodwind section, has traditionally given the principal oboist special status as the leader of the woodwind section, even if
Skuster doesnt see it that way.
In our orchestra, its very collaborative between the four woodwinds, she said. We all
get along pretty well. I dont like to say Im the boss.
The four principal woodwinds Skuster, flutist Rose Lombardo, clarinetist Sheryl Renk
and bassoonist Valentin Martchev are cooperative to the point where someone at a recent
outreach concert thought they were related.
Someone asked if we were a family. said Skuster. They thought we were like the Von
Trapps.
Someone might also mistake the oboe section Skuster, Betsy Spear and Andrea
Overturf as being part of that same extended clan.
Skuster and Overturf are close friends and colleagues who appreciate and respect Spears
experience (shes been with the orchestra since 1975). Betsy is a very sweet, happy-go-lucky
person, Skuster said. Shes a good person to have in the section because of that.
Oboists generally arent known for their happy-go-lucky attitude.
Oboe players are usually very interesting and intelligent people, but sometimes they
are also rather tortured, perfectionistic and all that, she said.
Skuster hardly seems tortured.

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Im really happy here, she said. Im not feeling, this is just a stop on my way to greatness. Were doing really well.

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/J3QrQ6

Arizona Daily Star | March 20, 2014 12:10 am

Cathalena E. Burch

Its not often in Tucson that you get to see an oboist in the leading
role of a concert.
The oboe is usually part of the orchestra, squeezed somewhere
in the winds section, jockeying for attention between the trumpets
and flute. Their solo lines in concerts are glorious, albeit rarely
spotlight grabbing, and even rarer still do you actually glimpse the
oboist in action.
At the third concert of the weeklong Tucson Winter Chamber
Music Festival at Leo Rich Theater on Wednesday, oboist James
James Austin Smith
Austin Smith showed us what we have been missing.
Smith joined a cast of festival musicians to perform Kevin Puts
1997 Concerto for Oboe and Strings, a piece that Puts wrote when he was 19. The concerto was
bookended on the program by Beethovens fanciful String Trio in G major performed with
exuberance and passion by violinist Martin Beaver, violist Paul Coletti and cellist Antonio
Lysy; and Elgars dynamic Piano Quintet in A minor, a showcase piece for the festivals
headliners Miro Quartet and pianist Kevin Fitz-Gerald.
Puts concerto is filled with sweeping cinematic flourishes. At points it sounds like the
soundtrack to a movie scene where two lovers run across a windswept field to embrace in
the middle.
Double violins (Beaver and Sandy Yamamoto) and cello (Lysy) opened the piece with a
sense of urgency and drama. The double bass (Philip Alejo) added a rich percussive jolt that
invited Smith to join in.
Thats when things got downright exciting.
Smith, 30, inhaled a breath of air and blew into the reed creating a sweet soundscape
that picked up where the strings left off. His tone was rich and flawless, singing out a melody
that rang with soaring clarity.
Smith was mesmerizing as he stole a breath then immediately spent it on the next notes.
Puts placed a lot of notes on the lips of the oboe, and at times you wondered if Smith or
anyone could conjure the lung capacity needed to pull it off.
During his solo turns, Smiths performance frankly left us breathless. At one point in the
first movement he took a wisp of a breath and then launched into a sprinting passage that
ended on an impossibly high note. The piece settled down a few moments later, allowing him
mere seconds to inhale before the oboe entered again at a more deliberate pace.
The audience, which was generous in its applause during the opening Beethoven String
Trio in G major, bolted to its feet for a rousing standing ovation.

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/GTyYwu

CURRENT EVENTS

Review: Oboist steals the spotlight at chamber fest

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ICE downsizes with intriguing music for oboe and piano, past and present

CURRENT EVENTS

http://chicagoclassicalreview.com | Mon Jan 13, 2014 at 12:03 pm

By Michael Cameron

It was the International Contemporary Ensemble that received

top billing Sunday at Preston Bradley Hall Sunday afternoon,
but only a small subset of the esteemed band was on hand to
present an intriguing program of solos and duos. In his opening
remarks, oboist James Austin Smith drew parallels between
the romanticism of Robert and Clara Schumann and music of
recent decades. The relative brevity of the individual works put
the spotlight on contrasts more than common threads.
The acoustics of the hall are notoriously problematic, its
marble and tile surfaces more a treat for the eye than the ear.
Amplification helped to a degree, but balances between oboe
ICE oboist James
and piano were hit or miss, through no fault of the musicians
Austin Smith
themselves.
performed with
Smith and pianist Cory Smythe opened the program with a
pianist Cory
sensitive and nuanced reading of Clara Schumanns Romances
Smythe Sunday
afternoon at
for Oboe and Piano. Their emphasis was firmly centered on the
Preston Bradley
melodic line, with the duo particularly effective in the more
Hall.
intimate utterances. These allowed plenty of room for deviation,
such as the surging phrases in the middle of the first movement
or the playful dialogue of the second.
The shift to the atonal world of Ernst Kreneks Four Pieces for oboe and piano from 1966
was striking, despite a concerted effort by the duo to tease out commonalities. In place of
the long lines were shorter, sometimes even pointillistic phrases, though Smith did find the
odd gesture that gained from lyrical insistence. More striking were the expert declamations of angular, disjunct lines, as well as the occasional extended technique such as oboe
multiphonics and percussive effects of the body of the piano.
In the kind of bracing stylistic whiplash that characterized the entire program, Smythe
turned back to the mid-19th century for an exquisitely shaped reading of Robert Schumanns
Arabesque, op. 18. While there are other piano works of Schumann that rely more on surprise
and misdirection than this one, the pianist teased out a few of the startling harmonic twists,
emphasizing the impulsiveness that is one of the composers defining attributes.
Smith and Smythe brought out similar sturm und drang in the third movement of
Schumanns Three Romances, after their breezy, pastoral account of the second. In an
arrangement of two movements of Schumanns Five Pieces in Folk Style, the duo made the
character pieces sound as natural and unforced as the original cello version.
ICE percussionist Ross Karre joined Smith for the most recent item on the program, Du
Yuns Piece for Oboe and Tam from 2011. The work was most arresting in the variety of sounds
the composer coaxed from a single gong, with a variety of implements employed around
various locations on the shiny metal surfaces. A shimmering hum of extended vibrations
served as an aural background, resonating in the various nooks and crannies of the hall.
Multiphonics were again used to keen effect in Elliott Carters Inner Song from Trilogy
for solo oboe. Smith easily vanquished the considerable technical demands, finding an urgent
theatrical thread within the insistent jagged outbursts.

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Contrasts within contemporary music can be as startling as those between centuries.

Whereas the Carter was careful to avoid obvious repetitions of pitch and pulse, Unsuk
Chins Piano Study V (Toccata) reveled in motoric motion and single pitch iterations. Cory
Smythes performance was keenly attentive to detail while brimming with dramatic sweep.

Metropolis Oboe Quartet at McCormick Museum March 9

http://www.chicagotribune.com | 9:01 a.m. CST, February 5, 2014
Posted By Cantigny Park, Community Contributor
Cantigny Parks Robert R. McCormick Museum will host
Metropolis Oboe Quartet on Sunday, March 9, at 3 pm.
Chamber music for a new age defines the Metropolis
Oboe Quartet, an energetic group known for memorable
melodies and lush harmonies. Musicians Deb Stevenson
(oboe and English horn), Thomas Yang (violin), Rose
Armbrust Griffin (viola) and Steven Houser (cello)
perform stellar renditions of both famous masterpieces
and lesser-known gems. The close-knit foursome eagerly
shares their extensive musical knowledge through playful
conversations interspersed throughout the program.

Metropolis Oboe Quartet

(Posted By Cantigny Park,
Community Contributor /
February 5, 2014)

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/6dih4r

This article reprinted courtesy of Robert Duffy, St. Louis Public Radio, and
news.stlpublicradio.org.

Bassoon Brigade To Honor The Memory Of One Young Player And, Perhaps,
Inspire Another
By Robert W. Duffy

A St. Louis bassoon brigade is heading from Grand Center to Marissa, Ill., on Tuesday. There it will address a musical situation that
began playing out in November following a St. Louis Symphony rehearsal of Benjamin Brittens opera, Peter Grimes.
To understand the genesis of this brigade we have to track
the career of internationally celebrated soprano Christine Brewer.
Brewer lives in Lebanon, Ill., and began her operatic career in the
chorus of Opera Theatre of St. Louis in the early 1980s.
Her working career, however, began teaching music to students
at the Marissa Elementary School, the now-closed Lenzberg ElChristine Brewer
Credit: Christian
ementary School and Marissa High School, where she graciously
Steiner
demurred when asked to coach the volleyball team.
The year-long Marissa experience stuck with her, however. And
once her career took off into the stratosphere, she and her friend Nancy Wagner, who teaches in Marissa, came up with a 6th-grade geography program, Where in the world is Mrs.
Brewer? That modest, pins-on-a-map (but increasingly international) exercise, initiated a
decade ago, evolved into Opera-tunity.

CURRENT EVENTS

COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/bYkkol

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In an e-mail, Wagner talks about the development of the program:

Christine started bringing members of the symphony down to Marissa with her when
she would visit, and often brought back items and pictures from the different places she had
been. She would bring coins, paper money, games, and once, she even brought dried seaweed from Japan for us to try!
Then we started to get invitations to attend rehearsals at Powell Symphony Hall. So my
6th graders would travel by school bus to St. Louis and be treated like royalty once we got
there! Most of them comment that it is the fanciest place that they have ever been to.
Believe it or not, there are still students that get to see the Arch, Busch Stadium, and
the Mississippi River for the very first time when we go to St. Louis for our symphony visit.
In this fanciest place, the kids have the rare privilege of sitting in on closed rehearsals
most all of which involve their friend Brewer as a soloist. They also have the attention of the
maestro, David Robertson.
Brewer is not in a regular subscription concert with the orchestra this year, so Robertson, a devotee of Opera-tunity, a polymathic genius and a mensch, invited the students for
Peter Grimes. This towering masterpiece by Benjamin Britten is rough going musically and
emotionally for grown-ups. Interestingly, the Marissa students have absorbed such operatic
complexities and arent afraid to articulate them.
Brewer tells of the time she brought the children to Powell Hall for the third act of Richard Wagners Die Walkure. Brunnhilde, sung by Brewer, is punished by confinement by her
father, chief-god Wotan, sung by bass-baritone Alan Held, to a remote fire-ringed rock. After
rehearsal some of the kids told Held, in so many words, that his character is a jerk, and that
it was unfair that Wotan should punish Brunnhilde for doing what she thought was right.
Held told the boys and girls that clearly they had been indoctrinated by the person representing Brunnhildes side of this disagreement, namely Mrs. Brewer. And so it goes with this
segment of the opera audience of the future, thanks to Brewer, thanks to David Robertson.
But the inspiring narrative doesnt stop at that rock. It continues magnificently.
No Saxophones
After the rehearsal, Austin Gilley, 11, who plays saxophone in the
Marissa Elementary School band, asked the maestro if there were a
saxophone in the Peter Grimes score. Robertson said no. Austin, the
son of Stacey Gilley and Brandon Gilley, volunteered that although
he plays the saxophone, the instrument he truly wanted to learn and
to play is the bassoon. The Marissa band room contains no such
instrument yet.
Robertson responded with characteristic generosity. Would it
be OK with the school and the band director if he bought the school
Austin Gilley
a bassoon? Indeed, the school answered, it would be very much OK.
Credit: Provided by
Nancy Wagner
Robertson purchased the instrument.
On Tuesday, the entire bassoon section of the orchestra will
head to Marissa to meet with the students and donate the brand new bassoon. For now,
Austin Gilley will be its player.
If that isnt heartwarming enough, consider this. The bassoon will be given in memory of Andrew Drew Thompson. Thompson was the symphonys exceptionally talented
bassoon-contrabassoon player who died at age 27 in mid-October. Brewer said Thompsons
mother, Jackie Stilwell, is sending her sons first bassoon instruction book to Austin.

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A tribute fund in honor of Drew Thompson has been established by his friends in the orchestra. Proceeds will be used for the benefit of young musicians whove played in the St. Louis
Symphony Youth Orchestra.

ONLINE ARTICLE: http://goo.gl/kk1T6n

About a year ago, we received the following message from IDRS member Leyla Zamora, but
somewhere along the line we missed getting it into the journal! Following a kind reminder
from Zamora, we have rescued the item from computer purgatory and present it here for
readers to enjoy.

A Letter from Leyla Zamora:

THE HARVEST OF THE YOUTH SYMPHONY OF COSTA RICA
Leyla Zamora | San Diego, California

In January [2013] we had a historic reunion of seven Costa Rican bassoonists from five generations of the Youth Symphony Program of the National Symphony of Costa Rica. Carlos
Ocampo and Marco Redondo, first and second bassoon of the National Symphony of Costa
Rica, flew to Israel from San Jose, Costa Rica, and I flew from San Diego California.
The other four Costa Rican bassoonistsMauricio Paez, Rolando Quesada, Isaac Leyva,
and Felipe Gomezare currently living, teaching, and working in different orchestras in
Israel. The happy gathering was centered in Jerusalem and culminated in Yavne at the house
of Mauricio Paez. Paez is the head of the woodwind department at the Jerusalem Academy, a
bassoon teacher at the Tel Aviv Academy, and was one of my very first teachers in Costa Rica.

Left to right:Rolando Quesada, Marco Redondo, Felipe Gomez, Mauricio Paez, Leyla Zamora,
Carlos Ocampo, Isaac Leyva. All of the instruments including the contrabassoon are Pchners.

CURRENT EVENTS

In addition to Robertson and Brewer there are three key members of the bassoon brigade. They are principal bassoon Andrew Cuneo; assistant principal Andrew Gott; and
Felicia Foland, whos enjoyed a long and distinguished career with the orchestra.
Who knows? A bassoon virtuoso just may be warming up an hour of so southeast of St.
Louis, thanks to extraordinary and quite inspiring lyrical expressions of human kindness and
musical generosity.

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The group attended several concerts of the Israel Sinfonietta of Beer Sheva (with Rolando
Quesada as principal bassoon) and the Israel Camerata Jerusalem (Mauricio Paez, principal
bassoon). We also attended a concert of the Israel Philarmonic with Gustavo Dudamel conducting an all-Strauss Program. Several days later, we read through quartets and met with
Daniel Mazaki, principal bassoonist of the Israel Philharmonic, who gave great advice on
excerpts and reeds.
We also did some soaking in the Red Sea, visited Masada, and explored all the quarters
of the Old City of Jerusalem. It was an unforgettable reunion, with camaraderie and friendship in a beautiful and diverse country.

Left to right: Leyla Zamora, Carlos Ocampo, Daniel Mazaki, Marco Redondo

Monks Oboe Premiere

http://www.nashvillescene.com | Matt Fox

When: Thursday, March 27, 8 p.m. 2014
With more than 500 works, 50 albums and a Grammy under
her belt, its no surprise that Libby Larsen is one of the most
performed living composers of our time. Larsen enriches the
American landscape through vibrant motifs, and her nomadic
inspirations which range from Baroque to boogie reflect
our nations diverse culture. Monks Oboe, Larsens most recent
work, is a jazz-influenced tribute to the great Thelonious Monk
thats orchestrated for oboe and string quartet. Tonights world
premiere features Blairs own faculty members: Jared Hauser
on oboe, Carolyn Huebl and Cornelia Heard on violin, Kathryn
Plummer on viola and Felix Wang on cello. Following the

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COMPLETE STORY: http://goo.gl/fF5HU1

Jared Hauser

The Seventh Crdoba Bassoon Meeting

Alejandro Aizenberg and Gonzalo Brusco | Crdoba, Argentina

Over five days this past October, the Felix T. Garzon Conservatory of Music in Crdoba,
Argentina hosted the seventh annual Crdoba Bassoon Meeting . This years primary teachers were Afonso Venturieri , principal bassoon of the Suisse Romande Orchestra (Geneva,
Switzerland) and Kristin Wolfe Jensen, bassoon professor at the University of Austin, Texas.
Twenty-five students from all over Argentina and neighboring countries had the opportunity to enjoy various activities such as master classes, concerts, reed-making workshops,

Afonso teaching Victoria

Brusco

Playing bajoncillos at the early music workshop

Gonzalo Brusco, Krsitin Wolf Jensen, Afonso

Venturieri and Fabian Contreras

Kristin Wolf Jensens master class

CURRENT EVENTS

premiere are two Schumann pieces led by guest pianist Sergei Kvitko.
Three Romances Op. 94 pairs Kvitko and Hauser for one of the Romantic
Eras most intimate portraits of the oboe, and Fantasiestcke Op. 73
explores the emotional gamut from heart-wrenching melancholy to a
spirited conclusion.

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chamber music, a contrabassoon workshop led by Prof. Alejandro Aizenberg, and a special
workshop on early instruments with Eduardo Rodriguez, principal bassoon of the Argentine Theatre of La Plata. Every year the event is organized by professors Fabin Contreras
(principal bassoon, Cordoba Symphony Orchestra) and Gonzalo Brusco (bassoon professor
at the Cordoba Conservatory).
Two concerts were offered: the first one by the teachers, in which works by Schumann,
Fasch, Kulhau, Guastavino, and Piazzolla were performed. The final concert was a showcase
of the pieces that were prepared during the weekmost of them bassoon quartets coached
by the teachers and performed by the participants.
It is noteworthy that the event is already in its seventh consecutive year and has become an
indispensable resource for Argentine and South American bassoon performance development.
Some of the fine bassoon professors who have participated through these years of the
Crdoba Meeting include Fabio Cury, Felipe Destefano, Benjamin Coelho, Isabel Jeremiah,
Eduardo Sirtori, Valdir Caires, Gustavo Nez, and Esteban Falconi.
We look forward to next year, with even more bassoon, music, and camaraderie!

The Midwest receives Alain de Gourdon.

Nermis Mieses and Susan Nelson | Bowling Green, OH

Alain de Gourdon, owner of Lore oboes, visited the Midwest in January of 2014. Invitations
to the University of Michigan and Bowling Green State University prompted his trip, and
many students and professionals gathered to welcome him and take part in learning from
his expertise.
The oboe studio at UM had the privilege of spending a day with him. It was a treat for
the students to get to interact with the craftsman who, along with Carlos Coelho, repaired
their oboes. Nancy Ambrose King, oboe professor at UM led a master class for students and
area musicians. Alain de Gourdon also attended the dynamic Collage Concert at the historic
Hill Auditorium, were many students from Kings studio where highlighted.
The adventure continued the next day at BGSUs Double Reed Day, hosted by Susan
Nelson and Nermis Mieses. Signs of a successful day were discernable from the very
beginning when 60 determined participants, guests and staff drove through a snowstorm
in order to attend the event. The day started with the bassoon and oboe solo competitions

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CURRENT EVENTS
sponsored by Trevco-Varner Music. First prizewinners were Travis Blume, oboe and Ryan
Fox, bassoon in the College Division, and Jessica Crook, oboe and Mikaela Kroyer, bassoon
in the High School Division. Guest artists Nancy Ambrose King and Robert Williams, principal bassoon of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, adjudicated the competition, performed,
and taught masterclasses.

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Alain de Gourdon, the days special guest, consulted and repaired oboes in the vendor
room alongside Carlos Coelho, Fox Products, Miller Marketing, Weait Music, Trevco-Varner
Music, Double ReedEdge sharpening systems, and the Weisberg System. The day culminated
in a Double Reed Choir led by Chris Weait. His energetic leadership and reed/bocal solo left
us all wanting even more double reed fun!

Bassoonist Ryan Reynolds and oboist Tim Gocklin are happy to announce the March 16
release of Unraveled, their second album with the Akropolis Reed Quintet. Comprised of
commissions centered upon the title theme, the album presents six new compositions by
lauded young composers including Paul Dooley (whose music Steve Reich calls, impressive

Akropolis Reed Quintet. Photo by Lauren Landry

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49

THE DOUBLE REED

DOUBLE REED NEWS OF INTEREST

(cont.)

Editors Notes:
We at IDRS are saddened to share news of the passing of Dr. Yusef Lateef (on
December 23, 2013), a leading innovator in using double reeds in jazz performances. Writer Melissa Pipes biographical article on Dr. Lateef appeared in our
previous journal (Vol.36, No.4). Along with Ms. Pipe, we offer Dr. Lateefs family
our condolences and best wishes.
On p.127 of Vol.36, No.4, the first name of Chad Smiths bassoon instructor at
West Chester University was misspelled. That name should have read Karin
Meyer. This detail was pointed out by IDRS member John Clapp who notes
that Karin was the same bassoon teacher he referenced at the end of Stephen
Margolis article on Ferdinand Del Negro (also in Vol.36, No.4). Ours is indeed
a small world

CURRENT EVENTS

and beautiful). Committed to solidifying the reed quintet as a full-fledged chamber music
force, Akropolis discography now includes studio albums consisting of twelve original reed
quintet works. Akropolis debut album, High Speed Reed, was released in January 2013. Both
albums can be found on cdbaby.com as well as a number of other platforms including iTunes
and Amazon.

50

ARTICLES

ARTICLES

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51

Louis Rosenblatt III

The Philadelphia Years, 19792009
Michael Finkelman
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

o obtain an idea of the quiet but intensely exciting stimulus the Philadelphia Orchestra
was capable of engendering in its informed listeners, a reminiscence by David Weber,
one of John de Lancies better-known disciples, is worth noting:
Fred [Ferald Capps]1 and I often discuss our memories of those marvelous days
[the late 1960s], sitting in the amphitheater of the Academy of Music, observing our
teachers wander onto stage 45 to 60 minutes prior to concert time. They would gently
touch a few notes, then with increasing conviction lightly play more notes, gradually
rising to a full-blown singing tone, all the while saying hello, good day, how are you
tonight? to their colleagues, also warming up, each exhibiting the highest gentility
and respect for the music, their instrument, and The Tradition.2 This was also a way
of setting the pitch among the section leaders and to have that pitch in the air as the
strings and brass later wandered onstage.3 We learned so much just hearing them
warm up. To us, the onstage warmup was an education in itself. (They never played
the solo passages, telling us dont give the tune away. This was also the only time I

ARTICLES

Philadelphia Orchestra Oboe section, circa 1977

(L to R: John de Lancie, Charles M. Morris, Louis Rosenblatt, Stevens Hewitt)

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LOUIS ROSENBLATT III: THE PHILADELPHIA YEARS, 19792009

could hear de Lancie without the orchestra surrounding him.) Fred and I remember
the great respect Mr. de Lancie and Mr. Rosenblatt showed each other, onstage and
off. On stage, after de Lancie had played a solo passage, we could tell if he felt hed
been unusually successful, as he would microscopically lean forward, and incline his
head toward Lou, who would microscopically nod his approval. What a memory!4
1979-1980 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris;
Louis Rosenblatt, English horn

ARTICLES

{This season included the very first PO performances of the Strauss oboe concerto in its home auditorium,
the Academy of Musica strange irony, given that the man who inspired the work never played it there.
Eugene Ormandy conducted with Richard Woodhams as soloist; renditions were also given in New York
and Washington DC. These were the first played by the PO since their earliest such, in Northern Michigan,
in August of 1965, de Lancies sole public presentation of it.}
Riccardo Muti now principal guest conductor.

Fall programming saw performances of Dvoks familiar New World Symphony led by
Ormandy, with outings of this as well to Baltimore and Washington. Muti gave the dances
from Fallas Sombrero in several November and December concerts, and Ormandy proffered
another of his favorite warhorses, Francks D-minor Symphony. In none of these cases did
the critics have a word to say regarding the English horn playing. (In sad point of fact, with
a few very notable isolated exceptions, the quality of critical writing in the Philadelphia
newspapers in this period continued the decline which had begun in the early 1970s.)5 John
Browning came as soloist in Rachmaninoffs Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini under
Ormandy, who also directed Strauss rather seldom-given Symphonia Domestica. Muti
offered his favorite Rapsodie Espagnol of Ravel, and William Smith gave a reading of the
Symphonic Picture from Gershwins Porgy and Bess, as arranged by Robert Russell Bennett.
Ormandy opened the new year with performances of Saint-Sans opulent Symphony
Nr. 3. Smith led more Gershwin, this time An American in Paris. Repertoire with English
horn picked up again at the May Festival in Ann Arbor, where Skrowaczewski gave Berlioz
Symphonie Fantastique. Ormandy then carried on, leading this work five times on the
ensuing May-June tour.
A real oasis in this rather barren season had occurred the 14th of January when both
John de Lancie and Louis Rosenblatt appeared as soloists in a concert by Philadelphias
Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra led by its founder, Marc Mostovoy. Fortunately, on
this occasion, the critics were present, and in fine fettle:
Oboist John de Lancie and English hornist Louis Rosenblatt were the distinguished
soloists. ... They were masterful in the evenings gem, the serenade from an opera
by the Swiss [Othmar] Schoeck (1866-1957). The long ... melody was tenderly shared
and plaintive, with the ... strings evoking a gondoliers song. ... The pair also teamed
with strings in Vivaldis Concerto Funebre [which] should have remained buried,
[and] a quite effective concerto by Stlzel with a lovely adagio and brilliantly played
interlacing finale.
(Tom Di Nardo, Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, 15 January 1980)
(Mr. Di Nardo was an honorable exception to the general standard of this paper at the time.
It had only two years left in its existence, but Di Nardo fortunately moved elsewhere.)

A concert probably unique in Philadelphias history was given by the Concerto Soloists
... presenting two distinguished oboists ... last night. Guest soloists, and masters of
their instruments, were John de Lancie, longtime first oboist of the Philadelphia
Orchestra, and now director of the Curtis Institute, and Louis Rosenblatt, who
triumphed on English horn, oboe and oboe damore. Schoecks dreamy Serenade
for oboe, English horn and strings was repeated as an encore ... Stlzels concerto

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53

for oboe, oboe damore and strings, new here, was cheerful and propulsive in the
outer movements, [while] the adagio was an oboe duet. Also new here was Vivaldis
misnamed Concerto Funebre for oboe, English horn and strings in four contrasting
movements, ending with a full-bodied fugue.
(Samuel Singer, Philadelphia Inquirer, 15 January 1980)

(De Lancie and Rosenblatt also played oboe in the orchestra in a harpsichord concerto by
Arne. The Stlzel piece was originally for oboe and violin, though this composer did write
a great deal for the oboe damore. The Vivaldi, though published as if for English horn, was
not written for this instrument at all, which Vivaldi did not know. Only Schoecks serenadeintermezzo from his opera Don Ranudo di Colibrados was played as originally scored.)

For those fortunate enough to have attended this concert, it was a tour de force of utterly
superb oboe, oboe damore and English horn horn playing at its absolute besta memorable
occasion. Philadelphias English hornist proved here as elsewhere that like vintage wine, he
only improved with age.
The Mozart Orchestra of Philadelphia was formed in 1980 by oboist and musicologist
Wilbert Davis Jerome. LR was among the first soloists to play with this ensemble in its inaugural season at St. Lukes Church. The item chosen was Mozarts lovely Adagio, K.V. 580a6 for
English horn and strings, a work LR had performed the previous year at the IDRS meeting.
SUMMER 1980 OBOES:

(Mann Music Center):

Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris;
Louis Rosenblatt, English horn; John Ferrillo (Weeks 1-3)

Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt, English horn;

Charles M. Morris; John Ferrillo (Weeks 4-6)

Philadelphia Orchestra Oboe Section with Music Director, circa 1980 (L to R: Stevens
Hewitt, Louis Rosenblatt, Eugene Ormandy, Charles M. Morris, Richard Woodhams)
(Photo by Louis Hood, Philadelphia Orchestra photographer)

ARTICLES

Apart from a late June performance of Tchaikovskys Francesca da Rimini under Morton
Gould, all of the repertoire at the Mann Center this summer appeared in the last three weeks,
during LRs absence! (This included Berlioz Carneval Romain and Symphonie Fantastique,
Saint-Sans Symphony Nr. 3, and the suite from Stravinskys Petrouchka.)
Late summer programs at Saratoga with LR back in place offered Barbers Second
Essay and Rimsky-Korsakovs Capriccio Espagnol, both under Ormandy. Robert Irving
led Tchaikovskys Francesca da Rimini and the dances from Fallas Sombrero in the same
concert, while Leonard Slatkin gave the Liadov 8 Russian Folksongs.

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LOUIS ROSENBLATT III: THE PHILADELPHIA YEARS, 19792009

ARTICLES

1980-81 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris,

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn

Riccardo Muti, Music Director; Eugene Ormandy, Conductor Laureate
The conductor laureate this fall presented four of his steady stable of warhorses, Barbers
melodious Second Essay, along with Respighis Pini di Roma in the October benefit concert
for the Orchestras pension fund, and a short while later, Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra,
and Harris Symphony Nr. 3, these last also in New York. Russian conductor Kiril Kondrashin
arrived for a guest stint later that month, leading Shostakovichs Symphony Nr. 10 as well
as Strauss Heldenleben. Regarding all of these concerts, the critics were, as all too often at
this time, silent regarding the very prominent English horn parts.
Early 1981 saw more activity for Philadelphias English hornist, including an all-Gershwin
program under Smith in January featuring Robert Russell Bennetts Symphonic Picture
from Porgy and Bess and An American in Paris. Chaussons too-infrequently performed
Symphony in B-flat was led by James Conlon, who also appeared with pianist Peter Orth
in Rachmaninoffs Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Muti then led several concerts in
late January and early February, including Stravinskys Petrouchka and Sacre. John Nelson
gave Tchaikovskys Francesca da Rimini in March, and Smith the same composers Romeo
and Juliet, and as well that week, two of the Debussy Nocturnes. Klaus Tennstedt visited
in April to direct Mahlers Kindertotenlieder, with Benjamin Luxon as soloist. As before,
the critics found nothing to say regarding LRs exemplary work, some of it heard in person
by the present writer.
LR at this time became considerably more active as a recitalist than he had previously
been. He participated with Luis Biavas string quartet in a concert in the series held at the
Philadelphia Museum of Art. The 19 October 1980 program included the first performance
anywhere of an arrangement for English horn and strings by Hans Hadamowsky7 of Hugo
Wolfs famous Italienische Serenade, based on indications in the orchestral version of this
delightful piece. The following month saw Louis and Renate Rosenblatt playing together in
a private recital sponsored by a branch of the PO Womens Committees. The 2 November
program opened with the first performance of Renates superb transcription of Beethovens
Lied Ich denke dein mit 6 Variationen (WoO 74), originally for piano, 4 hands. The two
then gave Beethovens horn sonata, op. 17. This was followed by the first performance of
Renates Suite for English horn and piano based on various vocal works by Handel, a quite
substantial piece of music. Smaller encore-type numbers followed, including Watersmeet
by Lamont Kennaway and Seaweed Song by Ruth Gipps (a former oboist), as well as one
short item each on oboe damore and oboe. One only wishes this program had been recorded.
In January of the following year, the Wolf Serenade was again performed by LR with
Biavas quartet, this time at the Philadelphia Athenaeum. The next month witnessed the very
first Philadelphia Orchestra Marathon, a fundraising effort, the musical portions of which
were broadcast over WFLN radio. Louis and Renate again teamed for the Beethoven horn
sonata, and with principal oboist Richard Woodhams for the first performance of Renates
Concerto based on themes from Handel (her favorite composer). They would later play this
with the Orchestra.
The Orchestras annual sojourn to the May Festival in Ann Arbor included the Stravinsky
Pastorale (probably in the expanded version by Stokowski) as well as reprises of Barbers
Second Essay, Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra and Roy Harris Symphony Nr. 3, all under
Ormandy.

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SUMMER 1981 OBOES:

55

(Mann Music Center):

Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris;
Louis Rosenblatt, English horn

[+ negative comments on aspects of the composition]

(Bethany Hickok, [Saratoga newspaper, title unknown], 14[?] August, 1981)

1981-82 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris;
Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
The fall schedule included Peter Serkin in numerous renditions of Ravels Concerto in G under
Dutoit in the latters Academy of Music dbut. LRs work garnered a nod in The Inquirer,
but no other critical notice. The same conductor gave a complete performance of Debussys

ARTICLES

Eugene Ormandy remained active, conducting a concert early in the season at the Mann
Center including a suite from Roussels Bacchus et Ariane along with one of his great
favorites, Rachmaninoffs Symphony Nr. 2. Andrew Davis led Respighis Pini di Roma and
Stravinskys Sacre du Printemps early in July. William Smith directed a concert comprising
(i.a.) Barbers School for Scandal Overture, Rimsky-Korsakovs Capriccio Espagnol and
Webers Andante and Hungarian Rondo with principal bassoonist Bernard Garfield in a
rare solo appearance. A highlight of the Mann season this year was the 21 July concert, under
Jesus Lopez-Cobos, encompassing Debusys attractive and rarely-played Ibria and Ravels
Rapsodie Espagnol. Philippe Entremont also appeared this season in the dual capacity of
soloist and conductor in Ravels Concerto in G. The Inquirer gave a positive review of this
unlikely effort, noting the use of the English horn in the slow movement, but without further
detail and ignoring LRs name: this had happened in the past and was to occur numerous
times in the future, bespeaking distinctly inept and uninformed journalism.
The August season at Saratoga saw encores of repertoire from earlier in the season,
including Fallas dances from the Sombrero, this time under Dutoit, Gershwins American
in Paris, now led by Mitch Miller (who had known and played oboe under the composers
direction), and Rachmaninoffs Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, again under Ormandy,
but this time with Susan Starr as soloist. Ormandy also led his favorite Rachmaninoff
Symphony Nr. 2, and Robert Irving Ravels Rapsodie Espagnol. All of this naturally was
repertoire the seasoned players had performed innumerable times. The novelty and high
point of this summer, as far as the English horn was concerned, arrived the 13th of August,
with the world premire of Andr Previns Reflections, a tone-poem of sorts with solo parts
for the English horn and cello. Louis Rosenblatt and principal cellist William Stokking did
the solo honors under the baton of Sergiu Commisiona, with the composer in attendance. As
was often the case in his career, the English horn soloists work on this occasion was worth
a great deal more than the composition played. The local papers covered the event very well:
Striding onstage looking rather like Jimmy Stewart in a rare contemplative mood,
Rosenblatt opened the piece with elegant tone and a sense of graceful movement
that continued throughout the work. Reflections was sonorous and entertaining.
Its invention traversed a limited and well-explored musical terrain, and with that
it was content. Previn has been quoted ... recently as saying he is a conductor who
likes to compose, not a composer who conducts. Reflections confirms that perceptive estimate.
(Noel Suter, [Saratoga newspaper, title unknown], 14[?] August, 1981)
Previns work is a thoughtful, introspective one. The English horn, played with great
sensitivity by Louis Rosenblatt, begins the piece with a mystic, lyrical solo, a theme
we hear several times throughout the piece...
Previn, who was in the audience, came up [onstage] to take a bow.

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56

LOUIS ROSENBLATT III: THE PHILADELPHIA YEARS, 19792009

Nocturnes the following week, as well as a suite from Roussels Bacchus et Ariane. William
Smith led the favored Gershwin-Bennett Symphonic Picture from Porgy and Bess. Muti offered
Rossinis overture to Guillaume Tell and Smith Stravinskys rarely-played Four Norwegian
Moods, but the critics responded in no parallel fashion regarding the sterling English horn
playing they heard. The only item at this time that elicited more than the slightest notice
from the critics regarding the English horn work came after an October pair in which Muti
programmed the Franck D-minor Symphony. Daniel Webster, in the Inquirer of 24 October
noted: Single players were given real prominence in the reading, most notably the English
horn, in the second movement. Here again, a positive note regarding the work, but with no
mention of the performers name.
The new year presented a rendition of the overture to The School for Scandal by Samuel
Barber under Smith. This netted an acknowledgement of oboist Stevens Hewitt and English
hornist Louis Rosenblatts playing in a piece the Orchestra had premired many years
before. Smith also led Morton Goulds American Salute, Respighis Pini di Roma and
Rimsky-Korsakovs Capriccio Espagnol. James Levine visited to direct Berlioz Symphonie
Fantastique, which had been on tap, but had had to be cancelled the previous season. And
Ormandy came in April to conduct his favorites by Rachmaninoff, the Symphony Nr.2 and
the Vocalise.
The most significant item on the spring schedule was unquestionably the first PO performance, under Calvin Simmons, of Shostakovichs gripping Symphony Nr. 8. Here again,
we have an example of a significant repertorial item being ignored by a major performing
ensemble, now only turning its attention to a major work by a major composer, almost forty
years after it was written. Inquirer critic Daniel Webster noted only, ... the music included
some strong playing by the English horn. (27 February 1982 Yet again, LRs name is not
given. Skilled critical attention to important musical events in Philadelphia was rapidly
atrophying at this time.)
Recital activities continued this season with an October concert at the Gallery Salon
(a private institution in the Old Town section). Louis and Renate gave Renates Beethoven
variations and the horn sonata, Renates Handel suite, Kennaways Watersmeet, Gipps
Seaweed Song and Jan Rychliks Two Studies in a well-attended presentation. December of
this year saw LR participating with oboist Kathryn Greenbank and strings of the Philadelphia
Chamber Ensemble in one of that groups regular offerings in the auditorium of the University
of Pennsylvania Museum. The program included the first performance of the full version
of Renates concerto for oboe and English horn arranged from themes of Handel, a work so
successfully wrought that it sounds like an original composition.
SUMMER 1982 OBOES: (Mann Music Center):

Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris; Kathryn Greenbank;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Week 1)


- same, but Cynthia Koledo as third chair (Weeks 2-3)


Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 4-6)
Charles Dutoit was heard early in the season, leading Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra and
a suite from Roussels Bacchus et Ariane. Morton Gould directed Gershwins An American
in Paris and William Smith again offered Respighis Pini di Roma. Ormandy also made
an appearance, to conduct Tchaikovskys Romeo and Juliet, one of his standbys. Michael
Tilson Thomas came later on with a program including Saint-Sans Mon coeur souvre ta
voix from Samson et Dalila with Shirley Verrett. The night before this, he had led a special

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concert commemorating the centenary of the birth of Leopold Stokowski, and including the
former PO Music Directors transcription of Debussys evocative piano piece, Soire dans
Grenade as well as one of Stokis favorite showpieces, Stravinskys Sacre du Printemps.
He also directed Ilana Vered in Rachmaninoffs Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini. And
Rafael Frbeck de Burgos appeared in a program offering all four of the preludes from Bizets
Carmen, a rather unusual effort. Given all of these activities, one can only wish the critics
had bothered themselves to say something of import regarding the English horn, but such
was not the case.
The Saratoga season was thin on repertoire with English horn this year, but Ormandy
did open with Dvoks New World Symphony, a work by this stage as comfortable to him
as an old shoe. Smith led the Rachmaninoff Paganini Rhapsody, and Muti gave Barbers
Second Essay here and five times more on the ensuing European tour.
1982-83 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn

staff of the school, LR gave his only performance

with strings of Renates Handel suite. The third Philadelphia Orchestra Marathon took
place the following month, and was broadcast over WFLN radio. The Rosenblatts played
the Beethoven horn sonata and the third Schumann Romanze. There may have been a bit
of oboe damore proffered as well.

ARTICLES

Muti led Dvoks New World Symphony in the opening concert in September. Smith soon
gave the standard Gershwin pairing of An American in Paris with R. R. Bennetts Symphonic
Picture from Porgy and Bess, and directed a local pianist in Ravels concerto at a student
concert. He also offered Barbers Second Essay
three times, after which Muti took up the thread
with two more of same during the spring tour of
the Midwest. Ormandy came to conduct Cecile
Licad in four performances of Rachmaninoffs
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, and Smith
led it again in the spring, this time with local
celebrity Susan Starr at the keyboard. Smith gave
his orchestration of Bachs famous Little Fugue,
and Muti directed Bartoks rather rarely-played 2
Images. Vladimir Ashkenazy garnered a negative
review for his handling of Rachmaninoffs lovely
Symphonic Dances with, as ever, nary a word
about the fine English horn playing.
The recital work continued this season, with
a January church performance in Jenkintown, PA
sponsored by the local branch of the Settlement
Music School. Apart from the third Schumann
Louis and Renate Rosenblatt
Romanze for oboe and piano played by the
acknowledge applause, 1983
Rosenblatts on this mixed program by the teaching

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LOUIS ROSENBLATT III: THE PHILADELPHIA YEARS, 19792009

SUMMER 1983 OBOES:

(Mann Music Center):

Stevens Hewitt; David Schneider; Charles M. Morris;
Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 1, 3, 4)
Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris;
Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 2, 5, 6)

As during the Academy of Music season, summer repertoire with English horn this year
was notably thin. Skrowaczewski offered Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, Dutoit the
Gershwin-Bennett Symphonic Picture from Porgy and Bess, and Mehta Stravinskys Sacre
du Printemps. The Rachmaninoff Paganini Rhapsody was heard once more, this time with
Jeffrey Kahane in the solo spot, again led by Smith. And Julius Rudel of the New York City
Opera visited to direct a complete concert performance of Bizets Carmen.
Saratoga offered a novelty (at least on this side of the pond) in the form of Baxs tonepoem Tintagel under Robert Irving. Hovhaness lovely Mysterious Mountain too must have
provided some aural freshness, led by Dennis Russell Davies. Robert Shaw conducted Berlioz
marvelous Requiem, and Eugene Ormandy one of his favorite showpieces, Respighis Pini di
Roma the 27th of August. This may well have been the last time he ever led the Philadelphia
Orchestra, and possibly the last time he ever conducted.
1983-84 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn

ARTICLES

{Eugene Ormandy was scheduled for several performances this season, essentially a normal number
of engagements for a conductor laureate. However, it does not appear that he conducted a single one
of these, undoubtedly due to illness. William Smith and others substituted.}

The fall schedule this season was remarkably sparse in repertoire with English horn, including
only Liadovs rather seldom-played Kikimora under Raymond Leppard and Mahlers
Rckert-Lieder with Jan De Gaetani, led by Dennis Russell Davies. Incredibly, the Mahler
renditions were the first the Orchestra ever gave of this cycle. Here again is proof, were any
needed, of the poverty of programming which by this time was of long standing. It took
significantly longer for Mahler to gain an audience in Philadelphia than in any other major
North American city, despite the POs manifest suitability to his work and Stokis espousal
of him during the years of his directorship. The new year would bring major repertorial
refocus as far as the English horn was concerned.
LR was invited this fall by the Davidsbndler Chamber Players (a professional group) to
perform Ermanno Wolf-Ferraris op. 34 Concertino for English horn (with two horns and
strings). Documentation of this November concert seems no longer to be extant, but the
performance was superb.
Originally scheduled for Ormandy, Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra was heard early
in January under Smith. Muti then led several performances of this composers 2 Images,
all on tour. One of these gained notice from critic Daniel Webster, who must have been
traveling with the Orchestra, as he gave LR a positive nod for his performance in a Vienna
concert including this piece as well as Fallas dances from the Sombrero de tres Picos, this
time under Ozawa, with Muti in the audience. He noted: ... the resonant English horn
solo of Louis Rosenblatt poured out over the orchestra in the second part [of the Falla]....
(Philadelphia Inquirer, 21 May 1984) Yoel Levi replaced the ailing Ormandy in that longstanding Philadelphia favorite, Francks D-minor Symphony, giving four performances at
home. His efforts in this respect netted him a negative critique in the Inquirer. (Here, as so
often elsewhere in this paper, no mention was made of LRs fine English horn work.) Muti
then took this up, leading no fewer than seven performances on the tour just noted. Rafael

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Frhbeck de Burgos conducted three movements from Albeniz masterpiece, Iberia and
Fallas dances from the Sombrero this season. He also led Debussys Nocturnes. Smith gave
Goulds popular American Salute (a set of variations on When Johnny comes Marching
Home) as well as performances of Respighis evergreen Pini di Roma at home and at the
May Festival in Ann Arbor. Leinsdorf conducted Ravels Rapsodie Espagnol, a longtime
favorite of his, as well as Stravinskys Sacre du Printemps. Veteran Max Rudolf gave a single
performance of Roussels attractive and seldom-played Suite in F, and modern music specialist
Richard Duffalo led four performances of Schoenbergs impressive and complex tone-poem
Pellas and Mlisande, in which the English horn plays a major part.
Recitals continued this season, with another performance by the Philadelphia Chamber
Ensemble in the University of Pennsylvania Museum auditorium. On this occasion, a major
original piece of the English horn chamber repertoire probably had its North American
premire. This was the Phantasy-Quartet: Flax and Charlock for English horn and strings
by the British composer (and former oboist), Ruth Gipps. This is a fine piece of music, but
makes exigent demands on the soloist, brilliantly realised by LR. Also probably in this season
(though again, all documentation is unfortunately lost), LR appeared with professional
colleagues in Donald Francis Toveys 1903 Trio, op.14, for English horn, violin and piano,
a post-Brahmsian work with Elgarian overtones. This is one of the few major English horn
chamber works of its era. Again, one only wishes these performances had been recorded.

The opening concert at the Mann included Goulds American Salute again, this time under
Skrowaczewski. The perennial Dvok New World appeared on the programs soon thereafter,
under Frhbeck de Burgos, and here again critic Webster in the Inquirer failed to mention
LRs name, noting only The English horn solo in the second movement was a high point. (27
June 1984) Dutoit programmed Berlioz rather rarely-heard Harold en Italie, James Levine
the overture to Wagners Fliegende Hollnder, and Lukas Foss Tchaikovskys Francesca da
Rimini. Michael Tilson Thomas led Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra (probably originally
intended for Ormandy), Vladimir Ashkenazy Strauss Heldenleben, and William Smith
both Rimsky-Korsakovs Capriccio Espagnol and Tchaikovskys Capriccio Italien on the
same day. This was turning out to be a busy year for Philadelphias English hornist. One only
wishes the critics had taken the trouble to notice.
Saratoga repertoire included Berlioz Harold again, this time under Smith. Goulds
American Salute was repeated as well, now by Franz Allers. Baritone Sherrill Milnes came
to sing Rachmaninoffs lovely, if all too brief cantata, Spring, with Igor Buketoff conducting
in a concert also including the Symphonic Dances. Erich Leinsdorf led a remarkable
program the 23rd of August echoing one he had done during the Academy season. This
included Ravels Rapsodie Espagnol and piano concerto with Michel Beroff, and as a finale,
Stravinskys Sacre du Printemps.

ARTICLES

SUMMER 1984 OBOES: (Mann Music Center):

Stevens Hewitt; David Schneider; Charles M. Morris;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 1-3)


Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 4-6)

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LOUIS ROSENBLATT III: THE PHILADELPHIA YEARS, 19792009

1984-85 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
{Woodhams played the Mozart concerto and Franaix LHorloge de Flore in the fall.}

ARTICLES

Muti led off the season with Tchaikovskys ever-popular Romeo and Juliet. Also heard
were performances of Respighis Pini di Roma under both Muti and Smith. Earl Wild gave
the Rachmaninoff Paganini Rhapsody five times with Frhbeck de Burgos on the podium.
And Muti led Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique three times at home, twice on tour in the
southwest, and five times on the spring tour to Japan and Korea.
The new year brought Bachs immense St. Matthew Passion under Leinsdorf, a manifestation the papers somehow managed to ignore. Smith conducted the Dvok New World
Symphony and Goulds American Salute and Dutoit the 1911 version of Stravinskys
Petrouchka. Christopher Keene directed Roussels very fine Symphony Nr. 3, a real rarity in
Philadelphia. And Leinsdorf led four performances of Roy Harris Symphony Nr. 3 in April
as a kind of memorial to the recently-deceased Eugene Ormandy, who had programmed it
often. He also conducted the first PO performances of Dvoks very fine Symphony Nr. 3,
yet another example of a major work by a major composer ignored by this ensemble. Critical
commentary on all of these manifestations, at least in regard the English horn playing, was
nil. This was not wholly the case, however, when it came to a student concert the 23rd of
January, led by Smith. Offered on this occasion was Renate Rosenblatts concerto for oboe,
English horn and strings, arranged from the works of Handel. Here, Mr. Webster of the
Inquirer noted, Soloists Richard Woodhams and Louis Rosenblatt played together like
friends in gentlemanly conversation. (24 Jan. 1985)
SUMMER 1985 OBOES: (Mann Music Center):

Stevens Hewitt; David Schneider; Charles M. Morris;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 1-3)

Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 4-6)

Muti again led the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, James DePriest Barbers Second Essay,
Dutoit Rachmaninoffs Symphony Nr. 2 and Smith Tchaikovskys Capriccio Italien. The
only item of interest in this study that garnered critical attention at this time was Dvoks
New World Symphony as led by Maxim Shostakovich, whose interpretation was described as
foursquare and unmannered. Had he searched for more dynamic contrast, the performance would have conveyed more. Louis Rosenblatts English horn solo in the
second movement was [thus] more memorable as a poetic moment in a performance
that was ... light on poetry.
(Daniel Webster, Philadelphia Inquirer, 16 July 1985)
English horn repertoire this year at Saratoga was notably thin, the only items of interest
in this respect being a pair by Wagner, both under Dennis Russell Davies. These were the
overture to Der fliegende Hollnder and a concert version of the entire third act of Tristan
und Isolde, the latter, very unusually for Saratoga, given twice. For the latter, Lou Rosenblatt
stood offstage, as directed in the score. This manifestation aroused sufficient interest for the
Inquirer to send a correspondent to report:
Act III of Wagners Tristan und Isolde sounded rich and dense. [It] was given a lush
and full-bodied reading by Davies and the orchestra, with especially wonderful work
by the groups English hornist, Louis Rosenblatt.
[+ not very enthusiastic commentary regarding the singers]
(Michael Kimmelmann, Philadelphia Inquirer, 13 August 1985)

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1985-86 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt, Charles M. Morris;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn

(A chamber music series was instituted this season.)

SUMMER 1986 OBOES: (Mann Music Center):

Stevens Hewitt; David Schneider; Charles M. Morris;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 1, 3, 4)

Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Charles M. Morris;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 2, 5, 6)

Raymond Leppard gave Ravels all but obligatory Rapsodie Espagnol and Rimskys favored
Capriccio Espagnol. Gunter Herbig offered Ravels Ma Mre LOye and an uncut version
of Shostakovichs Symphony Nr. 10. Charles M[ajor] Morris retired at the end of the Mann
season, after 32 years service as assistant first and second oboe.
Jonathan Blumenfeld joined the Orchestra at Saratoga as second oboe. Curiously as at
the Mann, this season produced extraordinarily few items including the English horn. There

ARTICLES

Muti offered Bachs Mass in B-minor near the season opening. LR was featured as oboe
damore soloist in the lovely Qui sedes section, though uncredited in the program, and
eliciting no notice from the inattentive critics. Smith led Barbers overture to The School
for Scandal later in the fall, and Tennstedt gave Strauss Heldenleben.
Things picked up a good bit in 1986 with performances of Gerswhins An American in
Paris under Antonio de Almeida, Berlioz Carneval Romain first under Smith, then six
times during the spring tour, all led by Muti. Dennis Russell Davies gave the rather seldomperformed Symphony Nr. 4 by Mahler, Dutoit Ravels Rapsodie Espagnol, and Leinsdorf
Shostakovichs Symphony Nr. 10. The critics silence by this time was to be expected, but
they did not pay attention even to the chamber performance on April twentieth of Hovhaness
exotic Koke No Niwa, in which LR was the soloist, accompanied by percussionists Michael
Bookspan and Anthony Orlando and harpist Marilyn Costello.
The big moment for Philadelphias English hornist this season had occurred a few weeks
earlier, when five performances under Leinsdorf were scheduled of Vincent Persichettis
concerto for English horn. Leinsdorf had conducted the premire of this work in New York
in 1977, and given that the composer was born and trained in Philadelphia, the conductor
likely assumed this would be a fine item to choose for its hometown bow. As the present
writer later remarked to the soloist, this work was not the sort to enhance the composers
standingor the conductors either.8 None the less, the renditions were superb a case all
too common of the performance being worth a great deal more than the work performed.
The critics at last managed to wake up:
Conductor Erich Leinsdorf suggested Vincent Persichettis concerto ... to Louis
Rosenblatt [as a solo vehicle]. Rosenblatt is a soft-spoken modest man, long considered a masterful poet on his instruments. [LR noted:] Persichetti has shown the
instruments capability of many musical moods and emotions, a very unusual thing,
[as] the English horn is usually used for somber [or] nostalgic pieces.
(Tom Di Nardo, Philadelphia Daily News, 28 Feb. 1986)
... the orchestras English hornist, Louis Rosenblatt, made a rare solo appearance in
the Persichetti concerto. The haunting, resonant songfulness of his playing floated
through the middle of the string accompaniment. ... The composer pays a debt to
William Tell ... and gives the instrument a chance for display as well. What eloquent
playing and refined expression!
(Daniel Webster, Philadelphia Inquirer, 28 Feb. 1986)

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were only Gershwins An American in Paris under Davies and Rachmaninoffs Symphony
Nr. 2 under Smith.
1986-87 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn

ARTICLES

{Richard Woodhams this season played the Mozart quartet in the chamber music series, in which LR also
participated as oboist in the Prokofiev quintet.}

The season began with a European tour, entirely led by Muti. Featured was Berlioz Symphonie
Fantastique. Philadelphia critics were presumably along for the ride, as Tom Di Nardo of
the Daily News noted that Berlin audiences were enjoying the subtle solo work of Louis
Rosenblatts English horn. (4 September 1986), while Daniel Webster of the Inquirer observed
that [a] burst of applause ... greeted English hornist Louis Rosenblatt when he took his bow
after the Berlioz. (9 September 1986).9
With the commencement of the new season, Muti continued the Berlioz run with several
more performances of the Carneval Romain overture in September, and also led domestic
tour performances of the Symphonie Fantastique. Fall programming included a number
of performances of Dvoks New World Symphony under Dutoit (as well as several on
tour led by Muti). No fewer than six presentations of Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra were
given under Frhbeck de Burgos. There were several offerings as well of Wagners Fliegende
Hollnder overture by Muti in September, and in the following month, as many complete
concert performances of the same opera(!)
Came early January of 1987, and Christopher Parkening arrived to play Rodrigos delightful
Concierto de Arnjuez with Smith conducting. Webster noted in a positive review in the
Inquirer that [Parkenings] dialogue with the English horn (Louis Rosenblatt) in the [slow]
movement reflected music-making of a high order. (5 January 1987) Even in such a laconic
squib as this, he demonstrated greater attention that he was usually able to muster, especially
given the almost total critical tacet regarding the English horn playing this season. Muti led
several performances later that month of the dances from Fallas Sombrero, and Smith gave
Morton Goulds familiar American Salute. Leinsdorf came for one of his welcome visits the
following month, featuring another of Berliozs major scores with English horn, Harold en
Italie, paired in concerts with Debussys delightful Jeux. Gary Bertini led another important
score by this composer, Printemps (orchestrated by Henri Bsser), and Smith directed a
performance of Rimskys Capriccio Espagnol.
A month-long chamber music festival held in Philadelphia in late spring of this year styled
itself Mozart on the Square, the square being Phildelphias famous Rittenhouse Square,
the concerts given in adjacent buildings, in this case the Church of the Holy Trinity, with a
free-lance professional string quartet. In the soire in question,
... the feature of the evening was the marvelous and beautifully disciplined playing
of Louis Rosenblatt, solo English horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Rosenblatt
doesnt get much chance to play solos, so it was fine to hear him in two works, Scne
pour le Cor Anglais by Anton Reicha ... and Mozarts Adagio for English horn and
strings (K.580a). His playing was a model of how the English horn should sound ...
[and] seemed utterly effortless, so steady and secure was his musicianship. Neither
piece was of great interest, [both] likable, undemanding music, but Rosenblatts
performance made them worth hearing.
(Bill Nazzaro, Philadelphia Welcomat, 3 June 1987)
Here, a few words sum up a great deal of Lou Rosenblatts solo activity: it was the
performances that were of value, seldom equaled by the available music. The Reicha piece,
originally with orchestra, had been reduced for English horn and string quartet by Renate

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Rosenblatt. In attendance at this event, composer Andrew Stiller, doing a little critical work
at this time, noted:
The alto member of the oboe family is seldom heard outside of the orchestra, and
Philadelphia English hornist Louis Rosenblatt had to dig deep to come up with fare
for this chamber program. ... One of [his] finds was a Scne ... by Beethovens exact
contemporary, Anton Reicha. The instrumental scena, a minor 19th-century genre
seldom heard today, was an imitation of the operatic recitative and aria. ... This one
gives the English horn a rare chance to shine as a coloratura virtuoso, and is effectively
written and entertaining. ... Rosenblatts other discovery was a piece by Mozart. ...
The Adagio, K.580a, [was] most peculiar and unsettling, reminiscent of the Masonic
Funeral Music. Many thanks to the soloist for bringing it and the Reicha to light.
(Philadelphia Inquirer, 23 May 1987)
Stiller was quite right about the Masonic origins of this piece.
SUMMER 1987 OBOES: (Mann Music Center):

Stevens Hewitt; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Cynthia Koledo de Almeida;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 1-3)


Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 4-6)

1987-88 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Jonathan Blumenthal;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
{Richard Woodhams played the concerto attributed to Haydn in its first PO performance, as well as the
Bellini concerto twice under Muti this season. Guest Alex Klein played the Strauss concerto in a student
concert under Smith.}

Fall programming this season included Mahlers Kindertotenlieder with Maureen Forrester
under Yoel Levi, the Ravel piano concerto with Ciccolini led by Dennis Russell Davies, and
Stravinskys Petrouchka and Sacre under Temirkanov and Frbeck de Burgos, respectively.
Critical reaction regarding the English horn work here was scant, but one noted of the Ravel that
it was a wonderful reading... The slow movement belongs to the piano for a long
poignant time, and then ... come the sensual musings of the English horn. Here
Louis Rosenblatt met the pianists unfussy eloquence note for note, or one might
say melody to filigree.
(Lesley Valdes, Philadelphia Inquirer, 16 October 1987)
The high point of the season for Philadelphias English hornist arrived in December, with
three performances of the Four Legends from the Kalevala of Sibelius, under William
Smith. LR was credited in the programs for his fine solo work in The Swan of Tuonela, one

ARTICLES

Repertoire this summer, as usual, did not venture away from the routine, with the Berlioz
symphony again, this time under Dutoit, Dvoks New World under Maazel, Slatkin leading
Gershwins An American in Paris, Frhbeck de Burgos Respighis Pini di Roma, Dutoit
Tchaikovskys Capriccio Italien, and again Smith directing Goulds American Salute.
Saratoga continued along very much the same lines, with Muti leading Berlioz Carneval
Romain and Symphonie Fantastique again, Dennis Russell Davies Dvoks New World,
Robert Irving the dances from Fallas Sombrero de tres Picos, and Smith the Paganini
Rhapsody of Rachmaninoff, with Alec Chien. Muti led Respighis Pini, which was also
included on the ensuing European tour.

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LOUIS ROSENBLATT III: THE PHILADELPHIA YEARS, 19792009

ARTICLES

of the component movements. As usual, the critics had nothing of import to say, possibly
due to Smiths lackluster conducting.
The new year saw considerably more activity by Philadelphias English hornist, including
performances of Debussys Nocturnes and the Franck D-minor Symphony paired in five
concerts under Leinsdorf. There were also numerous offerings of Rachmaninoffs Symphonic
Dances, twice paired with Ravels Ma Mre lOye, by Dutoit. Muti led Tchaikovskys Romeo
and Juliet, Smith Goulds American Salute and Sawallisch Dvoks New World Symphony
and Scherzo Capriccioso. About this last, nothing of even minimal critical import appeared.
However, the recording of this pair of works made not long thereafter elicited commentary
from the perceptive Tom Di Nardo of the Daily News, who noted in the symphony that Louis
Rosenblatts uncredited solo in the famous Largo is imbued with his plaintive mastery. (16
December 1988) Sawallisch also gave Strauss Symphonia Domestica.
The closing concerts of the season included Rossinis ever-popular overture to Guillaume
Tell, which also figured prominently in the rather lengthy US tour which followed immediately thereafter, all under the baton of Muti. LR did not take part in any of these offerings at
home or on tour, as he wished to attend his younger sons graduation from Oberlin College
which occurred at this time. Harold Smoliar substituted.
SUMMER 1988 OBOES: (Mann Music Center):

Stevens Hewitt; Jonathan Blumenfeld; Cynthia Koledo

de Almeida; Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 1-2)


Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Weeks 3-4)


Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Jonathan Blumenfeld/

D. Schuster; Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Week 5)


Stevens Hewitt; Jonathan Blumenfeld; D. Schuster;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn (Week 6)
Repertoire at the Mann remained, as usual, well within traditional lines, with Berlioz
Carneval Romain led by Dutoit, Rachmaninoffs Symphonic Dances, this time under
Temirkanov, and Stravinskys Sacre under Skrowaczewski. Dutoit gave Wagners Fliegende
Hollnder overture together with Tchaikovskys Francesca da Rimini, while Comissiona
combined the Franck D-minor Symphony with Rimsky-Korsakovs suite from Le Coq dOr
for an unusual pairing at the end of the season.
As the summer lumbered onward, it turned into the hottest on record since the Dust Bowl
days of the 1930s, producing grueling work for anyone laboring out of doors. Musicians in
particular were hard-pressed to concentrate on their work amid such conditions. At Saratoga,
Comissiona was active, again leading the Franck symphony two weeks after he had conducted
it in Philadelphia, while Dennis Russell Davies programmed Gershwins An American in
Paris and R. R. Bennetts Symphonic Picture from Porgy and Bess near the end of the season.
Two weeks prior to this, the orchestra had produced a multiple-concert retrospective of
the works of Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, with the composer conducting part of the offerings.
The August 11th concert, though, was directed by William Smith in 99-degree weather and
included the English horn concerto with LR as soloist . It came off well, despite the anything
but favorable performing conditions. Peter Serkin played Ravels concerto on the same program,
but LR was excused from supplying the lengthy English horn solo therein on this occasion.10

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1988-89 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
{Richard Woodhams played the Bliss quintet in the chamber music series this season.}

This was a notably thin season, as far as repertoire with English horn was concerned. The
most remarkable manifestation by far in this regard was the first complete PO rendition in
thirty years of Berlioz Damnation de Faust, led by Dutoit in five November performances.
The critical silence regarding the English horn playing here, as elsewhere, was pathetic, particularly given the exposed solo obbligato in Marguerites romance. Temirkanov gave several
performances of Liadovs charming Kikimora and Muti combined Rachmaninoffs Rhapsody
on a Theme of Paganini (Andrei Gavrilov, piano) with Ravels Rapsodie Espagnol. The
latter he also took on tour to California and Japan later in the season; likewise Tchaikovskys
Romeo and Juliet. Smith conducted Strauss Heldenleben and Delius seldom-played Eventyr.
Probably due to its novelty, this last caught the ear of a critic, who commented that this piece
... found the orchestra at the top of its powers, with exciting work all around, including
... the lambent tone of English hornist Louis Rosenblatt...
(Lesley Valdes, Philadelphia Inquirer, 30 December 1988)
There was yet another chamber offering this season, in the Glencairn Museum in Bryn
Athyn, PA. This was a highly varied program by a number of PO members and guests. The
Rosenblatts presented three of the romances from Tchaikovskys piano suite, The Seasons
of the Year in Renates attractive transcriptions, along with her effective recasting of the
Beethoven Variationen.

The paucity of repertoire with English horn parts continued into the summer, the only significant pieces given in this respect being Barbers School for Scandal overture under Hugh
Wolff, Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra led by James DePriest and Tchaikovskys Romeo and
Juliet conducted by Skrowaczewski. Stevens Hewitt retired at the end of the Mann season,
after 24 years service as associate principal oboe (including many non-subscription and
Dell concerts as first oboe).
Thinness of English horn repertoire curiously continued at Saratoga this season, the
sole important offerings in this area being repeats of the Barber overture under Wolff, and
Tchaikovskys obligatory Romeo and Juliet under Skrowaczewski. Rachmaninoffs everpopular Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini also figured in the programming, this time
with Entremont, conducted by DePriest. Cynthia Koledo de Almeida joined the Orchestra
as assistant first oboe at this time.
1989-90 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Cynthia Koledo de Almeida;

Jonathan Blumenfeld; Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
{Richard Woodhams this season played the Vaughan Williams concerto and in the chamber series,
Milhauds Rves de Jacob.}

This season seems very much to have been a continuation of the prerogatives exercised the
previous year in terms of repertoire with English horn. Muti led Ravels Rapsodie Espagnol
in the opening concert; Catherine Comet (a last-minute substitute for Hans Vonk) directed
several performances of a suite from Roussels Bacchus et Ariane, and Smith gave the Berlioz
Symphonie Fantastique and Goulds perennial American Salute. Far more interesting than
these was the November world premire, under Muti, of Marcel Faragos In Memoriam,

ARTICLES

SUMMER 1989 OBOES: (Mann Music Center):

Richard Woodhams; Stevens Hewitt; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn

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LOUIS ROSENBLATT III: THE PHILADELPHIA YEARS, 19792009

op. 59, written in honor of the composers late wife. (Farago, a cellist in the Orchestra, was
still playing in the ensemble at this time.) Prominent in the piece is a quote from one of his
earlier cello pieces, Prayer, sounded by the English horn within the orchestra. (Webster in
the Inquirer noted the songful English horn solo, and as on so many previous occasions,
failed to name the performer, 11 November 1989.)
The following month saw the first PO performances of Fialas English horn concerto.11
Here, the critics arose from their usual somnolence:
Louis Rosenblatt, an aristocrat of English horn players, steps from the Orchestras
ranks for his first solo spotlight in four seasons, to play Fialas concerto in E-flat...
Rosenblatts masterly playing will surely give this unfamilar work a most revealing
reading, and to bring a special inspiration, the first movements solo cadenza was
composed by his wife Renate.
(Tom Di Nardo, Philadelphia Daily News, 9 December 1989)
Vonk led the English horn concerto by Josef Fiala. Louis Rosenblatt, the orchestras
English hornist, played this early Classical work with austere and contained sound.
The music is a little faceless, but the in the middle movement Fiala found a solemn
quality that approached the hypnotic. ... Rosenblatt played a cadenza -- a brief
portrait of the soloist -- written by his wife Renate.
(Daniel Webster, Philadelphia Inquirer, 9 December 1989)
Muti led the Berlioz Carneval Romain, including in New York, and Smith gave the seldomplayed second symphony of Vaughan Williams, where LRs English horn work was at least
noticed by the critics.
Yet one more recital was on tap this season, this time in the Ethical Society auditorium on
Rittenhouse Square. With violinist Xiau-Fu Zhou and pianist Brian Kovach, LR gave Renates
transcriptions of a trio-sonata in G minor by Quantz, and the Beethoven Variationen set
for English horn and piano.
SUMMER 1990 OBOES:

(Mann Music Center):

Richard Woodhams; Cynthia Koledo de Almeida;
Jonathan Blumenfeld; Louis Rosenblatt, English horn

The offerings at the Mann this season, were, as usual, very much along standard lines, with
the Franck D-minor Symphony and Ravel Rapsodie Espagnol together under Lopez-Cobos,
Dutoit leading the Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances, and Skrowaczewski directing Strauss
Heldenleben and the novelty of the summer, Shostakovichs Symphony Nr. 11. About the
extensive English horn writing in these works, the critics, as usual, had nothing to say.
Saratoga, too, was very typical, with Dutoit conducting performances of Berlioz Symphonie
Fantastique and Tchaikovskys Capriccio Italien. Zinman gave Dvoks evergreen New
World Symphony, and Smith the equally popular Pini di Roma of Respighi.
1990-91 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Cynthia Koledo de Almeida;

Jonathan Blumenfeld; Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
Following a European tour, this season contained a bit more liveliness in the programs than
other recent ones had, though of course the standard repertoire prevailed. Among these
were Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra paired with Harris third symphony under Marin
Alsop, Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique again, this time led by Gary Bertini, and Dvoks
New World Symphony again with Zinman at the helm. This at least merited a positive nod
from the critic:

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ARTICLES

Louis Rosenblatt in performance, summer, circa 1990 (photographer unknown)

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LOUIS ROSENBLATT III: THE PHILADELPHIA YEARS, 19792009

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It remains to praise the artistry of English hornist Louis Rosenblatt in the slow movements famous solo.
(Lesley Valdes, Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 October 1990).
Smith led the dances from Fallas Sombrero, Dutoit Rachmaninoffs Symphonic Dances
and Muti Rossinis Tell overture with Tchaikovskys Francesca at the Academy of Music
Anniversary Concert. James DePriest conducted the Shostakovich eleventh symphony, and
Hamilton Hartys rarely-heard violin concerto, with concertmaster Norman Carol as soloist.
(The concerto is scored with English horn in the slow movement.) This sort of presentation
was most welcome, as was Franz Welser-Msts offering of Franz Schmidts Symphony Nr. 4
in its first PO performances. (Here again, were further such examples needed, a major work
long ignored by a major ensemble drowning in repeated repertoire.)
Hans Vonk directed a set of concerts in December which opened with Sibelius Swan of
Tuonela, and now again, the critics arose from their normal torpor:
Dutch conductor Hans Vonk returns ... [with] a program [including] the famous Swan
of Tuonela. This work has a haunting, mystical quality ideally captured by Louis
Rosenblatts ravishing English horn solo.
(Tom Di Nardo, Philadelphia Daily News, 7 December 1990)
Atypically sitting front and center in the woodwind section, English hornist Louis
Rosenblatt delivered the famous solo where eloquence stems in part from its mysterious stillness. One savored Rosenblatts mastery of his instrumenthow lovingly he
he sustains and releases a pitch, extends a tone, diminishes or increases its volume.
[He] was brought to the podium at the close for a well-deserved bow.
(Lesley Valdes, Philadelphia Inquirer, 8 December 1990)
SUMMER 1991 OBOES:

(Mann Music Center):

Richard Woodhams; Cynthia Koledo de Almeida;
Jonathan Blumenfeld; Louis Rosenblatt, English horn

A bit more freshness invaded the usually stale programming at the Mann Center this summer,
with offerings including Coplands Quiet City under Zinman and Berlioz Symphonie
Fantastique with Jansons. Peek gave Janaeks Taras Bulba, De Priest Ravels Ma Mre
lOye and Dutoit Stravinskys Sacre. Dutoit also gave a performance of Rachmaninoffs
The Bells, with bass-baritone John Cheek as soloist in the last movement, with its extended
English horn obbligato. The critics, as usual, scarcely took notice of these doings.
Saratoga this year offered Goulds American Salute under Kunzel. Dutoit again gave
Stravinskys Sacre and as closer, Rachmaninoffs The Bells, this time with Kevin McMillan
as soloist in the finale. Cynthia Koledo de Almeida by this stage had departed to become
principal oboist in Pittsburgh, and Peter Smith joined the Orchestra as assistant principal oboe.
1991-92 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Peter Smith; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
{Richard Woodhams this year played the oboe concerto by Philadelphia composer George Rochberg.}

This was yet another season amazingly bereft of works with English horn. The sole offerings
of import in this area were Respighis Pini di Roma led in three October performances by
Kenneth Jean and three all-Rachmaninoff concerts in January under Dutoit comprising The
Bells (with McMillan), the Three Russian Songs and the Vocalise.
Musical activities on the European tour which followed the regular season were of
much greater interest. Featured were the dances from Fallas Sombrero de tres Picos and
Dvoks New World Symphony (neither played at home). Daniel Webster seems again to

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have been along for the ride, as he commented on the 22 May concert in Viennas famous
Musikvereinsaal:
The pitch Muti was seeking came in the Three-Cornered Hat by Falla. It came in the
fire of the playing, [and] in the resonant Engish horn solo of Louis Rosenblatt that
poured over the orchestra in the second part...
(Philadelphia Inquirer, 24 May 1992)
Muti and the Orchestra made a major impression that evening. A few days earlier, they had
played at the worlds fair in Seville, and Webster noted that
English hornist Louis Rosenblatt was an audience favorite for his playing in the
Dvok [New World Symphony]
(Philadelphia Inquirer, 18 May 1992)

ARTICLES

Louis and Renate Rosenblatt, summer, circa 1992

SUMMER 1992 OBOES: (Mann Music Center):

Richard Woodhams; Peter Smith; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
Philadelphias English hornist continued to be much occupied in this years activities at the
Mann, where the programming included Barbers Second Essay and Bartoks Concerto for
Orchestra, both led by Yoel Levi. Libor Peek gave two of Debussys Nocturnes and Les
Fresques of his countryman Martin. Erich Kunzel conducted Gershwins An American in
Paris and Dutoit proffered the Franck D-minor Symphony, Fallas Noches en los Jardines
de Espaa (with Alicia de Larrocha at the piano) as well as DIndys rather rarely-played

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Symphonie sur un Chant Montagnard franais (with Jean-Yves Thibaudet at the keyboard).
This last aroused some critical attention, given the
... memorable melodic timbres from the glowing English horn theme at the start,
played by Louis Rosenblatt.
(Daniel Webster, Philadelphia Inquirer, 2 July 1992)
Saratoga this year offered Fallas ever-popular dances from the Sombrero again, led by
Lopez-Cobos, Gershwins American in Paris under Kunzel, the Franck D-minor Symphony
and two of Ravels best-known scores, Ma Mre lOye and the piano concerto (with de
Larrocha), all under Dutoit.

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1992-93 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Peter Smith; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
A little broader reference in the repertoire seems to have come with the arrival of this season.
Sawallisch opened with Strauss Heldenleben, and led a later performance of the Symphonia
Domestica. The Orchestra settled down to performances of Berlioz Carneval Romain
under resident conductor Luis Biava in the fall and winter, and many more in the spring
under Sawallisch, both at home and on the May tour through the Far East. One of these
concerts was captured on video and a good bit of the Berlioz included in the documentary
film, Maestros of Philadelphia. Critic Lesley Valdes of the Inquirer observed of this that
[Sawallisch] gets the last musical word with Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture, whose flair
is underscored by English hornist Louis Rosenblatts gleaming tone. (13 September 1993)
One is glad to have this on film.
Zdenek Macal led Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, and Dutoit directed Chaussons
lovely symphony, absent from the PO repertoire for some time. Garrick Ohlssohn appeared
as soloist in Rachmaninoffs Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with James DePriest in the
Academy of Music Anniversary concert in January, and Louis Lortie was the soloist in several
performances of Ravels concerto under Dutoit. Eschenbach led Tchaikovskys Francesca
da Rimini and Temirkanov his Romeo and Juliet. Skrowaczewski gave Wagners Fliegende
Hollnder overture, and Dutoit Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra. Movements two and three
(only) of Renate Rosenblatts concerto arranged from the works of Handel were given in an
April student concert under Biava, with Peter Smith and LR as soloists. About all of these
manifestations, the critics seemed to have nothing of import to say. This applied as well to
Dvoks New World Symphony, performed several times under Sawallisch in March, and
then again numerous times on the Far Eastern tour this season. Renate Rosenblatt remembered the conductors micro-managing all of the solo passages in this work, removing all
spontanteity from the performances. One can only assume the critics were so tired of hearing
this familiar masterpiece that nothing could stimulate them to discuss it, pro or con.
SUMMER 1993 OBOES: (Mann Music Center):

Richard Woodhams; Peter Smith; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
Summer repertoire this year at the Mann was nearly devoid of English horn parts. The
exceptions were the ballet music from Massenets Le Cid, and Ravels Rapsodie Espagnol,
led by Dutoit.
At Saratoga, Dutoit conducted Berlioz Carneval Romain and Symphonie Fantastique,
as well as a suite from Stravinskys Petrouchka to round out the very thin season.

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1993-94 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Peter Smith; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn

Wolfgang Sawallisch, Music Director; Riccardo Muti, Conductor Laureate

SUMMER 1994 OBOES: (Mann Music Center):

Richard Woodhams; Peter Smith; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
Summer offerings with English horn were again scarce. Dutoit led the second suite from
Roussels Bacchus et Ariane, and Marvin Hamlisch Gershwins American in Paris. Vassily
Sinaisky produced an all-Russian program including Rachmaninoffs Rhapsody on a Theme
of Paganini (with Olli Mustonen) and Liadovs Kikimora.

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This again was another very slender season as far as English horn repertoire was concerned.
The most notable exception to this was a poorly-planned conductorless performance in the
chamber series of Coplands Quiet City with one player to a part(!), quite in defiance of the
composers wishes. Here at least, a critic took careful account:
Coplands Quiet City is familiar to audiences of the Philadelphia Orchestra, though
not in the seven-instrument version invented for this concert. When Copland wrote
the piece in 1939, ... he scored it for trumpet, clarinet, saxophone and piano. He later
rescored it for string orchestra, adding an English horn ... There are good reasons why
these versions work and the reduction played ... didnt. Put simply, it is a matter of
balance. The five stringed instruments ... could not provide the luscious yet quiet bed
of sound a full [string] section does. They had to play too loud [in order] to make their
parts heard ... In response, English hornist Louis Rosenblatt and trumpeter Donald
McComas [became] assertive soloists, making their presence perhaps a little too
strongly felt. Still, Rosenblatts tone was a source of great pleasure.
(Peter Dobrin, Philadelphia Inquirer, 22 February 1994)
Earlier that month, Sawallisch had led a concert including the all-time Philadelphia favorite,
Francks D-minor Symphony, along with a novelty, Liszts fine short tone-poem, Orpheus
in its very first PO performance. One can only wonder if the conductor had previously had
the symphony in his repertoire, as he seemed unfamiliar with it. Critic Daniel Webster, this
time right on the mark, had some pointed commentary to make:
The reading was oddly stodgy and square, the sighs contrived, the ecstasy scarcely
remembered. Louis Rosenblatts English horn solo floated above the orchestra in the
second movement, a reminder of what the piece might have been [had the conductor
any idea of how to interpret it].
(Philadelphia Inquirer, 4 February 1994)
LR did not enjoy Sawallischs way with this work, but complied with the music directors
wishes, still producing a positive critical reaction. On the plus side this season, apart from
the POs finally getting to Liszts Orpheus, Sawallisch opened the season with Ned Rorems
once often-heard Eagles, absent from the PO repertoire for many years, and Dutoit gave
Debussys very fine cantata, La Damoiselle lue. He also led several performances of both
suites from Roussels Bacchus et Ariane, and Macal conducted Respighis Pini di Roma.
Mariss Jansons directed Shostakovichs Symphony Nr. 10, and this for a change aroused
critical notice:
[The audience] was rewarded for its patience with Louis Rosenblatts velvety gorgeous
English horn solo ...
(Peter Dobrin, Philadelphia Inquirer, 5 March 1994)
As always, this was a season of high and low points for the Orchestra, although some of the
low ones were rather lower than usual.

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At Saratoga, Hamlisch repeated the Gershwin and Dutoit the Roussel, while the latter
also directed Stravinskys Sacre and Dvoks New World Symphony.

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1994-95 OBOES: Richard Woodhams; Peter Smith; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
This season included three performances at home of the Strauss oboe concerto by Woodhams
with Sawallisch on the podium, as well as three more on tour, including the Orchestras
first visit to Boston since 1969(!) The attentive critic took careful note of the proceedings:
Solo oboe and English horn were at times lovingly interlaced, recalling soprano
and mezzo-soprano duets ... in Mozart and Strauss operas. English hornist Louis
Rosenblatt asserted himself as a player who will be hard to replace after he retires
at the end of the season.
(Peter Dobrin, Philadelphia Inquirer, 25 October 1994)
Assistant conductor Andr Raphael Smith led performances of Tchaikovskys Romeo and
Juliet and Gershwins American in Paris, and Michael Stern (son of the famous violinist,
a last-minute substitute) gave Barbers School for Scandal overture and Rachmaninoffs
Symphonic Dances to the solid satisfaction of the critics, with a nod to principal oboist
Woodhams and English hornist Rosenblatt. The latter also earned a positive note from critic
Dobrin for his work in Strauss Symphonia Domestica under Sawallisch. Mark Wigglesworth
directed the first complete PO performances of William Grant Stills Symphony Nr. 1 (the
Afro-American), many decades after its creation, in this case a major American work long
ignored by this ensemble.12 Yuri Temirkanov gave Ravels Ma Mre lOye in Harrisburg and
several performances of Tchaikovskys seldom-heard third orchestral suite, which contains
a fine accompanied solo for the English horn, and an unusual unaccompanied one. The
critic noted that
A number of excitements and pleasures were conveyed in this reading, among them
... the rustic soliloquies of English hornist Louis Rosenblatt.
(Lesley Valdes, Philadelphia Inquirer, 18 March 1995)
SUMMER 1995 OBOES: (Mann Music Center):

Richard Woodhams; Peter Smith; Jonathan Blumenfeld;

Louis Rosenblatt, English horn
Rather more English horn activity than normal characterised the Mann season this summer.
Frederica von Stade sang some of Canteloubes lovely Chants dAuvergne under Dutoits
direction, Carlo Rizzi doled out the obligatory Franck D-minor Symphony, and Sawallisch
gave Strauss Heldenlebena prelude to what was soon to follow. Dutoit also led the summer
favorites: Respighis Pini di Roma, Tchaikovskys Capriccio Italien, Wagners Fliegende
Hollnder overture, and Dvoks New World Symphony in the season closer. Daniel
Webster of the Inquirer noted of the Franck performance that
Louis Rosenblatts English horn solo was a reminder of the eloquent alto songfulness
he has graced performances with for so many years. (1 July 1995)
About the Dvok, another critic observed that
... in the second movement, [there is] a majestic English horn solo, often played
during his 36-year tenure by the Orchestras incomparable Louis Rosenblatt ...
(pre-concert notice)
(Tom Di Nardo, Philadelphia Daily News, 17 July 1995)

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Regarding the actual concert, Di Nardo observed

... the revered English hornist Louis Rosenblatt in his haunting solo in the final [concert
of the seasons] New World ...
(Philadelphia Daily News, 28 July 1995)
His senior colleague on the other major daily, was also present to comment that
The audience could savor the solo in the second movement by retiring English hornist
Louis Rosenblatt, his farewell performance [in the PO at home.]
(Daniel Webster, Philadelphia Inquirer, 22 July 1995)
Webster, though, saved the best for last, musing in his column two weeks later:
Louis Rosenblatts English horn playing has provided the orchestra ... a highly
distinctive instrumental sound which stays in the memory long after concerts have
ended. His valedictory performance [at home], the long solo in Dvoks New World
Symphony on the last night at the Mann Center, was rich in emotion.
(Philadelphia Inquirer, 6 August 1995)
Here, at long last, Daniel Webster finally rose to the occasion in writing about this artists
work in his very last appearance with the Orchestra in Philadelphia. Struck here was a most
important note, which will will discuss anon. Websters junior colleague on the Inquirer staff,
voicing the sentiments of many Philadelphia music-lovers, had commented philosophically
at the outset of the summer season that
The English horn so enriches symphonic music that its difficult not to think of it as
a principal post. Its downright disappointing that longtime English hornist/oboist
Louis Rosenblatt has chosen to leave an orchestra he has served so memorably for
36 years with virtually no diminishment of his [powers]. ... Its hard to imagine this
orchestra without his eloquence.
(Lesley Valdes, Philadelphia Inquirer, 25 June 1995)
At Saratoga, von Stade and Dutoit repeated the Canteloube, and Dutoit directed a roll of
evergreen summer fare: Rimskys Capriccio Espagnol, Tchaikovskys Capriccio Italien,
Wagners Fliegende Hollnder overture and Respighis Pini di Roma in the closer.
As was often the case, a European tour followed the Saratoga season this year, all under
the direction of Sawallisch. Strauss Ein Heldenleben was the principal item featuring the
English horn on this trip. It was heard in London, Lucerne, Salzburg and finally in Berlin
on September first, LRs last concert with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
This point in time marked nearly a century of outstanding English horn playing in
Philadelphia, a record which surely no other city in this hemisphere could claim. Those
who noted this milestone realised how richly they had been rewarded. Indeed, even twelve
years after his departure from the Orchestra, Inquirer critic Peter Dobrin commented that
a performance of Berlioz Carneval Romain made me miss the deep sounds and expressive turns of retired English hornist Louis Rosenblatt. (6 October 2007) By this stage, all
remnants of the fabulous days were long gone, but the work of artists such as Louis Rosenblatt
kept the memories alive.
Philadelphia Orchestra conductor laureate Riccardo Muti stated most succinctly what
many others felt, but may not have been able to express, in a letter to the English hornist
only days after his retirement from the Orchestra:
[Tokyo] 9 September 1995
Dear Louis,
I have been told that you will be retiring from the Orchestra at the end of the
current European tour. I want to take this opportunity to send you my congratulations for what you have given, both musically and professionally, to the Philadelphia
Orchestra. I will never forget the beauty of your tone, the nobility of your phrasing,

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and the many evidences of your belief that music-making is indeed a high calling.
Fortunately, your artistry has been preserved on the hundreds of recordings you have
made, and remains an example, especially for young and upcoming instrumentalists,
of how to play an instrument on the highest of musical levels. I also remember what
a warm person you are, how refined you are in your manner of living, your passion
[for] the Japanese language, and your interest in all things artistic.
I am happy that now you will be able to devote more time to your wife and family,
whom Cristina and I remember with pleasure and affection.
Best wishes for a long and happy life, and thank you for what you have given to
me and to the world of music.
With my warmest regards,
Riccardo Muti
What an extraordinary encomium for an orchestral player to receive from a celebrated
conductor!

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Despite his richly deserved accolades as an English hornist, Louis Rosenblatts love of the oboe
had never waned. As he told this writer at the time of his retirement from the Orchestra, he
had just purchased a new instrument, and Im [now] going to learn to play the oboe! Invited
for the summer of 1996 to the Marlboro Festival (his first time there since 1959), though
largely present to teach, he did participate in a performance of the Beethoven piano quintet
with clarinettist Sean Osborn, bassoonist Daniel Matsukawa, hornist Xiao-Ming Han and
pianist Steven Prutsman. He also performed the oboe obbligato in a Handel aria that summer.
This proved to be a prelude to what would ensue in the fall of that year at the Temple
University School of Music. Longtime clarinet professor Lawrence Wagner, aware of LRs
desire to do some oboe playing, now established a wind quintet in that institution, which
he named after its founder, Russell Conwell. As professor Wagner explained, I have had,
in my playing career, a great love of chamber music. I was fortunate to participate in the

Conwell Wind Quintet, Temple University, circa 2000 (L to R: Loren Lind, Shelly Showers,
Bernard Garfield, Louis Rosenblatt, Lawrence Wagner)

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Marcel Moyse summer chamber music program at Marlboro, Vermont for many years. When
Moyse retired, I wanted to continue playing the woodwind [chamber] repertoire, so I went
to Lou and Bernie Garfield with the proposal of forming a faculty wind quintet. They were
enthusiastic about the idea, so we brought in Loren Lind on flute and Jeffrey Kirschen on
horn.13 Later, Shelly Showers became the hornist.
The Conwell Quintets first concert was played on November 17th of that year, and LR
remained with the group, giving several concerts annually, through the end of the fall term
of 2004, when health problems necessitated his retirement from performance altogether.
He had played professionally by that time for 53 years.
***

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How does one describe a voice, instrumental or vocal, in words? It is, almost by definition,
an exercise in futility, especially when that voice has many hues and inflections. Louis
Rosenblatts sound allied a wide spectrum of colors and textures with a subdued timbral
puissance, all used to telling musical effect. A kind of tonal saturation was achieved without
straining or forcing in any way, producing a sonority of unique attractiveness and plasticity.
This bespeaks a carefully conceived integral approach to the instrument resulting in a
complete control of its sonic resources. Another of the essentials present was an extraordinary embouchure development, the finest this writer has ever seen. This may be discerned
to a degree in two photographs:

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Louis Rosenblatt in concert, circa 1980

(photographer unknown, possibly
Louis Hood)

Louis Rosenblatt in rehearsal, 1961 (detail)

(photo by Adrian Siegel)

It is just possible to see in these photos that this is well-defined musculature, not like a
catchers mitt, as the orbicularis oris muscle of many oboists becomes. It is much more like
the body musculature of a disciplined dancer or a marathon runner than that of a weightlifter.
This exceptional embouchure enabled LR to exercise a fine and assured reed control that few
could equal, and none surpass. The result of these skills was a uniquely attractive sonority,
one that induced an audience to listen, and to want to continue listening. It was as if the
voice of his instrument itself implied that it had a story to tell. (This gift is granted to very
few in music, and to singers far more often than instrumentalists.) One might be tempted
to consider LR a great singer on the English horn. That he was, but with greater precision

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LOUIS ROSENBLATT III: THE PHILADELPHIA YEARS, 19792009

than most singers, and a broader range of expression as well. Despite his not intending to
become an English hornist, it was most fortunate that he was channeled in this direction.
Had he remained a ripieno orchestral oboist throughout his career, we would be a great deal
poorer for it. He had an exceptional gift for the English horn, and as luck and fate had it, that
is the path he took. Longtime PO colleague Bernard Garfield observed:
As a musician, Lou was a fine performer whose English horn playing had two qualities
that made him outstanding. He produced a superb tone quality on his instrument,
and infused it with an expressiveness that made each solo passage a delight to hear.
As I sat in the row behind him in the Philadelphia Orchestra, I enjoyed many years
of listening to his artistry.14
LRs musicianship, apart from purely tonal resources, was also remarkable. The security of
his work in this respect was such that one can hardly wonder at Mutis words (above). As
Charles-David Lehrer put it, Lous greatest blessing was that he knew how to keep his cool
no matter what was going on around him.15 Inquirer critic Peter Dobrin characterised LR
as An English hornist of unfailing equanimity and expressivity... (20 August 2009). Stevens
Hewitt noted Only once did I ever hear him make a mistake ... on a first [tour] concert in
Japan. We had traveled on ... our day off, but there was none, as we had crossed the date line.
The concert was at the equivalent of perhaps 2 AM, with no sleep.16 In Louis Rosenblatt
were combined first-class musicianship and exceptional musicality expressed through a
solidly-founded technique, and superlative embouchure development, wind control and
reedmaking skills. These resulted in tonal expressivity of extraordinary attractiveness and
compelling efficacy. His was a complex sound composed of many parts, any of which he
could lean on, to make that aspect of its character stand out in sharper relief, as the music
required. This was tonal expressivity of a depth and dimension possessed by only a few
executant musicians. Extremely rarely are wind players thus gifted: Louis Rosenblatt was
one of this very select group.
In his playing, it does not take long for the experienced listener to realise that this is the
true voice of the English horn in all of its many colors and moods, that here is a performer
who has plumbed the full depths of his instrument. His sound spoke with all of the resources
the English horn can provide: it was not only unique in timbre, but uniquely resonant and
plangent. The presence of instrumentalists of such mastery imparted so remarkable a sound
quality to the Philadelphia Orchestra that it was possible at times to identify this ensemble
on recording from as little as a single chord. It is more than doubtful that any other North
American orchestra ever attained such a level of sonic distinction.
Regarding the all-important placement of notes on the melodic line (significantly harder
on the English horn than on the oboe) one need only listen to any of LRs best recordings
for the finest illustrations of what this means. Outstanding in this respect are the Swan of
Tuonela discs, as well as the Ballade from Sibelius Karelia Suite, Alfvns Midsommarvaka
and Nielsens Pan & Syrinx. (See the discography, DR XXXII/4:19-27.) Reflected in this wise
too is the opening statement made by John Mack in the very first teaching session of the
inaugural (1976) John Mack Oboe Camp, in which he extolled LR as being one of the very
few he knew who had achieved a true legato, which he characterised as the most difficult
thing for a wind player to accomplish.
Tonal magic is what he produced, something infinitely more difficult to achieve on a
wind instrument than with the human voice or the violin. No English hornist within living
memory or in the history of recording has been able to do this to the degree that Louis
Rosenblatt did, nor with anything approaching his consistency. His complete control over
the tonal spectrum of the instrument was carefully used without show or ostentation toward
the expressive needs of the music, be it Classical, such as the Fiala concerto, Modernist, such

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When he returned to Philadelphia in the fall of 1959, Louis Rosenblatt had no reputation
as a teacher, and no experience whatever in teaching pre-professional students. This soon
changed dramatically, as Charles-David Lehrer (a name well known to the readers of this
journal) related to the present writer.18 Lehrer, a native of southern NJ, had begun oboe
study at age 15, in 1957, with William Adams, the veteran studio oboist of RCAs Camden
recording establishment. Within a year, the young man determined that he needed to understand long-scrape reeds, a subject about which Adams knew absolutely nothing. Via John
de Lancie, he was able to make contact with Norman Wells, an established area free-lancer,
and the Philadelphia Orchestras first on-call man for the oboe section. Lehrer studied with
him 1958-59, and was then able to do the same with de Lancie in the summer of 1959. De
Lancie, however, was much too busy to retain him during the regular season, so he arranged
for Lehrer (and a number of others) to be taken on by Louis Rosenblatt: this is how LRs
career as a teacher effectively began, and Charles-David Lehrer was one of the fortunate few
among that earliest group of his pupils. Giving a portrait of LR both as a teacher and a man,
he noted, ... I figured I had to get into ... Curtis and back with de Lancie, ... so Lou started
preparing me for the Curtis audition. Now here was a guy who knew how to teach the oboe!
And unselfishly, because even as I improved via his expert knowledge, Lou knew he would
soon lose me to his colleague, John de Lancie, who would end up getting all the credit for
teaching me how to play the instrument correctly.
Due to unanticipated complications, and despite a successful audition, Lehrer never did
enter the CIM. Financial difficulties set in at this time too, the result being that even though
he had a strong desire to continue studying with LR, there was no money available for him
to do so. Informed of the situation, Lou Rosenblatt told him to continue coming for lessons

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as the Skrowaczewski concerto, or of course the great Romantic orchestral repertoire, with
Sibelius Swan of Tuonela at the head of that list. His sound was so memorable that even
a few notes of exposed solo were sufficient to remain with the attentive listener for a long
while -- often longer than the impression of the work as a whole. This is something that can
be said of extremely few orchestral musicians.
Louis Rosenblatt had presence in the orchestra, even when playing softly. This was due
to tonal formation allowing superlative projection without blasting or forcing in any way.
David Weber narrated a case in point:
I remember playing Respighis Pines of Rome, sitting between Stevens Hewitt and Lou.
When it came time for the quiet English horn solo entrance in the final movement, I
sat frozen so as not to distract anyone, and saw Lou get ready to play. The moment
came, and I heard nothing. Oh my, did he forget to come in? No, wait!: I hear the
first notes of the solo, coming from the great outdoors, from the back of the Dells
open-air seating area, filling the whole world, and gently sneaking up on me, just as
it should. He was playing just right, but I could not hear him beside me, only from
the universe without, resonating with his projection and expression. Never heard
that againso quiet, yet so full.17
This sound was of the same character that can be heard in a perfectly centered singing voice:
with such a foundation, the voice projects easily and naturally, with no excesses or distortion.
Thus it was with the voice of LRs English horn, which hit its mark in the Academy of Music
and in concert halls from coast to coast and around the world. Fortunately, a good many
of his performances were captured on recording: this is English horn playing (and indeed
music-making) as it should be, and constitutes listening at once extraordinarily instructive
and immensely enjoyable.

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as usualgratis! The young oboist had a senior recital in the offing at Trenton State College,
where he was working on a degree. This included a Bach cantata, the Mozart quartet and
the Vaughan Williams Blake Songs, ... and Lou wanted to make sure I understood these
works and played them with lan. Lehrer also noted that LR was a very good listener to the
personal problems I was encountering as an undergraduate at Trenton State. He seemed to
be a natural in the area of [counseling], always assuring me that things would turn out well
for me, even in my darkest moments.19 Here plainly was a teacher who took a personal as
well as pedagogical interest in his charges.
In his initial season (1959-60) in Philadelphia, LR also taught at the Settlement School,
a municipal musical institution located in his native South Philadelphia. By September of
1960, however, Dean David Stone of the Temple University School of Music, inaugurating
a wind-instrument department in that institution, called upon Louis Rosenblatt to be the
first professor of oboe there. He accepted, and held this position through December of 2004,
teaching two full generations of talented young oboists. After this partial retirement, he
continued to lead ensembles at Temple through December of 2008.
Among the small number of students taken on at a much earlier age than usual was
Pittsburgh Symphony English hornist Harold Smoliar, who recounted: Lessons before I
could drive occurred on Friday afternoons at 5PM. My Mom would get me there early, but
Renate would always make us feel welcome. Lou would arrive home from the Philadelphia
Orchestra matine concert and he and I would troop up to the third floor [studio] and settle
in. My lessons usually started with long tones and intervals, complete with the soft attack ... .
We would then move on to tudes in Barret, or later, Ferling. Then we would work on
a piecea Handel sonata or concerto. When the piece was done, we would go downstairs
and Renate would accompany me on the piano as we performed for my Mom. My lessons
were supposed to be an hour, but we rarely left before 6:30, and sometimes even later. Renate
would have been whistling up the stairs to call him for dinner, but we would work until we
accomplished his goals for the day.20
One who came to LR when already an established professional was Metropolitan Opera
English hornist Pedro Diaz. He noted Louis Rosenblatt was the kind of role model everyone
aspires to be in the world of music: a gentleman, educator and outstanding musician. Fluent
in a [number] of languages, Louis taught himself Japanese and could read Kanji and other
Japanese symbols. He and I often corresponded in Spanish as well. He was the kind of father
figure all students seek out, and he wasnt afraid to speak his mind, always doing so in the
most respectful way. He cared about his students and valued them as people first, ... treating
them as one of his own. I consider myself lucky to have known Louis. I played for him when
I was a freelancer in New York, seeking his advice and picking his brain often, [and] even
moreso after my appointment ... [to] the Met ... . To many English hornists and oboists, he
was and will remain the oracle for many years to come.21
Longtime colleague Stevens Hewitt related that LR did not prevail by domination, like
some others we know of. His students learned by example: he played, and what they heard
was impressive enough to gain him respect.22
Charles-David Lehrer commented to the present writer that Louis Rosenblatt possessed
the ability to be one of the great teachers. Eventually, he was recognised as such, even in the
absence of an appointment to one of the leading music schools. From about 1962, John de
Lancie did periodically invite him to teach an English horn class for the benefit of his students
at the Curtis Institute. On their own initiative, and with de Lancies permission, some CIM
students also studied with him privately. By circa 1975, indeed, his accomplishments both
as teacher and performer had risen to such a level that he was offered the oboe professorship at the University of Michigan, one of the Midwests most prestigious schools, and an

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By December of 2004, as noted above, performing had to cease due to increasing health
problems, this after a career as a professional musician that had begun with graduation
from the Curtis Institute in the spring of 1951. (LR had performed semi-professionally since
1947.) Early in 2005, there was an operation to remove a malignant growth in the mouth
(possibly the result of early years of cigar smoking). The lip became numb following this
procedure. Despite the doctor maintaining that feeling would return in a few months, it
was no longer possible to form an embouchure. By the spring of that year, a large lump had
developed in the throat near the site of the original surgery. This was a lymphoma, which

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institution where several other PO members had previously gone to teach. (He declined the
offer, but did guest-teach at Juilliard, at Marlboro, at Tanglewood, and lectured at Curtis by
invitation of Richard Woodhams.) In his later years, still working with ensembles at Temple,
he was invited on several occasions to give masterclasses in seminars usually arranged by
Atlanta Symphony English hornist Patrick McFarland. In this wise, many talented youngsters who would not otherwise have come into contact with him were able to benefit from
his experience and sage advice.
David Seeley has reported online that LR was the student of whom Tabuteau was the
proudest: Having grown up in Michigan, I always admired the musical playing of Arno
Mariotti.23 When I took a couple of lessons with Tabuteau in France, he mentioned that
Mariotti and Angelucci24 had best utilised the ideas he was trying to teach. Now, maybe
today that playing might be considered eccentric by some, but I loved their expressiveness!
And very few seem to be able to duplicate Tabuteaus ability to make a tone with some notes
sounding upbow[ed] or inhaled. The student he was proudest of: Louis Rosenblatt (for
his playing in the Ravel concerto). This would be a reference to the 1964 recording, with
Entremont. (There was no PO performance of this work during the period of Tabuteaus
visit in 1959.) LR was in fact the last Tabuteau student in the Philadelphia Orchestra oboe
section. Tabuteau often lamented that most of his students had forgotten most of what he
had taught them. Clearly, Louis Rosenblatt was not one of these.
David Weber has noted LRs steadfast dedication to and continuation of the Tabuteau/
American School of oboe playing: he was such a great example of Tabuteaus highest principles. He passed this along with much success and dedication to his own students too.25
Louis Rosenblatts nearly half-century as a pedagogue provided a steady, quiet continuum
of genuine significance in American oboe playing: the sort of activity seldom perceived by
the public, but one which generates a great deal of highly satisfying music-making, as well
as paving the way for more of same in the future.
His gifts as a teacher were indeed remarkable, especially in that he did not resort to
browbeating, as others often did.26 Like his performing, his teaching was a reflection of his
character as a person, well attested to in the November 2009 memorial, and still very much
alive in the memory of those who had the pleasure and privilege of knowing him personally.
His students in significant positions include Carolyn Banham, English horn, Saint Louis
Symphony; Ferald Capps, English horn (ret.), Minnesota Orchestra and Santa Fe Summer
Opera; Pedro Diaz, English horn, Metropolitan Opera, New York; John Ferrillo, Principal
Oboe, Boston Symphony Orchestra; James Gorton, Associate Principal Oboe (ret.), Pittsburgh
Symphony; Elizabeth Starr Masoudnia, English Horn, Philadelphia Orchestra; Barbara Herr
Orland, Assistant Principal Oboe, Saint Louis Symphony; Andrea Ridilla, Professor, Miami
University, Oxford Ohio; Peter Smith, Associate Principal Oboe, Philadelphia Orchestra;
Harold Smoliar, English horn, Pittsburgh Symphony; Robert Walters, English horn, Cleveland
Orchestra.

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LOUIS ROSENBLATT III: THE PHILADELPHIA YEARS, 19792009

was soon removed. It was not possible, however, to excise the entire growth. The remainder
became malignant, and eventually metastatic. Amazingly, Lou Rosenblatt continued teaching
through all of these extreme difficulties, but even this had to cease by the end of 2008, as
we have noted. He died of complications from these conditions the 24th of August, 2009.
Renate arranged a memorial to him ten weeks later in the Academy of Music, where the
bulk of his performances had taken place. This function was very well attended: all of the
ballroom seats were taken, and there were many standees. A number of those present had
come great distances to be present for this commemoration, an extraordinary manifestation
of respect, admiration and affection.27

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***

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At the very first teaching session of the inaugural (1976) John Mack Oboe Camp, almost the
first words spoken by Prof. Mack were, I dont have a better friend in this world than Lou
Rosenblatt. Naturally, he, Stevens Hewitt and LR had constituted the oboe section in New
Orleans twenty years earlier, and all had gone on from there to greater things. Prof. Hewitt
said I sat next to Lou in New Orleans and Philadelphia for many years. I could not have
had a better friend. I will miss him.28 Lou was a friendly, optimistic person whose good
nature immediately caught your attention 29 observed orchestra and chamber music colleague Bernard Garfield. Longtime Temple University colleague Lawrence Wagner summed
up the matter most succinctly: Lou was the epitome of a gentleman. I have never known a
more noble, gentle, erudite man. I always held him in the highest regard. Performing with
him was an honor and an extreme pleasure.30
Louis Rosenblatts legacy is remarkable as a performing artist, teacher and indeed as a
person. His non-musical interests embraced literature (especially poetry), philosophy, and
of course languages. He had excellent command of Spanish, Italian, German and above all
Japanese. In all of these endeavors he was self-taught. One can only wonder how and when
he found time for these challenging pursuits. A man, artist and teacher is gone, but he lives
on, and will continue to do so in many ways: through his recordings, his students, and the
numerous musicians and non-musicians he influenced with his remarkable personal touch
and unique instrumental voice.
2014 by Michael Finkelman
World Rights Reserved
***

***

Acknowledgements
Renate Rosenblatt, Philadelphia
Ferald Capps, Phoenix
Pedro Diaz, New York City
Prof. Bernard Garfield, Haddonfield, NJ
Prof. Stevens Hewitt, Philadelphia
Doug King, Pennsville, NJ
Jacqueline Kovach, Philadelphia
Dr. Charles-David Lehrer, Los Angeles
Harold Smoliar, Pittsburgh
Prof. Laila Storch, Seattle
John Symer, Collingswood, NJ
Prof. Lawrence Wagner, Philadelphia
David Weber, Phoenix

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Notes

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1 a student of LR at Temple University in Philadelphia at the time in question, later the

distinguished English hornist of the Minneapolis Symphony/Minnesota Orchestra.
2 i.e., the Philadelphia Orchestra tradition, established principally by Marcel Tabuteau.
3 This setting of the pitch in the stage atmosphere originated with Tabuteau, who was
a stickler for this, having learned from Stokowski, who tuned the orchestra to A=438,
knowing that the pitch would rise in concert. Elevated pitch vitiated Tabuteaus expressive potentialities.
4 David Weber to the writer, 4/2010.
5 The last three years of the Bulletin (def. January 1982) were generally abysmal and the
reviews in the Inquirer rarely better in the period under consideration. To be entirely
fair, it is possible that the editors, voracious for space to devote to income-producing
advertising, wielded their axes too heavily to the critics work, resulting in pitiably truncated and generally worthless essays, but this is strictly surmise.
6 A period arrangement (not later than 1800) of one of Mozarts Masonic pieces originally
intended for clarinet and three basset horns.
7 The longtime solo English horn of the Vienna Philharmonic, who was also an engaging
minor composer in the post-Straussian vein. LR had made his acquaintance in Vienna
during one of the Orchestras tours there.
8 The writers exact words to LR were, This is really a concerto for the trash can.
He concurred entirely.
9 The European critics reportedly felt the same, but in the absence of an archivist on the
staff of the Philadelphia Orchestra, their scrapbooks have been unavailable. These would
have revealed valuable European reaction to the Orchestras tours there.
10 Jonathan Blumenfeld likely did the honors here. The Inquirer did not include a review of
this concert, as it did not usually report on doings at Saratoga, many hours distant from
Philadelphia. The local papers had good reporting, but as noted, out-of-town critiques
have generally not been available.
11 This is, in reality, an early 20th-century transcription of one of Fialas concertos for the
viola da gamba, of which he was the last practitioner before its disappearance. Fiala
actually did write a concerto for the English horn, but there is no trace of it. There is a
strange parallel here with Mozarts oboe concerto, which does not survive either, and
in place of which a concerto for a different instrument was also forced into service.
12 In retrospect, it seems very odd that Stokowski would have neglected this outstanding
work, written in 1930.
13 Lawrence Wagner to the writer, 4/2012. As we noted in Part II, LR had played in an
ad hoc wind quintet in Philadelphia organised by Bernard Garfield many years earlier.
Earlier still, prior to his 1957 arrival in Philadelphia, Garfield had organised the New
York Wind Quintet.
14 Bernard Garfield to the writer, 10/2012.
15 Charles-David Lehrer to the writer, 9/2009.
16 Stevens Hewitt to the writer, 9/2009.
17 David Weber to the writer, 7/2011. Mr. Weber substituted in the RHDO oboe section for
approximately four weeks in 1974, filling in for an ailing Charles Morris. The concert in
question took place 18 June, under the direction of resident conductor William Smith.
18 Charles-David Lehrer to the writer, fall 2009-winter 2010.
19 Charles-David Lehrer to the writer, 1/2014.
20 Harold Smoliar to the writer, 8/2009.

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21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
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LOUIS ROSENBLATT III: THE PHILADELPHIA YEARS, 19792009

Pedro Diaz to the writer, 8/2009.

Stevens Hewitt to the writer, 9/2009.
Detroit Symphony principal, and one of Tabuteaus early students at Curtis.
Rhadames Angelucci, Minneapolis Symphony principal, and another of Tabuteaus early
students at Curtis (Diploma, 1936).
David Weber to the writer, 3/2010.
LR was known not to have the slightest admiration for Tabuteaus tactics in this regard.
reported on in DR XXXII/4 by the present writer.
Stevens Hewitt to the writer, 9/2009.
Bernard Garfield to the writer, 10/2012.
Lawrence Wagner to the writer, 4/2012.

Discography Addendum

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Debussy-Stokowski: [Estampes] > Soire dans Grenade

Philadelphia Orchestra / Leopold Stokowski (16 III 1962 live performance)
[Japan:] JLS S-23/24 (CD)

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INVITED ARTICLE
BASSOON

Reflections on Competitions
from a Variety of Angles
Peter Kolkay
Nashville, Tennessee
Note from the Bassoon Editor: Since we first began the Invited Article series, I have been
interested in having an author explore the world of solo competition. For double reed players
in the US, such competitions are a rarity, and often, a mystery. So, to help us understand how
it all works, we turn to IDRS member Peter Kolkay, the first (and so far only) bassoon soloist
to win top honors at the Concert Artists Guild Competition.

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y goal in this article is to share what I have learned about competitions through
my experiences as participant, judge, and administrator. This is not strictly a
how to win a competition article, nor is it merely a glorification of the competition experience. Instead, I hope this article will inform prospective competitors and their
teachers about certain aspects of competitions that may not have come to mind. At the same
time, I do hope that I can offer some advice to those who wish to travel the competitive path.
An early example of a music competition is found in Greek mythology: Marsyas, playing
a flute made by Athena, challenged the god Apollo to a contest judged by the Muses, the
prize being the winner could treat the loser in any way he wanted. Marsyas, of course, lost
the competition and was flayed alive at the hands of the victorious Apollo. Todays musical
competitions never end with such dire consequences (although a competitor may feel
differently), but the myth does have application even today. The story of Marsyas reveals
the inherent tension at the heart of musical competition: competitions are quantitative
and objective, involving a system of ranking and placement, while music performance is
qualitative and subjective, involving artistry and personal interpretation. Furthermore, the
objective third parties who are charged with making decisions necessarily bring their own
subjective artistic natures to bear on the proceedings. Therefore, to enter into a competition
a musician must decide to subject his or her artistry to objective critical commentarya
decision that should not be made without personal reflection.
Although orchestral auditions are competitions, they can differ from solo competitions
in a number of ways. First, everyone participating in an orchestral audition plays the same
instrument. Some solo competitions function this way, but many double reed players may
choose to enter competitions that involve a variety of disciplines. Second, the repertoire for
an orchestral audition is usually quite narrow and the performer is given no choice; in fact,
audition repertoire can be so predictable that one might guess most of the list before it is
available. In a solo competition, a limited repertoire list might be assigned (such as in the
Gillet-Fox and Young Artist Competitions through the IDRS), but many other competitions
do not function in that manner. Third, the system of quantitative judging in an orchestral
audition can be different from that of a solo competition. An orchestral audition committee
may look for impeccable rhythm, consistent pitch, a sound that fits within the section, and

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REFLECTIONS ON COMPETITIONSFROM A VARIETY OF ANGLES

careful attention to what is on the page before they consider musical personality and interpretation. A competition committee on the other hand, may look for personality, the ability
to bring something new to the page, and that je ne sais quoi that makes a soloist memorable
before analyzing pitch and rhythm. These are broad generalizations that are transcended
by many orchestral auditions and competitions, but I mention them here because they can
provide a context for competition preparation.

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Why Compete?
There are a number of obvious reasons to enter a solo competition: money, prestige, solo
appearances, career advancement, and an opportunity to perform under pressure are merely
the first few that come to mind. I began to enter competitions for all of these reasons, and
also to find out how I stacked up against other musicians my own age.
I participated in my first competition in 1993; during that time the Chicago Symphony
sponsored the Illinois Young Performers Competition, the final round of which was broadcast live on the public television station. Six young musicians were chosen through various
rounds to play a movement of their concerto with the orchestra, and at the end of the broadcast awards were given out. I lived far enough away from Chicago that I had never studied
there or played in the Chicago Youth Symphony, so I thought that this competition might
be a way for me to find out how I measured up to other high school musicians outside of my
hometown. This ended up being the first step on a path of self-discovery for me; although I
was nervous (the preliminary round was held on the stage of what was then called Orchestra
Hall) I enjoyed performing for the judgesand the honorable mention I received was enough
confirmation of my abilities to keep me practicing.

Choosing a Competition
Participation in a competition is not a burden to be borne lightly. A competitor must have
the self-discipline to engage in many hours of study and practice of repertoire required for
preparation. A competitor needs the financial ability to hire a pianist and recording engineer
for a recorded round (if necessary), and to travel to the competition site for the eventoften
a significant expense that may exceed the amount of prize money offered. Most importantly,
a competitor needs to have the emotional maturity to handle the black-and-white, win-orlose culture of the competition circuit.
I always advocate participation in local competitions for young musicians, as they
require a minimum of travel expense and are often more inviting in their structure for new
participants. Regional and national competitions expand the cohort of possible competitors and increase the time and money required for participation, but often provide greater
rewards and recognition.
International competitions present their own set of concerns to a prospective entrant.
The cost of international travel and the time required to navigate the visa process (if required)
are both significant. In addition, the standards for single-instrument solo competitions are
much different between the United States and Europe: European competitions usually require
a greater breadth of repertoire and may have a final round with orchestra, while American
competitions often have a narrower repertoire and offer performance with piano only. There
are many different timbres and styles of playing across various countries and continents,
so much so that it can seem like competitors who ostensibly play the same instrument are
really playing different ones. International competitions occasionally require a work from
a composer of the host countrysometimes these works are provided to entrants, but

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85

other times they are not, and the style of these works may be outside the comfort zone of
an international competitor.
In researching past competitions, one finds the division between American and European
winners in international competitions striking: in the listing of oboe and bassoon laureates
at competitions part of the Geneva-based World Federation of Music Competitions, not a
single American is listed as having won a top prize in their affiliate competitions (although
there may be other competitions that I have missed). However, a review of the Gillet-Fox
competition finalists reveals that American double-reed players are much more successful
on their own soil. This is perhaps due more to the cost of travelling overseas for a competition than to any lack of talent within the American competitors.

Repertoire
There are five types of repertoire requirements that one generally finds in competitions:

No matter the type of competition, it is imperative that the competitor fulfills the repertoire demands of the competition exactly as stated. If a competition calls for certain repeats
to be observed in performance, make sure you observe them; if only certain movements of a
longer work are called for, make sure you supply only those movements; if a contemporary
work after 2000 is called for, confirm the date of composition of your chosen work before
programming it. In this sense, solo competitions are like orchestral auditions: once the
competition announces its repertoire requirement, one must be prepared to operate within
it no matter ones own personal preference.
When it comes to recital-style competitions where a soloist has a great degree of freedom,
I would encourage an entrant to look at lists of repertoire from a variety of competitions
these can be found online at various competitions websites, or in back issues of IDRS
publications. Choose repertoire that is appropriate for the level of the competition: for a
bassoonist, the Bourdeau Premier Solo may be an old favorite, but it is rarely appropriate
for professional level competitions.
I encourage anyone entering a recital-style competition to choose one work that you
own: a piece in which you believe strongly and that allows you to demonstrate your own
personal voice. It does not matter if the work is a widely known piece: the goal is to have
at the foundation of the program one work that you have lived with for a long period of
time. The rest of the program should balance well-known and lesser-known works across a
spectrum of styles and time periods.
One note about memorization: if you are going to play a concerto from the standard
repertoire in a competitionespecially those competitions in which you will be competing
against many different types of instrumentsperformance from memory should be considered
compulsory. As double-reed players we already have our work cut out for us in competitions
open to all instruments, so we must at least meet the challenge of memorization if we wish to

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1. a fixed repertoire list (such as the IDRS Gillet-Fox and Young Artist Competitions)
2. a choice of specific works from short, sorted lists (ARD International and Prague
Spring Competitions)
3. a hybrid of first two (the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition has a fixed preliminary
list that carries over to the final round with the addition of another work chosen
from a broad list)
4. repertoire based on a formal or time constraint (such as a single concerto for
many concerto competitions)
5. recital programs (Concert Artists Guild and Astral Artists Auditions)

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REFLECTIONS ON COMPETITIONSFROM A VARIETY OF ANGLES

be taken seriously by the jury. Note that many European competitions require memorization
(the 2014 Prague Spring Competition requires memorization of the Schumann Romances and
the Mozart Concerto for oboists, and both the Weber and Hummel concerti for bassoonists).
One mistake many young competitors make is that they try to guess what repertoire
the judges want to hear. I spoke at a class at a major conservatory about competitions, and
a clarinetist asked me if the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto arranged for clarinet was a good
idea to program for a competition. This clarinetist was under the impression that in order
to please the judges, one had to play one of the big Romantic concerti that often win competitions; however, the absurdity of a single clarinetist trying to slog through the solo part
of the Tchaikovsky would be so ridiculous that I doubt any judge would take it seriously.
For my preliminary-round recital program for the Concert Artists Guild competition
in 2002, the requirements were a forty-five minute program containing the first movement
of a major concerto from memory and at least one work written after 1970; the rest could
be chosen at my own discretion. My lived-in work was the Previn Sonata, which fulfilled
the post-1970 requirement; the first movement of the Mozart Concerto fulfilled the other
requirement. I tried to balance the rest of the program with repertoire of different eras: the
last two movements of the Weber Concerto, the Saint-Sans Sonata, and Patrice Fouillauds
unaccompanied Volumen (which contains a number of contemporary techniques). The
presence of a guiding voice in repertoire selection is valuable: my teacher, Frank Morelli,
pointed out my strengths in some repertoire and weaknesses in others, and showed me the
way to maximize my potential. For anyone entering a competition, seeking advice from a
respected mentor is often the best start to making ones repertoire choices.
For the final round, I was to perform twenty minutes of music; my initial reaction was
that I had to include the first movement of the Mozart Concerto, as it is the standard bassoon
concerto. I remember speaking with Mr. Morelli about this, who reminded me that Mozart
was never the most comfortable for me and that Weber fit my musical personality much
better. He was right, of course: I ended up performing the Fouillaud, the first two movements of the Saint-Saens, the last movement of the Previn, and the last two movements of
Weberleaving the most standard work off the program entirely.

Preparation
If there is a recorded round, make sure you check the repertoire requirements and fulfill all
of them. Sometimes this will be the same repertoire as the final round; other times it will
be different. Remember that the recording should be as strong as possible: it is your ticket
into the final round (I have learned this the hard way). Preliminary round judges, however,
will often forgive a missed note here and there if a real musical personality is evident in the
recording. As a preliminary judge of the Gillet-Fox Competition in 2010, my primary criterion when listening for the first time was would I like to hear more of this person? Upon
subsequent listenings to those recordings to which I had a positive reaction I was able to dive
deeper into the specific details of pitch, rhythm, and technique in order to create a ranking.
Prior to the live round, create performance opportunities for yourself in order to present
your repertoire as often as possible to different listeners. A teacher is a valuable resource
but he or she is often concerned with reeds, fingerings, and other instrument-specific issues.
Find an audience (like the judges of the competition) who will not pay attention to any of
those thingsmusicians who do not play your instrument are great resources to help assess
your performance on its own merits.
For the live round, make sure all repertoire is prepared thoroughly. Do not second-guess
the judges and what they may choose to hear. For the Gillet-Fox Competition, the judges

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choose the portions of repertoire they wish to hear the morning of the performanceand
they may or not follow traditional expectations. Everything on the list is fair game.

On Stage Presentation

Aftermath
For every competition one wins, one loses many moreit is simply the nature of competition
itself, and my experience has been no exception. The performer cannot control the thinking
of the juryperhaps poor Marsyas would not have met his grisly end if he could have read
the minds of the Muses. What the performer can control, however, is his or her reaction
and behavior after the results are announced.
Every musician entering a competition harbors some hope that he or she will take home
the top prize, so not winning brings with it a natural blow to the ego. Ideally, a competitor
could find a way use the experience of non-winning as a chance for self-reflection and growth.
One tool I found particularly useful (both in competitions and orchestral auditions) was
making notes on my performance and my feelings about it immediately following the competition round. I would also encourage any entrant to seek out judges comments, although
this should be done with grace and humilityand in deference to the judges expertise. Some
judges may not wish to share their thoughts, and this is a decision the competitor should
respect. Talk to the winner and find out about his or her background, and hear him or her
perform if possiblethe collegiality such engagement fosters is one of the greatest runnerup prizes a competition can offer.
And what if you win? That is a question surprisingly few competitors ask themselves
(myself included). Does the competition carry with it some performance obligations, and
are you available to complete them? Are you hardy enough to hold up to the scrutiny that
your future performances may be subjected to now that you have had a competition success?

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Major consideration must be given to presentation within the competition experience. Some
competitions will put up a screen in initial live rounds in order to protect the anonymity of
the competitor, but in my experience these have been the exception. More often than not, a
competitor will be face-to-face with his or her jury. Many competitions even open up their
doors to the general public to observe. A competitor needs to understand the advantages of
presenting oneself in the best possible light and have a plan to do so.
I had not thought too much about presentation until the night before the Concert
Artists Guild competition finals, which recommended participants speak from the stage to
the audience (as is required in the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition). I was fumbling with
devising quasi-historical program-note-like descriptions of each piece and hit a dead end. My
teacher, Frank Morelli, came to the rescue once again and pointed me in the right direction:
keep it short, light, and show my personality without having the words substitute for the
performance. After the prizes were awarded, I had a jury member tell me that when I walked
on stage with a smile and began talking she wanted me to win before hearing a notein my
case, a good presentation set a positive tone for the performance to follow.
If a competitor is uneasy on stage the judges will see it immediately and react negatively.
In a final round, all of the remaining competitors have proven themselves worthy of winning
a top prize, so a dour stage presence can be deadly. At that point in the competition the
judges are envisioning the performer on stage during a recital, as a concerto soloist, or as a
collaborator in chamber music; a judge will be hard-pressed to give their vote to a musician
who comes across as inaccessible and unengaged.

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REFLECTIONS ON COMPETITIONSFROM A VARIETY OF ANGLES

One may think you know the answers, but a little reflection will go a long way in enhancing
the joy of winning.
Lastly, I wish to provide the single most important piece of advice I can give to any
competitor: when you are at the competition, you must strive to be the nicest person in the
room. Be friendly to the judges, the other competitors, your teachers, your families, the other
competitors teachers and families, the competition organizers and administrators, your
pianist and other collaborating musicians, your hosts (if housing is provided), any members
of the press who may be in attendance, audience members, etc. If you show respect to all
those who have made your participation in the competition possible, everyone involved will
come away with positive feelings no matter who takes home first prize.

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Peter Kolkay is the Associate Professor of Bassoon at the Blair School

of Music at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. He is an Artist
of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the recipient of
an Avery Fisher Career Grant. Dr. Kolkay studied with Frank Morelli,
John Hunt, and Monte Perkins. He was the winner of the 2002 Concert
Artist Guild Competition and the William C. Byrd Competition. He
was not as successful at a number of other competitions, which he will
decline to enumerate here.

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Joseph Sellner Praises Henri Brods

New Gouging Machine
Carol Padgham Albrecht
Moscow, Idaho

Machine for Making Oboe and Bassoon Reeds

Monsieur Brod has invented a very ingenious machine by which an artist who is
less expert, less skilled, still a child, can make reeds for the oboe and the bassoon
as perfectly as the most skilled instrument maker [luthier], and further, at a speed
which cannot be equaled by any other manner of construction.
All it takes to put this machine into action is to turn a handle. This rotational
movement produces the following results:

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magine a world without the gouging machine. Even if you buy your cane already processed, you are the beneficiary of a significant advance in technology: an industrial age
device that converts stalks of arundo donaxan agricultural productinto cane that
can be turned into playable double reeds, with a predetermined thickness more or less consistent from one piece of cane to another. Although we may complain about inconsistencies
of machine and material, imagine attempting this process freehand, your only tools being
a hand gouger and a scraper, plus of course a steady hand and a good eye. In the second
volume of his famous Mthode pour le hautbois (Paris, 1835), Henri Brod describes this
hand process. He depicts the gouger (la gouge), essentially a handle with a crescent-shaped
end piece, which serves to hollow out the cane . . . its curve is a portion of a circle nearly the
same diameter as the cane which one uses for oboe reeds, that is to say, 10-11 millimeters.
Used along with this is a scraper (grattoir), with a rounded blade at each end. These blades
are very thin and rounded, following the same curvature as the gouger, and are used to
polish and make smooth the cane already hollowed out [by hand] by the gouger.1
Henri Brod (1799-1839) was one of the stars of the early 19th-century oboe world. A
student of Gustave Vogt at the Conservatoire de Paris, he won the premier prix in 1818,
then established his career in Paris as an orchestral player (cited variously as holding positions at the Opra, or Acadmie Royale de Musique, and the Thtre Italien). As a member
of the Socit des Concerts du Conservatoire, founded in 1828, he was among the first to
play Beethovens orchestral works in France. Like most virtuosi of his day, Brod composed
concert works for his instrument, but also published three woodwind quintets, hard on the
heels of Antoine Reichas innovative models of this genre.2 But Brod also had a scientific
and mechanical bent. His first biographer, Ftis, states that Monsieur Brod is also seriously
occupied with perfecting the instrument through the principles of acoustics and the rational
division of the tube. In pursuit of greater tonal consistency and mechanical ease he added
an octave key, a half-hole mechanism, and, to eliminate the characteristic harshness of the
lower register, extended the length of the tube to low b (even low a on some instruments).3
And in addition to modernizing the instrument itself, Brod turned his attention to mechanizing the reed-making process. By 1834 he had developed not only a shaper, but a gouging
machine, tools that we now take for granted. News of this recent invention soon spread
beyond Paris, to Vienna, where Joseph Sellner, oboe professor at the local conservatory,
published a ringing endorsement of Brods new work, which is the subject of this article.
To lay a little groundwork, in the July 13, 1834 edition of his Revue Musicale, Ftis
announced Brods latest technological innovation:

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JOSEPH SELLNER PRAISES HENRI BRODS NEW GOUGING MACHINE

1. The reed cane is cut into lengths;

2. Then it is hollowed out with a precision that would be impossible to obtain by the
ordinary process, and which leaves nothing to be desired. Whatever the diameter
of tube cane that is used, it is compelled to take that of the machine.
3. A tool similar to a quill cutter [taille-plume] serves to give the reeds a shape which
is always the same, and is uniformly set to the same dimensions;
4. One places a tube on a mandrel, turned by the same handle; the prepared cane
is placed there, so that by tightening a screw which fastens it onto the same tube,
and which on the other side taking the end of a silk cord, one only has to turn to
tighten the ligature: the reed cannot fail to be formed equally on each side.
We have before our eyes some reeds which have been made according to this
process and which in regard to neatness and consistency prevail over all those we
have seen before.
M. Brod can provide all artists who play the oboe or the bassoon with these
machines which will save them much trial and error and fruitless labor.4

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Although Brod seems not to have toured widely, in December of 1835 he made a trip to
Vienna. On December 17, Adolf Buerles Allgemeine Theaterzeitung reported:
The day before yesterday, on the 14th [recte: 15th] of this month, before the performance of the ballet Adelheid von Frankreich [Adelaide of France] in the Krntnertor
Theater there was a musical academy [concert] in which Hr. Heinrich Brod, first
oboist of the Italian Theater in Paris and of the Royal Academy of Music, presented
two numbers. The first, Phantasie on a Theme by [Peter] Winter (the well-known
duo Wenn mir dein Augen strahlet from the opera Das unterbrochene Opferfest),
was universally appealing, generating a very favorable opinion of this artists facility,
tone and method.5 A melting tone in soft passages and the sustained singing of the
instrument is the prevailing side of this soloist, who also proved to be very expert
and tasteful in his variations. The second fantasy, entitled Erinnerung an die Gebirge
von Savoyen (!) [Memories of the Mountains in Savoy], was tiresome in its monotony,
its endless shawm-playing seemingly to show the oboe as a less grateful concert
instrument, particular in its undue length without developing a particular artistic
character. In addition it seemed to this reviewer that the soloist often lacked a sense
of rhythm, and used tempo rubato all too mucha condition of which he was guilty
more than once, because of the difficulty of the composition (which, by Hr. F. Brod,
alludes to a namesake).6 The concert giver, particularly in the first number, was often
interrupted by applause, and was called back after each Fantasie.7
If the reviewer seems blunt, this was often the case with Viennese music criticism. But
Brods concert also had the misfortune of following a recent performance, on Sunday, December
13, by one of Viennas most popular oboists, Ernest Krhmer, along with his clarinettist wife,
Caroline Krhmer, ne Streicher, in the Gesellschaft der Musikfreundes concert hall.8 After
opening with Beethovens second overture to Fidelio (Leonore Overture No. 3),
Hr. Ernst [sic] Krhmer played an original Divertissement of his own composition. His
performance demonstrated beauty of expression, great security, and clarity in equal
measure, and it was thoroughly evident that he is an artist whose intention was not
to produce momentary calculated effects, but rather, with his self-possession and

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Figure 1. Brods Viennese concert announcement, December 15,1835

Evidently Brod paid a call on one of Viennas other leading oboists: Joseph Sellner.
Viewing these two artists side by side, there are some interesting parallels, as well as contrasts.
Although born in Paris, Brod was identified in the review of a performance in Strasbourg as
from Alsacesuggesting perhaps a familial origin from this region, linguistically French,
but with strong German cultural roots as well.10 Sellner was born May 5, 1787, in Landau, in
the Rhineland-Palatinate, an area that was originally German, but was under French control
from 1680 until the end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815.11 According to Sellners biographical
entry in Schillings Encyclopdie, his father left French military service in 1792 and went
over to the Austrian side (although it does not specify where the family actually resided
after that). Whereas Brod had a systematic conservatory education, including initial study
in solfge and oboe lessons from one of Europes leading masters, Sellner was largely selftaught, learning several instruments on his own, supplemented by theoretical instruction after
beginning his career. He studied flute with a mediocre teacher for a short time, beginning
about age six, then some violin. Then, barely fifteen years old, Sellner joined an Austrian
military regiment (presumably as a bandsman) where he taught himself the trumpet, horn,
clarinet, and apparently the oboe. He became proficient to the extent that he found a job as
Kapellmeister on the estate of an unnamed Hungarian count, where he played first oboe in
the wind band (Harmoniemusik) and first violin in the counts string quartet. For a short
time after leaving military service Sellner studied theory in Prague, returning to this city in
1813 to spend three years as first oboist in the Estates Theater, working with Carl Maria von
Weber, and studying theory and composition on the side with Wenzel Johann Tomaschek.12
In 1817, after Weber had left the Prague opera company in a state of disenchantment,
Sellner set out on a tour to Italy, but stopped en route in Vienna, established himself as one

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zeal, to be regarded as a musician of genuine substance. We must judge Hr. Krhmer

in this light, and he will never lack for genuine approval.9

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JOSEPH SELLNER PRAISES HENRI BRODS NEW GOUGING MACHINE

of the citys leading virtuosi in various public concerts, and remained there until his death,
on May 17, 1843. Like Brod, Sellner composed concert works to showcase his soloistic talents,
and apparently acquired an orchestral position at the Theater an der Wien. This theater, still
standing today, was built just outside the city walls as a replacement for the much smaller
Theater auf der Wieden, the stage for which Mozart composed Die Zauberflte. When the
new theater opened on June 13, 1801, it was widely hailed as one of the largest, most opulent,
and technologically advanced stages in all of German-speaking Europe, and gave Viennas
two official court theaters, the Burgtheater and the Krntnerthor Theater, some very stiff
competition. When touring virtuosi gave concerts in any of these theaters, members of the
house orchestra would generally provide the accompaniment. Thus, on September 15, 1819,
when the soprano Mad. Elizabeth Feron appeared at the Theater an der Wien, the orchestra
provided not only accompaniment for the soloist, but an overture (from Mhuls Gabrielle
dEstres) and, for aural variety, an instrumental solo as well. The Andante with Variations
for Oboe was very well performed by its composer, Herr Sellner. The composition deserves
all praise, the theme is lovely, the first and the adagio variation outstanding, and the others
provide an opportunity for bravura. This virtuoso was briskly applauded and called back.13
Sellner was well established in the hierarchy of Viennese oboists, and soon became a
member of the prestigious Hofkapelle, or Court Chapel, with responsibilities for providing
music for the emperors household occasions and worship services in the imperial private
chapel. Brod held a similar position with the Chapelle Royale in Paris. But Sellners most
influential role undoubtedly was that of oboe professor at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreundes
new Conservatorium, announced in May of 1821.14 Although the administration encouraged
its faculty to use method books from the Conservatoire in Paris, Sellner, ever resourceful,
seems to have preferred to develop his own material, the Theoretisch-praktische Oboe-Schule
(Vienna: Leidesdorf, ca. 1825). Although not an instrument maker per se, Sellner had a strong
interest in improving the oboe. In partnership with the Viennese woodwind maker Stephan
Koch (1772-1828) he developed the thirteen-key oboe, which has served as the model for the
instrument still used in Vienna today. It stands to reason, then, that he would need a method
book that would utilize the new keywork on the Sellner-Koch oboe! Unfortunately, though,
Sellner is far less loquacious than Brod when it comes to the specifics of reed making. In
fact, he comes close to passing the buck on the subject: There are so many treatises on the
preparation of reeds, and the material from which one has to choose is so generally known
that it hardly seems necessary to speak of it here . . . . He then proceeds with some fairly
general remarks about selecting suitable cane and the necessity of creating reeds with a wide
dynamic range and a beautiful sound. But apparently he and Brod spent some productive
time with reed-making shop talk, resulting in the following essay by Sellner which appeared
in the Allgemeine Theaterzeitung on May 4, 1836,15 given in translation here, in full:
From the Musical World.
The universal complaint by oboists over the lack of good cane is well known, and
surely has been around as long as the instrument has been in use. All kinds of attempts
have been made to fashion reeds from durable materials such as brass, silver and
other metals, but these remain as just attempts, and to my knowledge nothing yet
has been discovered that could replace reed cane, the only substances from which
reeds have been made, and it is not likely that any kind of metal or wood that could
do this would be discovered. This is why oboists in the future will still have to make,
or have made, the reeds they need from reed cane, which is still considered the
only suitable material. And the inconvenience of their short life span, as well as the
canes inconsistency in regard to strength or weakness, easier or harder response,
etc., along with the prevailing procedure of making them, never will be eliminated.

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The oboe has been a perpetual victim of the greatest difficulties in this regard,
which is largely why this beautiful instrument, the most indispensible of all the wind
instruments in the orchestra, for some time has become quite rare, and in many an
otherwise good orchestra is truly mishandled. The lack of a method book to meet the
demands of the time was also a not insignificant reason for the decline of this instrument, and caused me some twelve years ago to publish my Theoretische=praktische
Oboe=Schule, which since then has found complete approval both at home and
abroad.16 In this method book I have conscientiously set forth everything that long
years of experience have taught me about the effective handling of this instrument, as
well as the properties of reeds, for the sake of furthering the oboe, and now I have the
duty of making oboists aware of a new invention which is of the greatest importance
for them, and which will bring about the most welcome results for their instrument.
Herr Brod, an outstanding mechanician, as well as first oboist of the Royal
Academy of Music in Paris, has invented a machine by which one can produce oboe
reeds from the familiar reed cane perfectly, in an extremely easy manner, and which
heretofore has been impossible to do freehand, and Hr. Brod is working on a similar
machine for bassoon and English horn cane. I had just barely heard of this invention
when I turned to the inventor with a request for a description of the machine.17 Hr.
Brod was so kind as to give me the desired information, and offered as a colleague to
make a cane [processing] machine like this, provided I had the patience to wait for it.
The patience of an oboist who, like me, has fashioned his own reeds for many years
is well proven; therefore I asked Hr. Brod, despite its significant cost, to make one of
these machines for me, and since for a long time he was prevented from making a
new one, the inventor sent me his own machine. After Hr. Brods earlier description
I was expecting a great deal from it, and yet the machine itself has greatly exceeded
my expectations.
If one knows, when gouging the reed cane freehand, how difficult and yet how
important it is to achieve the proper uniformity and thickness in order to produce a
suitable reed, then it is truly gratifying to see with what security, how easily and how
simply the machine accomplishes this important task. It is unerring and incapable
of gouging two reeds unequally, though one can generate reeds of various strengths
or weaknesses as desired.
Along with this important achievement the machine also has a mechanism to cut
the wood into proper lengths, as well as another one to give the cane a consistent
shape, so that nothing remains for the free hand but to bind the cane, which the
machine has unerringly cut, gouged, and shaped, onto the staple and to scrape the
so-called tongue. If reeds from a single type of wood are fashioned by such means
in respect to the thickness of the wood and the shape, it follows that the response
of the tone itself must all be perfectly alike (the scraping of the reed presents no difficulty, since the cane is gouged with perfect consistency), and it will be quite obvious
to any oboist what an advantage this would be, for one of the instruments greatest
difficulties will be eliminated. There is no doubt that the inventor of the machine, Hr.
Brod, will receive the proper recognition, and that the machine subsequently will
come into universal use. Nevertheless, this may not happen as soon as desirable, in
that on the one hand Hr. Brod needs two to three months to make such a machine,
and this work seems to be more of a sideline for him, and on the other hand not every
oboist is in a position to make such a significant [financial] outlay. Thus, inspired by
the wish for all oboists to enjoy the benefits of constantly good and consistent cane,
and if they can be satisfied with twelve pieces at a time, I am offering these twelve
pieces of cane at a price of 4 florins C.M.18

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JOSEPH SELLNER PRAISES HENRI BRODS NEW GOUGING MACHINE

I am not inclined to make this into a business in itself, and am convinced that
an oboist can manage for a long time with twelve such pieces of cane, in that there
is not the usual situation where only two or three out of twelve pieces are useable,
but rather, without exception all of them are good, so in this case a dozen might
be sufficient to satisfy any oboist for some time. For regimental band masters
[Capellmeisters] this cane may be particularly desirable, as it will save so much time
lost to preparation, since every piece which comes out of the machine can be used
just as is. Please remit with postage-paid letters to the undersigned. Letters lacking
postage must be refused, as well as orders for more than twelve pieces of cane at a
time. Vienna, April 1836.

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Joseph Sellner, Member of the Imperial Royal Court Chapel and Professor of Oboe
at the Conservatory of Music in Vienna. Laimgrube, No. 171.19

Carol Padgham Albrecht is associate professor of music history

and oboe at the University of Idaho, and co-principal oboist with
the Washington Idaho Symphony. She holds bachelors and masters
degrees in oboe from North Texas State University, and a Ph.D. in
Musicology/Ethnomusicology from Kent State University. Her oboe
teachers include Noah Knepper, Richard Henderson, Charles
Veazey, Felix Kraus, and John Mack. In addition to articles on
Viennese opera singers and music criticism, she is the author of
Aus Wien nach Cleveland: The Kindertransport Story of Felix
Kraus (transversal: Zeitschrift fr Jdische Studien, Vol. 12, 2011).

Endnotes
1 Brod depicts these tools as figures 2 (gouger) and 3 (scraper). Peter Hedrick, Henri Brod
on the Making of Oboe Reeds, The Journal of the International Double Reed Society
6 (1978): 8. They are also illustrated in Geoffrey Burgess and Bruce Haynes, The Oboe
(New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2004), 158.
For a facsimile edition of Brods famous pedagogical work, see Michel Giboureau,
ed., Hautbois Mthodes-Traits-Dictionnaires et Encyclopdies: Srie II France 1800-1860,
3 vols. (Paris: ditions Jean-Marc Fuzeau, 2003), Vol. 2.
2 For a discussion of the genesis of the woodwind quintet in early 19th-century Paris, as
well as an excellent biographical sketch, see L. Jonathan Saylors introduction to Henri
Brod, Three Woodwind Quintets (Madison, Wisconsin: A-R Editions, 2008).
3 F. J. Ftis, Brod (Henri), Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie gnrale
de la musique, 8 vols. (Brussels: Meline, Cans et Compagnie, 1835-44), Vol. 2, 315-16.
Ftis more widely known second edition of this work repeats this earlier article nearly
verbatim.
4 F. J. Ftis, Varits: Machine faire les anches de hautbois et de basson, Review musicale
Vol. 8, No. 28 (13 July 1834), 221.
5 When your eyes shine upon me from The Interrupted Sacrifice. Brod may have been
giving a nod to local taste here, for this work, which premiered June 14, 1796, was
composed specifically for the Vienna Court Opera. It quickly became popular throughout
the German-speaking lands, and even saw a production in French at Paris Odon
Theater (October 21, 1824), with additional music arranged by Pierre Crmont and a Hr.

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Vogtpresumably Brods teacher, Gustave Vogt. Alfred Loewenberg, Annals of Opera,

3rd ed. (Totawa, New Jersey: Rowman and Littlefield, 1978), col. 526.
6 The theater playbill for that day clearly states Phantasie, Erinnerung an die Gebirge
von Savoyen, fr die Oboe, componirt von F. Brod, und vorgetragen [performed] by H.
Brod. Theaterzettel Krnthnerthor-Theater 1835 (Vienna: sterreichisches Theater
Museum Bibliothek), 773.042-DTh. Ftis, however, lists the work as La savoyarde, varie
pour hautbois et orchestre, Op. 7. As further verification of authorship, a copy of the
title page (with piano reduction) indicates La Savoyarde/Folie/Pour le Hautbois,/Avec
Accompagnement de Piano/ A Mlle. Eliza Berlot,/Pr H. Brod/de lAcadmie Royale de
Musique/Op. 7. . . . Charles-David Lehrer, A List of Henri Brods Compositions with
a Short Discussion of his Oboe Concertos, Journal of the International Double Reed
Society No. 19 (1991), 5-17.
Apparently Brod was on tour, as he was to perform these two works again, along
with his Duet for Piano and Oboe, in a concert with the tenor Auguste Nourrit February
3, 1836 in Strasbourg. Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung Vol. 38, No. 19 (11 May 1836),
cols. 309-10.
7 Adolf Buerle, ed., Allgemeine Theaterzeitung und Originalblatt fr Kunst, Literatur,
Musik und gefelliges Leben, Vol. 28, No. 251 (17 December 1835), 1002-03, signed Dxr.
8 This was not in the imposing structure of today, opposite Karlsplatz, but in the building
on Tuchlauben known as Zum roten IgelAt the Sign of the Red Hedgehog.
9 Ibid., 1003, signed Heinrich Adami. Krhmer himself consistently signed his name as
Ernest. Theodore Albrecht, Ernest Krhmer und seine Frau Caroline (geb. Schleicher)
musikalische Pioniere in der Wiener Biedermeierzeit, Wiener Oboen-Journal No. 57
(March 2013), 3.
10 Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung Vol. 38, No. 19 (11 May 1836), cols. 309-10.
11 Although indicated in other sources as May 13 or 15, Sellners birth date as recorded in
the Landau register of Catholic births is May 5, 1787. E-mail correspondence, March
11, 2010, to Bernhard Paul (Vienna, Austria) from Elizabeth Martin, Stadtverwaltung
(municipal authority) Laudau in der Pfalz, Archiv und Museum. I would like to thank
Dr. Paul for sharing this information.
12 Gustav Schilling, ed., Sellner, Joseph, Encyclopdie der gesammten musikalischen
Wissenschaften, oder Universal=Lexikon der Tonkunst, 7 vols. (Stuttgart: Franz Heinrich
Khler, 1835-42), Vol. 6, pp. 325-26. Although the article is signed 18, the author is
identified in Sellners obiturary in the Wiener Zeitung (23 June 1834) as Ignaz von Seyfried,
composer and former music director at the Theater an der Wien. Sellner himself was
most likely Seyfrieds informant.
13 Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung Vol. 21, No. 77 (25 September 1819), col. 616.
14 Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung Vol. 23, No. 18 (2 May 1821), col. 315.
15 Joseph Sellner, Aus der Musikwelt, Allgemeine Theaterzeitung und Originalblatt fr
Kunst, Literatur, Musik und gefelliges Leben, ed. Adolf Buerle, Vol. 29, No. 90 (4 May
1836), 359-60. I would like to thank Othmar Barnerth, head of the sterreichisches
Theater Museum Bibliothek, for making this material available.
16 By demands of the time, Sellner is probably referring to new fingering combinations
associated with the instrument he had developed with Stephan Koch. His oboe method
recently had been published in France: Methode pour le hautbois compose par Joseph
Sellner. Artiste de la Chapelle de S. M. lEmp. dAutriche et Prof.r au Conserv.re de Vienne.
Traduite de lAllemand par Monsieur Heller et Revue par Fouquier[,] Artiste du Theatre
royal de lOpra Italien (Paris: Richault, ca. 1835).

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17 For an illustration of Brods gouging machine from the Royal Conservatory of Music
in Brussels, see http://brusselsmimoboecollection.kcb.be/instrument-checklist/1674/
(photograph by Anne Deknock; accessed 1/20/2014).
18 Conventions-Mnze, the Austrian currency of the time. By way of comparison, a years
subscription to the periodical itself, including full-color fashion plates, cost 20 florins
C.M.
19 This address was located just outside the old city walls (todays Ringstrae) in the
Laimgrube Hauptstrae (todays Maria Hilferstrae), across from the K. K. (Imperial
Royal) Caserne and the Hofstallung (Imperial Stables), just around the corner from the
Theater an der Wien.

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Sound Characterization of a New Experimental

Bassoon: the Bassoforte
Timo Grothe
Erich Thienhaus Institut, Hochschule fr Musik Detmold
Detmold, Germany

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ased on an idea of Guntram Wolf, an interdisciplinary

team of musical instrument makers, engineers,
and musicians developed a new bassoon. The first
fully playable prototype of the new instrumentcalled the
Bassofortehas been tested at the Hochschule fr Musik
Detmold, where the present author carried out a series of
acoustical measurements to characterize the Bassoforte in
comparison to the modern German bassoon.
In 2009, Guntram Wolf came up with the idea to develop
a wind band bassoon. Adopting design principles Wolf along
with Benedikt Eppelsheim of Munich had already successfully brought into practice with the Contraforte and more
recently the Lupophon, this series of modern double-reed
instruments should now be completed with the Bassoforte.
The development of this new bassoon-like instrument was
accompanied by an interdisciplinary research initiative at the
Technische Universtitt Dresden, where the present author
had at that time worked on double-reed research during
his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Roger Grundmann.
The practical development process of the new instrument as well as some of the modern German bassoons
peculiar acoustical properties (including air column and
tone hole concept) that have inspired the Bassofortes design
have already been reported in German in Rohrblatt and in
English in Double Reed News (British Double Reed Society).1
This article presents a comparison of the sounds of the
bassoon and the Bassoforte using the first fully playable
prototype of the new instrument.

Specifications of the Bassoforte

So that the reader may better understand and interpret the
measurement results, a short overview of the Bassoforte
will be given here, along with some of the objectives that
led to its invention.
At the heart of the development of the Bassoforte was
Guntram Wolfs wish to make an instrument for bassoonists
to play in a wind band. To compete with the brass instruments, it should play louder and have a clearer sound color
than the modern bassoon. The new instrument should

Figure 1a. The

Bassoforte (r) next
to a modern German
bassoon.

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SOUND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW EXPERIMENTAL BASSOON: THE BASSOFORTE

provide an even and stable tuning through a logical

fingering system. (After all, the instrument should still
be intuitive for bassoonists to play.) And, the instrument should preserve the typical double reed sound.
As it became obvious that achieving a greater dynamic
range and clearer sound required a drastic redesign of
the bore and tone-hole concept, a larger objective arose:
to design a new air column that overcomes some of the
intonation troubles inherent in the modern Heckel/
Almenrder concept.
After many tone hole calculations and recalculations,
laboratory measurements on simple mock-ups, and
development of manufacturing strategies and special
tooling, the initial ideas came to fruition in this first
version of the Bassoforte.
Widening the conical bore created a greater dynamic
range and tonal volume (the Bassoforte has a taper of
1/56 compared to the 1/70 typical for bassoons). The bore
was elongated, extending the bass range by a semitone to
Figure 1b. Reeds for bassoon (l)
A1. Manufactured of maple, this first version Bassoforte
and Bassoforte (r).
is considerably heavier than the bassoon and so comes
with a spike to rest on the floor for convenient playing.
The tone holes are short and wide and fully operated by keys. This helped in making a
more ergonomically convenient keywork. As shown in Figure 2, the positions of the fingers
are identical to what would be used on the bassoon. However, the Bassoforte has four additional keys (marked by bold characters in the following picture):
E f : No fork fingering is needed for E f3. The E f key operates an E f hole.
A: The B f1 hole is closed by the little finger of the left hand, to play the lowest
A1 (all holes closed).
o (octave key): Contrary to the bassoon, the Bassofortes piano hole (whisper key)
is closed by default. To overblow the octave, press this octave key to open the
piano hole. The additional action of the right hand for notes higher than C4 is
obsolete (Cs4F4 are fingered like Cs3F3 with additionally pressed octave
key).
f (flageolet key): This key opens the flageolet hole on the bocal, some centimeters
downstream of the reed which facilitates overblowing to the twelfth (Fs4-C5 is
fingered like B3-F4, using the flageolet key instead of the octave key).
The Bassofortes fingering system is different but logical, requiring less finger action in the
right hand for the overblown notes. It overcomes the need for the many odd helper fingerings
that are needed on a German bassoon to establish proper intonation.2

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Figure 2. The Keywork of the Bassoforte. The four extra keys are marked
with bold characters (Ef, A, o, f).

Scientific Study
The completion of the fully playable prototype enabled the following comparative in vivo study.
Acoustical Measurements
Four different measurement methods were applied to both the bassoon and the Bassoforte:
1) Measurement of acoustic input impedance to determine the air column resonances
2) Calibrated sound pressure measurements of single notes in a reverberant chamber
to determine the upper dynamical limit
3) Measurements with an acoustic camera in a concert hall.
4) Studio recordings of music to investigate sound color by means of spectral
characteristics.

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Figure 3. Acoustic impedance curves of four notesB f1 (f0= 59 Hz), B f2 (f0= 117 Hz), F3 (f0=175
Hz), and B f3 (f0= 235 Hz)for bassoon and Bassoforte. The curves are shifted vertically for
better readability of the plot. Vertical black lines mark the partials of the sounded note.

1) Air column resonances

Although the player influences the sound to a large extent by his reed design, embouchure,
and blowing technique, the intonation properties and the generic sound color of reed wind
instruments are determined by their air column.
Acoustic impedance is the ratio of pressure to acoustic volume flow. It is a local quantity
that, in a pressure antinode of a standing wave, has a maximum because the acoustic volume
flow in the denominator becomes very small. When measuring the acoustic impedance at
the input end of wind instrument resonators, observed peaks in the impedance spectrum
indicate air column resonance frequencies. Near these peak frequencies, vibrations of the
air column are initiated easily because only a very small volume flow amplitude is needed
to establish the pressure standing wave.
The input impedance spectrum is the acoustical fingerprint of the resonator. It is a very
convenient and reliable measure as it can be measured without reed and musician.
Figure 3 shows the acoustic impedance spectra of some corresponding fingerings on
bassoon and Bassoforte. (To produce these plots, the measured impedance curves have been
corrected for reed mouthpiece equivalent volumes; 1.8 cm3 for the bassoon and 3.4 cm3 for
the Bassoforte.) The vertical black lines mark the fundamental frequency and its integer
multiples of the note corresponding to this fingering. It is observed that the first peak of the
Bassoforte accurately matches the fundamental frequency.
Furthermore, due to the greater regularity in its tone-hole grid, the Bassofortes higher
impedance peaks align slightly better to integer multiples of the fundamental. This is an
indication of greater tuning stability.

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As mentioned above, the impedance curve excludes the effect of the musician, and so
the interpretation of these curves is somewhat vague. However, a general and meaningful
difference is clearly observed: the cut-off frequency, which is the threshold above which
sound waves propagate in the air column, is shifted. The cut-off is indicated in the impedance
curves by the occurrence of smaller, irregular peaks. For the bassoon curves shown in Figure
3, the cut-off is found around 500 Hz whereas at the same point the Bassofortes impedance
peaks are still well aligned. This aspect will be further discussed later on.

Bf1

Bf2

F3

Bf3

88.9

93.7

95.1

96.1

Sound pressure
level [in dB(A)]

bassoon
Bassoforte

92.6

92.6

95.2

97.7

Loudness
(in Sone)

bassoon

68.7

78.2

87.3

92.3

Bassoforte

75.7

82.0

97.7

106.1

Table 1. Sound pressure level and loudness of bassoon and Bassoforte notes played in a reverberation chamber

But as the sound of the Bassoforte has much more energy in the higher overtones, it
appears to be significantly louder to our ears. This is reflected in the results for the loudness
(see Loudness in Table 1). Loudness is a psychoacoustic measure that takes the frequency
dependent sensitivity of the ear into account when quantifying perceived dynamic level. It
is measured on the Sone scale, with a doubling in Sones expressing a doubling in loudness
perceived. (This relationship is different in the logarithmic Decibel scale used for A-weighted
sound pressure levels).

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2) Reverberation chamber measurements

To measure the dynamics and sound of the instrument, it is necessary to consider not just
the resonator but the full systemto measure the sound pressure created by the reed
and player in their surrounding acoustic. This then brings up the question of the optimal
microphone position for comparable recording of both instruments.
Generally, the bassoon has a complex radiation pattern, due to the distribution of tone
holes across the long and slim instrument body. The Bassofortes radiation pattern may be
different, since the tone holes are shifted and pads are hanging above all of them. To create
a measurement configuration insensitive to differences in radiation characteristics, we
decided to measure both instruments while they were played in a reverberation chamber.
In such a roomwith oblique, sound-reflecting wallsa diffuse sound field develops. This
means that the air particles are moving randomly without dedicated directions. Therefore,
given a stationary sound excitation, at every position in this room the sound pressure will
be the same. Furthermore, the sound power will be proportional to the square of the sound
pressure.
As we were interested in comparing the sounds of the bassoon and Bassoforte in terms
of their overtone content and measuring the upper dynamic limits of both instruments, the
reverberation chamber at the Erich-Thienhaus Institut of Hochschule fr Musik Detmold
provided an ideal measurement environment. The measurement system was not very convenient
for the player, however, as he was advised to play as loud as he could on both instruments.
Averaging many repetitions of the same note, played and recorded at several positions in the
room with calibrated measurement microphones, we found that the integral sound power
radiated from both instruments is about the same (see Sound pressure level in Table 1).

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Figure 4. Sound spectra of four notesB f1 (f0= 59 Hz), B f2 (f0= 117 Hz), F3 (f0=175 Hz), and B f3
(f0= 235 Hz)played on bassoon and Bassoforte. The curves are shifted vertically for better
readability of the plot.

The sound spectra measured in the reverberation room are shown in Figure 4, where
we can observe that the spectral envelope over the peaks (which characterize the strength
of the overtones) is about the same in the frequencies up to 1 kHz. However, the overtones
in the Bassoforte between 2 and 4 kHz are significantly enhanced as compared to those of
the bassoon.
3) Acoustic camera measurements
For musicians, a much more common surrounding than the reverberation chamber is a
concert hall.
We asked our musician to repeat the experiment in the large concert hall at the Hochschule
fr Musik Detmold. To measure and visualize the sound radiated from the bassoon, we used
an acoustic camera.
An acoustic camera is a two-dimensional array of microphones (we used the system
Noise Inspector by CAE, Gtersloh, Germany, with forty digital MEMS microphones). The
differences in time of flight and in the pressures at the nodes of this array allow for an estimation of the locus of the sound source. The distribution of sound power in a plane parallel
to the array, typically at the same distance as the sound source, can then be calculated. In
the center of the array is a camera, and to its optical image the acoustical image from the
microphone analysis can be overlaid in real time. This allows an intuitive and demonstrative
inspection of the sound field (see the snapshot shown in Figure 5). The frequency range of
the microphone analysis was here adjusted to between 2 and 4 kHz. These visualized sound
measurements confirmed the large dynamical difference between bassoon and Bassoforte
in this frequency band as observed in the previous experiment. Despite the differences
between bassoon and Bassoforte in terms of tone-hole design, their locations relative to the

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Figure 5. Snapshot of acoustic camera recordings of the note D2 (f0 = 73.9 Hz) played on
bassoon (right) and Bassoforte (left) in the concert hall of Hochschule fr Musik Detmold. The
distance between camera and musician is 2.7m, the analyzed frequency band is 2-4 kHz. The
colors display sound pressure levels according to the color bar below the image (in dB SPL).

4) Studio recordings
To compare the sound color of both instruments in more detail, we asked another musician to
play both instruments in a recording studio. Five studio microphones were set up at various
distances from the players position by a professional sound engineer in the recording studio
of Hochschule fr Musik Dresden. To get comparable sound files, the musician was sitting
and trying to keep both instruments in the same position relative to the microphones. In
contrast to the previous single note measurements, we now asked the musician to play a
short piece of his choice.
In the subsequent analysis, we cut short snippets of constant pitch and analyzed the
sound spectrum separately for each of the five recording channels. The process of inspection
of the spectral envelope of the overtones mentioned earlier allows the creation of a timbre
characterization from a formant analysis.
A formant is an elevation in the spectral envelope that occurs when a group of neighboring overtones are pronounced in the spectrum. The center of gravity of this raised
frequency band is the formant frequency. Formants are the reason we can identify vowels
independently of pitch. The existence of one or more formants in a sound and the ratio of
their center frequencies strongly influences timbre perception. A rough characterization of
a complex musical sound can be made by comparing it to the formant frequencies of vowels.
The formant analysis of our bassoon and Bassoforte sounds revealed three formants below
3 kHz. These occur near 500 Hz, 1 kHz, and 2.1 kHz, as shown in Figure 6 (following page).
The shaded regions mark the spread of formant frequencies as observed from the five different microphone positions. Here we can observe two characteristic differences: 1) The

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main bore axis, and in their coverage by keywork, we were not able to identify a significant
difference in radiation characteristics.

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SOUND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW EXPERIMENTAL BASSOON: THE BASSOFORTE

Figure 6. Formant center frequencies in the sounds of bassoon and Bassoforte. The shaded
regions mark the scattering of observed center frequencies from the five different microphone
positions. The dashed horizontal lines mark the center frequencies of the vowels o, , a, and e.3

Bassofortes third formant (around 2 kHz) is higher compared to that of the bassoon. 2) Even
more significantly, the curve of the Bassofortes main formant increasingly shifts from 500
Hz to 750 Hz as it approaches the upper end of the low register. At the register margin, the
formant drops rapidly back to 500 Hz for overblown notes above F3. The main formant of
the bassoon, on the other hand, barely changes for these same notes.
Whereas the energy boost between 2 and 4 kHz and the increased third formant are
individual sound characteristics that give the Bassoforte a recognizably enforced sound
when playing along with the brass instruments of a wind band, the shifting of the main
formant is an indication of an unevenness in timbre. Our ears spectral analysis identifies
this shift easily: The tone color becomes very open and nasal for the notes D3 to F3. This is
definitely an aspect to reconsider when creating a second, refined version of the Bassoforte.
Coming back to the input impedance measurements of the resonator (Figure 3), we
find an interesting relation between the cut-off frequency of the air column and the main
formant center frequency. The importance of the cutoff frequencys impact on timbre has
already been emphasized by Arthur Benade4 but was not studied in a systematic way. The
present results are an indication that the wind instruments rear end (the open tone holes
in the downstream part of the bore after the first open, pitch-determining hole) creates
formants. This hypothesis provides a link between the geometric design of the resonator
and its sound color attributes; a link that can help further developments and may be of use
for a directed sound design.

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Conclusion

Timo Grothe is a trained woodworker fascinated by musical instrument

making. He experimented in self-taught string instrument making (guitar
and cembalo) and later studied mechanical engineering at Technische
Universitt Dresden. As a graduate student, he had the opportunity to
join the research team of Prof. Roger Grundmann, who just had developed
a new bend for the bassoon bocal based on computational fluid dynamics.
For his very recently submitted PhD entitled Experimental Investigations
on Bassoon Acoustics, Grothe developed an artificial mouth for double
reeds, an experimental setup that allows researchers to precisely measure embouchure actions
under realistic playing conditions. Grothe is now at Hochschule fr Musik Detmold, where he
teaches and researches musical acoustics at the Erich Thienhaus Institut (ETI) for Tonmeister.

Acknowledgement
Professor Malte Kob is acknowledged for his support in the measurements carried out at
Hochschule fr Musik Detmold. Thanks to the bassoonists Stefan Pantzier (studio recordings) and Hannes Fritsch (reverberation chamber and concert hall). Maximilian Pauls of
Hochschule fr Musik Dresden carried out the studio recordings. Help with the acoustic
camera was provided by Nico Zurmhlen of CAE.
The Bassoforte is the result of a research agreement between Guntram Wolf Holzblasinstrumente
GmbH, Kronach, and Technische Universitt Dresden. Benedikt Eppelsheim largely

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Standard acoustic measurements provide an insight into the acoustical properties of the
Bassoforte. As compared to the modern German bassoon, it can be shown that the Bassoforte
plays significantly louder and has more overtoneswhich may increase the audibility of
bassoon parts in wind bands. Furthermore, an unevenness in timbre is shown by means
of formant analysis. The results indicate that the acoustical properties of the air column,
namely the cut-off frequency, should be taken into account in further developments of the
Bassofortes tone hole design in an effort to correct unwanted nasality.
Todays orchestral instruments have undergone centuries of development and the
remaining modifications with which instrument makers experiment nowadays are small (if
they experiment at all) and the yielded effects are matters of nuancecertainly important
to musicians, but oftentimes complicated to measure and to understand.
In this context, however, it was a fascinating opportunity for a researcher to study an
instrument such as the Bassoforte, which is a quite drastic redesign when compared to
other state-of-the-art descendants of its family. It is also a testimonial to the spirit of the
company of Guntram and Peter Wolf, which dares to undertake experiments like these: In
order to better understand the performance characteristics and experience the sound of a
new instrument in a musical context, it was crucial to stop doing laboratory measurements
on modified mockups and to instead build a fully playable prototype to be evaluated in vivo
by musicians.
It will certainly require more time to further develop the Bassoforte, but already it has
provided much invaluable experience to the multidisciplinary team who has dared to leave
the beaten path.

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SOUND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW EXPERIMENTAL BASSOON: THE BASSOFORTE

contributed to the Bassofortes acoustical design, and throughout the development Stefan
Pantzier provided valuable advice from the viewpoint of the musician and reed maker.
The contribution of the present author in the development of the Bassoforte was supported
by the German Federal Ministry of Economics (BMWi) in the project ZIM-KF2229603.
Professor Roger Grundmann and Dr. Johannes Baumgart are also gratefully acknowledged
for their scientific support.

Endnotes

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1 Timo Grothe, Das Bassoforte: ein Fagott fr die Harmonie, Rohrblatt 27 (2012): 83-87.
Timo Grothe, The BassoforteA Bassoon for Wind Bands, trans. Michael Johnson,
Double Reed News: The Magazine of the British Double Reed Society, (Summer 2013):
8-12.
2 James Kopp, The Not-Quite-Harmonic Overblowing of the Bassoon, The Double Reed
Vol.29 No.2 (2006): 61-75.
3 Jrgen Meyer, Acoustics and the Performance of Music: Manual for Acousticians, Audio
Engineers, Musicians, Architects and Musical Instruments Makers (Springer, 2009).
4 Arthur Benade, Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics (New York: Dover Publications, Inc.,
1990).

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An Interview with New York Bassoonist

Leonard Hindell
Nora Post
Kingston, New York
New York University Woodwind Day
October 13, 2013
Introduction by Matt Sullivan

Director of Double Reed Studies, New York University

Interview
Nora Post (NP): Good afternoon everyone. Its wonderful to be here with all of you today,
and its a very special honor to be interviewing Leonard Hindell. But before we get started,
I have a little confession to make. I have to admit that in preparing for this interview, I made
a lot of phone calls and sent a lot of e-mails to people. What comes across from everyone
I have contacted and spoken to is that, in addition to being a wonderful musician and a
wonderful bassoonist, you are one of the most gracious colleagues anyone has ever had.
As one person who is here today, Bert Lucarelli, told me, you simply define what being a
gentleman is all about. Its rare for those kinds of words to be said about anyone. So, there is
the biography of what you have achieved, and there is a second biography of who you really
are. Its a great combination.

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Having Nora Post interview the recipient of the Steinhardt Distinguished Artist Award has
become a tradition here at New York University, and is surely the most eagerly awaited moment
of our woodwind days. Over the past few years, Nora has interviewed Ray Still, Humbert
Lucarelli and Loren Glickman. Todays guest is Leonard Hindell, and it is my great pleasure
to introduce him to everyone here today.
Leonard Hindell began his bassoon studies while at the High School of Music and Art
in New York. After graduation, he attended the Manhattan School of Music, where he won
the Harold Bauer Award. Upon graduation in 1964 he joined the Metropolitan Opera
Orchestra. In 1972 he became a member of the New York Philharmonic. He retired from the
Philharmonic in 2005.
Mr. Hindell has given recitals at Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Hall and Merkin Concert
Hall, where he premiered numerous pieces written for him. He served on the committee that
established the Philharmonic Ensembles, a series of chamber music programs featuring
members of the New York Philharmonic in its series at Merkin Concert Hall.
Hindell is on the faculties of the Mannes College The New School for Music, and the
Steinhardt School at New York University. He has given master classes throughout the United
States, South America and Europe.
Lenny Hindell is one of the beloved musicians in the world. We are so thrilled and happy
to have him on our faculty at New York University. On with the show!

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AN INTERVIEW WITH NEW YORK BASSOONIST LEONARD HINDELL

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Lenny Hindell with oboists Allan Vogel (left) and Basil Reeve (right) at a music festival in
Weston, Vermont. 1964.

The Early Days

NP: But, lets start at the beginning. Mr. Hindell attended the High School for Music
and Art in New York, which was started by New Yorks Mayor LaGuardia in 1936, if I
have my numbers right. Its amazing who went through that school in its earlier years.
Two of your best friends there were the oboist Basil Reeve and the flutist Paul Dunkel.
Oboists Leonard Arner and Allen Vogel, bassoonists Bernard Garfield and Arthur
Weisbergits such a Whos Who, and its really unbelievable that all of these musicians
went to the same public high school in Manhattan. So, I wanted to ask what it was like
at the High School of Music and Art in those days. And, as not everyone here today may
know, Leonard Hindell was a clarinetist before he was a bassoonist, so I want to hear
about that, too.
Leonard Hindell (LH): I started the clarinet in the sixth grade, and was later accepted to
the High School of Music and Art. Most of the bassoon players graduated at the end of my
freshman year. My clarinet teacher had left the New York area, and I somehow thought I would
never have such a wonderful clarinet teacher again. So I volunteered to play the bassoon, and
started playing it at the beginning of my sophomore year. At the same time, Abram Kloltzman
had been recommended as my new clarinet teacher. He had been the head of the woodwind
department at Music and Art when it first began, and he was the one who introduced the
bassoon to so many legendary players like Bernard Garfield and Arthur Weisberg. In any
case, at the end of my sophomore year, I was able to get a scholarship to the Henry Street
Settlement School, studying bassoon with Stephen Maxym, who was the principal bassoon
with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. By the time I was a senior, I was doing pretty well
with the bassoon and really progressing with the clarinet. The wonderful thing about Abe
Klotzman was that, like many musicians of his generation, he was an outstanding pianist.

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The bassoon section of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra had an old tradition of imbibing
during the intermissions of Wagners Parsifal. From left to right: Dick Hebert, Hugo
Burghauser, Lenny Hindell, Dave Manchester.

He didnt just tinklehe really played. Studying pieces like the Brahms sonatas with him
opened my mind to so much wonderful music. By the time I was a senior, although I was
doing very well as a clarinetist, I decided (with some good advice) to focus on the bassoon.

The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and The New York Philharmonic

NP: And then if we fast-forward to 1964, you were a senior at Manhattan School and
you took your first audition. It happened to be the second bassoon and contrabassoon
position at the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and you got it. How did this come about?
LH: When the opening came up, Steve Maxym said he thought I should audition for it, but
not to plan on anything happening. With any luck I would not embarrass myself, it would
be a good experience for me, and I might be able to get on the Met sub list. He thought it
would be a very good idea for me to see what professional orchestral auditions were like. So I
had nothing to lose, and went in with no expectations other than hoping to play well. Thats
the advice I give my students when they prepare for auditionsnot to focus on anything
but the music. Dont bring any attention to yourself, dont worry about who else is going to
be playing. Just be in touch with the music and do your best. Thats all anyone can really
do. In any case, I thought I played pretty well, although I was shocked at the results. When
I found out I had won the position, I was so excited I stayed up all night, celebrating with
my roommate at the time.
NP: Of course! In any case, you were with the Met for eight seasons beginning in 1964,
then joined the New York Philharmonic in 1972, and stayed with them until you retired

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NP: So then you went to Manhattan School of Music, where you continued to study with
Steve Maxym?
LH: Right. He was teaching at The Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music. I
was fortunate in that he was just getting interested in teaching at that time, and I was one
of his earlier students. Later he went on to become one of the countrys most distinguished
bassoon teachers.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH NEW YORK BASSOONIST LEONARD HINDELL

Bassoonists from the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra at Cafe des Artistes, across from Lincoln
Center, New York. From left to right: Steve Maxym, Dave Manchester, Lenny Hindell, Dick
Hebert. 1972.

in 2005. So it was two auditions, and two orchestras. There is such a difference between
playing in an opera orchestra and a symphony orchestra. The contrabassoon has such a
prominent part in many operas, for example. I wanted to ask you about that. The contrabassoon has such an important part in Wozzeck, Elektra, Salome, Lulu, Fidelio, and
Der Rosenkavalier. As they all said, Strauss was the first composer who wrote espressivo
for the contrabassoon! Its probably true. You were only twenty-one when you started at
the Met. What was that like?
LH: Well, first Id like to backtrack for a moment and tell you about my predecessor at the
Met. His name was Hugo Burghauser, and he was a wonderful man. He was Viennese, and
before the outbreak of World War II, he was principal bassoon and President of the Vienna
Philharmonic. Like many other European orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic was run
as a cooperative, and the musicians themselves governed the orchestra. He was such a
gentlemanhe was really what you said many of my colleagues have said about me. I must
give credit to so many of the people I met early in life who were extraordinarily supportive
and helpful. They were the ones who showed me that being a fine musician was about more
than just playing well. My predecessor at the New York Philharmonic, Frank Ruggieri,
was another very exceptional human being. In any case, Hugo knew that I was very young
and inexperienced. Of course, he also knew what I would be in for! So he took me to one of
the music libraries and showed me the scores for many of the very exposed contrabassoon
passages, like Salome, Rosenkavalier and Elektra. He explained all the details, and he told
me how each conductor wanted everything played: Heres how Karl Bhm does it. Here you
are in two. Bhm will give you a big upbeat, and that is your entrance. I cant even begin to
explain how helpful and insightful all of that was. In spite of being uncertain and nervous
about my first season, I felt somewhat prepared. My first real test that year was when Salome
came up with Bhm conducting. That was the first time I was really on the spot. Being a little

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guy, I was sitting with the contrabassoon in front of me. Bhm wanted to know where the
contrabassoonist was! Once he was convinced I was really there, we went through it, and it
went very well. Then, at the end of the passage, one of my dear colleagues, the English horn
player Richard Nassalthough I could have killed him at the timeannounced to Bhm
that was the very first time I had ever played Salome. Bhm was very nice about it, and suggested we play it one more time, which we did. That was my first real trial by fire at the Met.
It was wonderful to play so many of the great German operas with Bhmthe Strauss and
Wagner operas, for example.

NP: Before we leave the subject of the Metropolitan Opera, I wanted to ask you about
the hours you worked there. Back when you started, there was only one orchestra (today
the orchestra is essentially divided into two groups), and you played almost every service.
LH: When I first joined the Met, we were contracted to play seven performances a week. By
the time I left, we were required to play five. On Saturdays, there was the national broadcast
in the afternoon, and then an evening performance. But because of the wind instrumentation, it was very rare that seven performances would include the full wind instrumentation.
So, in the course of a week, maybe there would be four or five operas that called for three
or four bassoons, and maybe two that had only two bassoons. So, it was easier for the wind
players to manage some time off. The string players often went for a week and a half or two
weeks without a night off. And there were rehearsals every day, as well. The season was a bit
more than forty weeks when I joined. A year or two later it became fifty-two weeks. When
I left the Met, players were contracted for five performances a week. Now they play four
performances a week.
NP: So when you do the math on this, the load is down by about 40%. Thats a huge
difference.
LH: Yes. At that time in my life, though, I wasnt thinking so much about the hours. But I
really loved the music and I suppose I was a glutton for punishment. When we went from
seven performances a week to five, that was, well, that was much better!
NP: I also wanted to ask you about the differences between playing in an opera orchestra
and a symphony orchestra. Since you were so young when you joined the Met, I also
wanted to ask you how long it took before you felt really comfortable in that job. I am

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NP: During those same years, you also had some other brilliant conductors at the Met.
Zubin Mehta, Abbado, Sir Colin Davis, Dohnanyi, Thomas Schippers, William Steinberg,
Herbert von Karajan, Leonard Bernstein, plus you were there when James Levine started
at the Met. What an amazing list of people, and most of them were quite young at the time.
LH: Most, but not all, of them were young at the time. So many of the giants of the conducting
world todayClaudio Abbado, the late Sir Colin Davis, Christoph von Dohnanyi, and Zubin
Mehtaall made their Met debuts during those same years, and they all chose operas they
loved. Sir Colin Davis did Brittens Peter Grimes. It was fantastic. Abbado did Verdis Don
Carlos. Mehta did Verdis Aida. Dohnanyi conducted Der Roserkavalier. Of course, nobody
knew that in thirty or forty years they would be among the greatest conductors of our time.
My last year was James Levines first season. He was extraordinary, and he made a big impression on everyone. Not only was he so well equippedhe had a repertoire of at least thirty
operas when he was only in his twentiesbut he had such a gift for dealing with people. At
his first rehearsalwhich was Puccinis ToscaI was amazed. Not only did the orchestra
sound great, but he spoke to us in such a mature way. He and I were about the same age; I
was in awe of his abilities.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH NEW YORK BASSOONIST LEONARD HINDELL

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The bassoon section of the New York Philharmonic after a performance of Mahlers Sixth
in 1972. From left to right: Manny Ziegler, Leonard Hindell, Frank Ruggieri (retired), Harold
Goltzer and Bert Bial.

asking this last question because there is actually a wonderful story I wanted to share
with our audience. About five or six years into playing at the Met, you had just played
something, and the English horn player Richard Nasswho was sitting right in front of
youleaned over and groused that: Well, now you are finally making a contribution
around here!
LH: When I was at the Met and played contrabassoon, I often had to play like a soloist. I
wasnt so worried about blending; I had to take a point of view and present it. When I played
bassoon, I was part of a sectionlistening and adjusting were so important and, of course,
I didnt know much of the repertoire when I first started at the Met. In the early years, I just
wanted to stay out of trouble and not draw attention to myself. I think thats pretty normal
for people starting out. But after a while, I started to feel more confident, I knew the repertoire much better, and, of course, I loved the music. As I got to know the music better, I felt
I could indeed contribute more, as Dick Nass put it. By the time I got to the Philharmonic,
I was older and more experienced. There was certainly a period of adjustment, but it was
much shorter than at the Met.
One of the most illustrious careers of any woodwind player in the United States was
that of Julius Baker, the principal flutist of the New York Philharmonic. He didnt join the
New York Philharmonic until he was close to fifty. Before that, he was principal flute in the
Chicago Symphony, he was the flutist for the Bach Aria Group, and he had a wealth of experience. But he told me that it took him about three or fours years after joining the New York
Philharmonic to really feel comfortable. So, even for a great player with so much experience,
there is still a period of adjustment.
NP: You joined the New York Philharmonic in 1972, and were there during the Boulez,
Mehta, Masur and Maazel years. During your years with the Philharmonic, you helped

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organize the New York Philharmonic Ensembles, which is the chamber music arm of the
Philharmonic. How did that come about, and how did you get involved with it?
LH: I always loved chamber music. No matter how busy I was, I always made time for it.
When Mehta became the Music Director of the Philharmonic, he was aware that especially
for string players, it was frustrating to be part of a section where they would not be heard
individually, particularly since their training had been as soloistslearning concertos, string
quartets, sonatas, etc. So, although he thought this would be a great thing for everyone, he
felt it would be a wonderful opportunity for the section string players. A committee of five
was established, I was on that committee, and things evolved from there.

Music as Training for More than Music

NP: Id like to change the subject and talk to you about your feelings about music in
general and teaching in particular. Today is October 13, 2013, and The New York Times
just happens to have an article in todays paper called Is Music the Key to Success? It
listed some masters of the universe who were trained as musicians. Condoleezza Rice
was trained as a concert pianist; Alan Greenspan was a professional clarinet and
saxophone player. Greenspan reminded the journalist that, with his background as a
statistician, he knew that all of this was way beyond coincidence. The hedge fund billionaire Bruce Kovner was a pianist at Juilliard, Microsofts co-founder Paul Allen was

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Leonard Hindell playing at Tchaikovsky Hall, St. Petersburg, Russia, with the New York
Philharmonic during their 1976 tour.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH NEW YORK BASSOONIST LEONARD HINDELL

a guitarist, Woody Allen is a jazz clarinetist, Steven Spielberg is also a clarinetist, and
James Wolfensohn, the former President of The World Bank, had been a professional
cellist, performed at Carnegie Hall and often played together with people in the countries he visited as president of the bank. All these individuals commented that serious
music trainingnot casual music makingleads to outsized success in other fields.
These individuals listed the important things they learned from their music training
learning to think creatively, to collaborate with others, to solve problems, the ability to
focus and concentrate, the ability to listen, being disciplined, the drive for perfection,
and the ability to compete. Then, on top of all this, one of the three 2013 Nobel prizes
in medicine was just given to German neuroscientist Thomas Sdhof, who teaches at
Stanford University and just happens to be a bassoonist. In 2010 he gave an interview in
which he said he owes his powers of analysis and concentration to studying the bassoon
with Herbert Tauscher, who taught him: The only way to do something right is to practice
and listen, and practice and listen, for hours, hours, and hours.
I am sure many of you have read Malcolm Gladwells book, The Outlier. He writes
that it takes a minimum of 10,000 hours to master anything. Youve commented to me
that passion and hard work are more of an asset than talent. As The Wall Street Journal
puts it: Talent is highly overrated. So, this leaves you with thoughtful, diligent practice.
What do you think?
LH: I agree totally. I think that patience and thoughtful practice over and over again are the
essence of progress. Talent may enable you to get there a bit quicker, but it also depends on
what kind of talent you have. There are those who excel at conceptual thinking, and there
are others who have tremendous digital talent. They have the mechanical talent that is so
important in playing a musical instrument. But I think so many people would agree that
technique is only a means to an end. But it is thoughtfulness and patience that will get you
there. Most peopleespecially young people these dayswant instant results. The world we
are living in today is so immediatecell phones, texting, computers, CNN. So, its not easy to
sit down and say gee, its going to take six months for me to figure how to do this, especially
growing up in todays world. I have students who I run into after twenty-five years, and they
tell me that they finally understand what I was talking about. They just werent ready for it
back when they were students. But the sooner you are ready, the better!
NP: If some of the skills we have to develop as musicians are actually more important than
being in the profession, then things get really interesting. There is a statistic that more
than 80% of graduates from music schools do not make their living in music. So, what
are they bringing from that training? From what the Times is saying, they are bringing a
lot. In my life, I had some terribly demanding teachers. Today one or two of them might
be considered abusive but, at the time, we all had to take it. They had the best students
and if you couldnt handle it you were out. Needless to say, no one was coddled in those
days, and helicopter parents had not been invented yet! As a result, we all developed
such determination. We were just unflappable. The survivors learned how to surmount
any kind of obstacle, and this skill transferred to absolutely anything in life. In my case,
I think my music training taught me to tackle any adversarial situation in life head on;
this is a wonderful skill to have. Do you think this is something you can actually teach
people? If it is, we all need to learn this!
LH: I think a good part of it is somewhat revelatory in naturethe students figure it all out.
They discover that somewhere inside themselves they have something worth developing. But
they have to find it, and thats a combination of being guided by a teacher, but also seeking
it within yourself. Learning to take one little microcosmmaybe just one measureand
really getting it can be a revelation. Learning to dissect one phrase, for example, so that

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with patience you finally do get itthats when the light bulb went on for me. By the time I
got to Manhattan School of Music I was really one-dimensionalI was obsessed! I also felt
that was necessary, since I was a fairly late starter on the bassoon. Some of the students at
High School of Music and Artoboist Basil Reeve and flutist Paul Dunkel, for examplewere
wunderkinds when they were only fourteen. That was the standard. For me, time, diligence,
patience and thoughtfulness were the only way to get there.

Contemporary Music and Commissioned Works for Bassoon

NP: I wanted to ask you about your chamber music activities, especially your contemporary music activities. You played for The Group for Contemporary Music for many
years, and you also played from time to time for Arthur Weisbergs Contemporary
Chamber Ensemble.
LH: Yes. When I was seventeen, oboist Joseph Marx asked me to play for the Group for
Contemporary Music, which was started in 1960 by flutist/composer Harvey Sollberger and
composer Charles Wuorinen. Joe knew them both, and they were still students at Columbia
University. Joseph Marx was very involved in contemporary music; he knew many composers and had a publishing company. I played with The Group for Contemporary Music
for many years. I was so grateful to have worked with people like Charles Wuorinen and
Arthur Weisberg because that was so different from the classical approach to playing with
the most beautiful tone quality, playing espressivothe kind of playing that helps you win
auditions. Contemporary music is a different language, and you need another approach for it.

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Matt Sullivan awards Leonard Hindell New York Universitys Steinhardt Award for A Lifetime of
Excellence in Music. 2013. Photo by Howard Rockwin.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH NEW YORK BASSOONIST LEONARD HINDELL

NP: Can you tell me about some of the pieces written for you?
LH: Mostbut not allof the pieces I commissioned featured the bassoon in a chamber
music setting. Ludmila Ulehla was the first composer to write something for me. It was
called Gargoyles. It was for bassoon, soprano and piano. I had studied theory with her at
Manhattan School of Music. Howard Rovics wrote an unaccompanied piece for me. Ronald
Roseman arranged a piece originally written for bassoon and piano called Concert Piece.
Gerald Schwartz suggested orchestrating it for bassoon and strings so it could be done with
either a string orchestra or a string quartet. As you can probably imagine, it was a lovely
timbre with the strings replacing the piano. Katherine Hoovers piece, From the Testament
of Franois Villon (1982) was quite ambitious. It was scored for bass baritone singer, bassoon
and string quartet with double bass.
Eli Carmen was one of the great legendary bassoonists of his generationNBC Symphony,
the Symphony of the Air, and the New York City Ballet. He passed away in the 1970s. One of
his closest friends was bass player/composer Alvin Brehm. I asked Brehm to write a piece in
memory of Eli Carmen, and he wrote a bassoon quartet. It was called Colloquy and Chorale
(1974). Its in two movements. The Chorale is very much a hymn, and the Colloquy was very
jazzy and Stravinsky-like. Alvin said one of Elis favorite pieces was Stravinskys Octet.
In 2006 I played both the Brehm and the Ulehla pieces at the IDRS conference held in
Ithaca, New York. I wanted to feature composers whose home base was New York.

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A Major Influence
LH: Aside from my private teachers, one of the most influential musicians in my life was
oboist Josef Marx. He was a wonderful, very thoughtful musician, although he was not
a mainstream instrumentalist. I met him when I was still in high school. He was a true
visionary and intellectual. He commissioned so much music and published it all. Most
experienced musicians listen to something and can tell you what is wrong. But Joe was the
kind of musician who knew the reason something wasnt quite right. Joe understood that
the music itself was the most profound teacher. We played a lot of Renaissance and Baroque
music togetheroften music without bar lines and with abrupt tempo changes. It was all very
new to me at the time. When I played with him, he taught me by having me repeat passages
over and over again. Instead of just telling me I was wrong, he presented the music and he
let me figure it out. He was calling on me to develop my own resourcefulness. That was such
a confidence building experience for me. I hope I have been able to develop some of that in
my own lifeto have patience and understanding when a student plays something that isnt
quite right, instead of just jumping in and correcting.

Teaching
NP: I wanted to talk a bit about your approach to teaching. In addition to your current
affiliations with New York University and the Mannes College The New School of Music,
you have also taught at the Manhattan School of Music, the State University of New York
at Purchase, Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music, and Wagner College in Staten
Island. All of this is to say you have a tremendous amount of teaching experience. What
are some of the biggest changes you have seen over the years?
LH: Some of the most important changes are in the availability of good quality affordable
instruments, much better reed making equipment, plus the availability of so many recordings on the Internet. Students can download music, they can listen to music on iTunes and
YouTube, and they can listen to so many international players and orchestras. Its highly

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NP: Its the same with reeds for the oboe now. We have a number of very good reed makers.
The big difference this makesand Ill bet its the same for the bassoonis that those
who make their living in a different field can play in a community band or orchestra
today using quite acceptable reeds made by someone else. Not having to make reeds
allows a certain group of double reed players to continue playing, whereas twenty-five
years ago, they would probably have just given up if they did not have the time (or the
skills) to deal with reeds. This is a huge change.
LH: Yes. And as the industry for cane preparation has grown, the equipment for making
reedsgouging machines, profilers, etc. has also improved so much.
Like many other schools, reed making is part of the curriculum for double reed players
at New York University. Economics plays a part in all this, since a lot of this equipment is
too expensive for some students to purchase. The university has a profiling machine and
shaper tips for them to use. They can also purchase prepared cane. Before I start working
on reed making with students, I want their playing to be at a level where they understand
what a good reed is. They need to know what to aim for. Its fairly easy to learn how to put
together a reed. The finishing work is the most sensitive part.
Ultimately, though, my aim is to cultivate a students independence. Reed making is a
very important part of that. Learning how to practice, how to solve problemscultivating
independence is so important. Its not so easy when you are a student. I always tell the story
about learning how to drive. Being a New Yorker, I didnt learn to drive until I was in my late
twentiesI just had never needed to learn. I took a driving course, and the day came for me
to take my road test. The instructor told me to take a right turn at the corner. I was about to
do what he said. If he hadnt stopped me, I would have gone right through a red light. I was
just so zoned into following instructions. He didnt tell me to stop, he only told me to make

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motivating for the better students, since they are exposed to such a high level of playing. When
I was a student, there werent many bassoon recordings available. Now there are so many.
Also, if someone is really committed to becoming a professional musician, there is no
shortage of outstanding teachers at schools that in the past would not have been considered
destinations for serious music study. I think what happened was that during the 70s, 80s
and 90s, there was more interest in the arts, and universities were building up their arts
programs. Many very fine players were not getting orchestral positions because there were
so few openings. More musicians got doctorates and started teaching in universities. Yes,
the prominent conservatories are still the first choice for many students, and they continue
to produce wonderful players. But there are a lot of people in our field who have come out
of what would not be considered the conventional route. Not only have many of them done
well, but they have also become outstanding leaders in our field. What fascinates me are the
people who didnt go to a famous music school and still became very successful.
In terms of instruments available its another world. In my case, Music and Art High
School owned four Heckel bassoons, but they were only for use in the orchestra. I started
on an old, very beat up school bassoon, and a good part of every lesson was trying to get it
to play! Fortunately for me, in my second year, the school bought a new Kohlert bassoon.
I used it at school, and was allowed to take it home on weekends. When we had orchestra
rehearsals, I was able to use one of the Heckels. There was really no such thing as renting
a bassoon back then. Nowadays, the Fox company has changed the landscape so much.
They have high quality affordable instruments for students. Some of them are plastic, they
are excellent, and many schools buy these instruments. Moosmann also makes very good
instrumentsboth student and professional models. We have better-processed cane too, and
students can purchase decent reeds from professional reed makers. This allows the teacher
to focus on teaching how to play the instrument first, and then think about reeds later on.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH NEW YORK BASSOONIST LEONARD HINDELL

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a right turn! I suppose I had become such an obedient student that I was no longer in touch
with my own common sense about road safety.
I try to encourage the students to be alert to what they have already accomplished.
Often in learning the technical skills of playing an instrument, other important elements
can remain dormant. While exposing them to whatever insight and maturity I may have
achieved over the years, I try to help them connect with their own imagination, creativity
and independence. It is so obvious and wonderful when a student connects with a suggestion
and makes it their own instead of an imitation. After all, imagination and individuality are
the elements that make a persons playing stand out. I try to bring out these qualitiesnot
to have the students imitate me, but to find their own way.
NP: But I would add that it takes a secure person to approach teaching like this. Some
of the most brilliant, creative players in the world never encouraged their own students
to think for themselves.
LH: There is always the potential for this, and its often in the realm of technique or reeds.
Sometimes it comes from the teacher, but students can often create rivalries with their need
to feel they are studying with the best teacher. Students can be zealous in championing
their teacher, often without the teachers awareness. We often hear adults saying their doctor
or accountant is the best. When my son was four years old, I demonstrated the bassoon for
his nursery school class. To this day I dont know what prompted me to ask the question, but
I asked: How many of your fathers also play the bassoon? Every hand in the class went up!!
But getting back to the bassoon world, about eighty years ago the American style of double
reed playing was emerging. Those who are now regarded as our musical forefathers were
taught by European players from France, Italy, Germany and Russia. The young American
players were getting reeds from European reed makers as they were starting to develop their
own skills and independence. Many problems surrounding intonation or cracking of notes,
for example, were corrected by figuring out special fingerings, adjusting the height of the
pads, putting tape or cork in holes or adjusting the reed. Often their jobs would determine
their needs. For example, if you played in the Philadelphia Academy or Symphony Hall in
Boston (where the acoustics were very sensitive), a lighter reed style worked well. Carnegie
Hall has wonderful acoustics, but a different reed style works better because you need to
project more than in the other halls. Differences in playing styles (plus egos) sometimes led
to rivalries and sometimes to dogmatic attitudes. You see it in all walks of life, but given
the degree of sensitivity in the artistic professions, our field is particularly susceptible. I
think there is generally much more acceptance of differences today as we live in a smaller
and more enlightened world. In the past, for example, students studied primarily with one
teacher. Today students will often study with several teachers as they seek higher degrees,
and often with the blessings and encouragement of their earlier teacher. That said, I am
reminded of a comment made by Leonard Bernstein when he returned to guest conduct
the New York Philharmonic some years after his tenure as Music Director. After the first
few bars he stopped and said: What happened to my orchestra? This may very well be the
sentiment felt by some teachers on hearing their students play after they have studied with
someone else. But there are so many outstanding teachers today that it would be a flaw not to
recognize this. I also think it is a mistake to take too much credit for their students growth,
just as it would be for a parent to take all the credit for their childrens success. Besides, it
doesnt take too long before we are all forgotten.
Percy Shelleys poem Ozymandias is the story of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II,
who was considered the greatest, most celebrated and most powerful pharaoh in Egyptian
history. At the celebration commemorating the thirtieth year of his reign, he was ritually
transformed into a god. Nice work if you can get it. His great fame and dazzling empire

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suffered the ravages of time, decay and oblivion to the point that now we ask: Who was
Ozymandias? As musicians, we try to make a contribution, but it doesnt take long before
all the greats in any field are forgotten. Nothing lasts forever, and we all need to recognize
this. Taking pleasure in what we do and in helping others is the only reward we should ask for.
I use the IDRS initialsImagination, Drive, Resourcefulness and Spirit. These are the
qualities that I feel are important. We must find these traits within ourselves, and not simply
imitate them in others. The students should take responsibility for their education and
become a partner with their teacher. In doing this, they can discover their own imagination
and independence.

Humbert Lucarelli and musicians at New York University congratulate Leonard Hindell. Photo
by Howard Rockwin.

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NP: Of course, in todays world, there are so many distractionscellphones, tablets,

texting, Match.com, Twitter, Facebook, and Amazon. What young people have today
are fantastic skills in technology that our generation will never have. But we never had
the distractions, which turned out to be rather a good thing for us.
LH: Yes. Patience and thoughtfulness are particularly difficult today, as the psychology
of immediacy is so prevalent. When I was a student I also expected everything to happen
quickly. Patience is not easy for young people to cultivate, and I was certainly no expectation. But with my teachers help and my desire to improve, I began to realize that with slow
and steady practice, my playing and confidence would improve. Today the distractions
are so much greater. All these advances in communicationswhich have become such an
important part of our livescome with the expectation and entitlement of immediacy. We
get so impatient when a web site loads up too slowly, and when we have to go somewhere,
we expect to turn on our GPS and away we go!
There is no denying the extraordinary benefits of technology. I really admire my colleagues who have the imagination and ability to create videos and DVDs that are informative,
insightful and often inspirational. Yet whatever the available technology, we should never lose
focus that as musicians and artists, it is our minds and imaginations that we want to cultivate.
There is a lot involved in becoming a fine musician, and it is a continuing process without
a finish line. Learning to love the process is the key to continuing growth and fulfillment.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH NEW YORK BASSOONIST LEONARD HINDELL

On Receiving the NYU Distinguished Artists Award:

I would like to thank all of you for being here with me today. Most of my life has been spent
in sharing with others. It has been and continues to be one of the greatest sources of growth,
inspiration and fulfillment in my life. This award is particularly significant to me, as three
quarters of my family are New York University graduates. When I reassured my daughter
that they did not make a mistake, I was taken by how much more she regarded my opinion.
I want to thank Dr. Esther Lamneck, chair of the Woodwind Department, and Professor
Matt Sullivan, Director of Double Reed Studies (and host of the up-coming IDRS Conference
being held at New York University this August) for making these woodwind days possible,
and for their vision and energy in making this university a major destination for serious
music study. I am proud to be a member of this woodwind faculty, many of whom I have
been blessed to know and work with for many years, and who have had a profound influence
on my musical and personal life. I cherish the many memorable musical experiences of the
past, and am grateful for the opportunities and challenges of the present.

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We musicians are so very fortunate in being able to experience so many moments of joy,
inspiration and revelation. But like all walks of life, there are times of turbulence, stress and
chaos. Not all lifes rough patches are the result of reeds, although they have been known
to be a contributing factor
I would like to thank my two children and especially my wife Ruth, for being so patient,
supportive and wise in helping to sustain my love, enthusiasm and energy for more than
forty-five years.
Thank you.

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A New Way of Manufacturing Bassoon Crooks

David Nissen
London, United Kingdom

s a professional bassoonist with over fifty years experience, I have been for some
time thinking about how to make bassoon crooks with improved reliability, tone,
and intonation. Over the last two years of experimentation, I believe I have now
developed an improved design based on the very latest modern techniques.
The bassoon crook has been until now a difficult item to manufacture due to inconsistency of production. The traditional method has been as follows:

Very good videos of this process have been made by Fox Bassoon Corporation (http://youtu.
be/Z3vhgtbjwaA) and Robin Howell (http://youtu.be/KvjT-koq4YM).
For centuries, this traditional method has been the norm. However, there are some
drawbacks:
As the brazing compound is a different consistency than the base metal, there is
an inherent weakness of the seam, leading to a possible leak. Further problems
arise as the base metal hardens with age, increasing the possibility of a seam
split. Some splits, even small ones, can be difficult or even impossible to suitably
repair.
Further, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to vary the wall thickness
along a tapered tube with a seam. Normally, traditional crooks are made in two
basic designs; thin walled or thick walled, both of which have their pros and cons.
These designs have to compromise to give both dampening and vibration in one
even thickness along the crook.
The traditional method also uses a metal alloy to fill the tube in preparation for
the bending process. This bending alloy is made of potentially toxic metals such
as lead, cadmium, bismuth and others.

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Cut a piece of soft metal such as brass, nickel silver, etc. into an elongated triangular shape.
Bend it lengthways around a hard metal mandrel by hitting with a soft hammer
or using a specially made press.
Remove the mandrel and braze the resulting seam making sure it is completely
sealed.
Replace the mandrel and force through a lead block to reform the internal and
external dimensions.
Fill with a low melting metal alloy compound comprised of soft metals such as
lead, bismuth, cadmium, and others.
Bend into shape and reheat the tube to remove the metal alloy.
Polish and finish.

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A NEW WAY OF MANUFACTURING BASSOON CROOKS

The NisseN Method

This new method bears very little resemblance to the traditional design.
The basic tube is machine-shaped from drawn brasseliminating the initial
processes of the seamed method. The lack of a seam results in a stronger tube.
The drawn tube is physically and exactly worked into a conical tube using special
processes in which the conical tube wall is made thicker at the start (reed end)
and thinner at the instrument end (wing joint). Wall thickness is calibrated to
produce specific acoustical characteristics.
The bending process eliminates the need for toxic bending alloys by using an
alternative called Polybend. This alternative to metal alloys is a plastic bending
compound that after use is removed from the tube completely without leaving
any residue. Details on Polybend can be found on the companys website:
(http://www.bendalloy.co.uk/polybend.html)

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Basic Principles
The first 10cm of the crook has a significant effect on both tone and intonation. If the wall
dimensions at this point are too thin, the vibrations and overtones can upset the intonation,
making the traditionally difficult notes on the bassoon even more unstable. Making the
first 10cm of the crook thicker can calm down these vibrations.
After the first section of the crook, the wall thickness can afford to be thinner, thereby
releasing the vibrations and overtones to add to the tonal characteristics. The NisseN crook
therefore has a gradual decrease in wall thickness from reed end to instrument end.

Diagrams of principle (exaggerated and not to scale):

More information on Nissen Bassoon Crooks can be found at www.davidnissen.com.

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Alternate Fingerings! Do I Have to Learn Them?

Lawrence Stewart (19402013)

Note from the Bassoon Editor:

When bassoonist and IDRS member Lawrence Stewart passed away in 2013, he left behind
not just a loving family and adoring friends but also a fantastic set of unpublished writings.
Titled Transfer to Bassoon! Larry intended his work to become a guide to help musicians
young and old learn more about the instrument he so loved. In our most recent journal, we
shared a separate essay Larry had written on growing his own Arundo donax. Here, with wife
Sue Stewarts blessing, we publish what was originally chapter six of Transfer to Bassoon!a
set of recommended alternate fingerings for the entire range of the instrument. Many of these
alternate fingerings are well known to those who have played the bassoon for a number of years,
but for some (perhaps even for a few pros), Larrys suggestions may provide a great deal of
insight into overcoming a number of our instruments more difficult tendencies.

Chapter 6:
Alternate Fingerings! Do I Have To Learn Them?

Low B and B-flat

There are no alternate fingerings for low B and B-flat. To play these
notes very softly, use a mute. Use a handkerchief or sponge inserted
into the bell. Be careful not to plug the bell entirely, or these notes
wont play. Insert the cloth or sponge only enough to dampen the

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The bassoon is noted for having numerous alternate fingerings. The bassoon evolved over
time rather than being redesigned by Theodore Boehm like the other woodwinds. Boehm
designed bassoons, but they were never adopted by the bassoonists of that era. I dont know
if it was because the sound was detrimentally altered or if bassoonists were just reluctant
to change. In any event, the Boehm bassoon didnt catch on, and we still use half hole and
forked fingerings that are a carry over from earlier days. On the plus side, we have more
alternate fingerings from which to choose.
Consider this plethora of fingerings more a help rather than a hindrance! Once you learn
them, you will have more choices to play softer or louder, sharper or flatter, faster and smoother,
darker or brighter, etc. A good knowledge of these fingerings will make you a more intelligent
bassoonist and a better musician.
The best book on fingerings I know is Essentials of Bassoon Technique by Lewis Hugh
Cooper and Howard Toplanski. It is organized like an encyclopedia. Look up the note in
question and several fingerings will be listed with an explanation of the circumstance in
which each is used. This book has been a tremendous help and a great reference for me over
the years.
Below, I list only alternate fingerings that I use regularly. Dont let this long list of fingerings discourage you. Learn them as you need them, but keep this section in mind for
reference. Alternate fingerings will make your life easier. For more fingerings refer to Cooper
and Toplanskys Essentials of Bassoon Technique.

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ALTERNATE FINGERINGS! DO I HAVE TO LEARN THEM?

sound. A mute can be very useful on other notes as well when extreme soft
dynamics are needed.
Low C
For the low C alternate or muted fingering, depress the low B-flat key in
addition to the regular low C fingering. Professional bassoonists often glue
a piece of cork on the low C rod [or have a low C plateau key professionally
installed] so they can play low C using the knuckle of their left thumb and
also depress the B-flat key with the tip of their thumb. This way they allow
the low B pad to remain open. This fingering will dampen the sound and
lower the pitch.

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Low C-sharp or D-flat

For the low C-sharp or D-flat alternate or muted fingering, depress the low B
key in addition to the regular low C-sharp or D-flat fingering. This alternate
fingering will dampen the sound and lower the pitch.

Low D
For the alternate or muted fingering for low D, depress the low B-flat key
in addition to the regular low D fingering. The knuckle of the left thumb is
used to depress the low D key and the tip of the thumb is used to depress
the low B-flat key. This alternate fingering will dampen and lower the pitch.

Low D-sharp or E-flat

The alternate or muted fingering for low D-sharp or E-flat is to press the low
B-flat and the low E-flat and D-flat keys in addition to the regular D-sharp
or E-flat fingering. This alternate fingering will dampen and lower the pitch.

Low E
For the alternate fingering for low E, depress the low D-flat key in addition
to the regular fingering for low E. I use this fingering often, especially at
the ends of phrases. The sound is better for most circumstances--slightly
darker and a little lower in pitch.

Low F
I dont normally use an alternate fingering for low F. The low F on some
bassoons is quite high in pitch. If you lower the low E pad, you can lower the
pitch of this note. However, dont go too far or you will dampen the sound of
the bassoon. The low E pad is a venting key for the rest of the bassoon above
low F. You might experiment with the height of this pad since the pitch of
the low F and the venting of the instrument are both important.

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Low F-sharp
There are two alternate fingerings for low F-sharp. One is a muted fingering
to play low F-sharp softly. The other is for the purpose of fingering facility.
1. Muted Low F-sharp
The F-sharp is a very strident sounding note, and you often
need a muffled fingering for soft playing and for flattening
the pitch. If you add the low E key and the right little finger
F-sharp key to the regular low F-sharp fingering, you achieve
a softer and flatter low F-sharp.

Low G
The low G fingering usually does not need an alternate fingering. I prefer to
have this note on the low side rather than sharp. Sometimes the low F key is
too high which makes the low G slightly sharp. Your bassoon repairperson
may be able to lower this key for better results. I sometimes add the low
D-flat or low E key for slight flattening or altered tonal effect.
Low A-flat
If low F is played before or after low A-flat, it is very difficult to slur these
notes smoothly. Therefore, an alternate right thumb low A-flat key is provided.
In order to get the proper intonation when slurring these notes, do not keep
the low F key down when playing the low A-flat.

Low A
I often add the low D-flat key to the low A regular fingering for a darker
sound and slightly lower pitch. I especially prefer it for intonation purposes
and for phrase endings.

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2. Alternate Right Little Finger Low F-Sharp

If B-flat is played before or after F-sharp, it is virtually
impossible to play those two notes smoothly using the
regular fingering, especially if they are slurred. Therefore, an
alternate low F-sharp key is provided that can be depressed
with your right little finger.
By substituting this key for the regular right thumb
F-sharp, you should, with practice, be able to slur between
these two notes smoothly. The right little finger F-sharp
key is resistant because the spring tension must be strong
to avoid air leakage.
Your bassoon repairperson may be able to slightly lighten
this tension without sacrificing the air vacuum seal, thus
making it easier to play.

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ALTERNATE FINGERINGS! DO I HAVE TO LEARN THEM?

Middle B-flat
There are two B-flat keys - the regular right thumb B-flat key and the third
finger B-flat trill key. Oddly enough, many bassoonists do not use the B-flat
trill key for trills. They feel more comfortable using the regular Bf key instead.
The B-flat on the bassoon can be a temperamental note because there
are three tone holes underneath that one pad. Therefore, you have three
times the possibility of that note not being exactly right. The B-flat trill key
is often adjusted lower to give a lower pitch option and a slightly dampened
sound, which is useful for phrase endings, tonal, and intonation purposes.
Middle B
If a very soft and flat middle B is needed, use the second finger of the right
hand instead of the first finger. Only in extreme circumstances would I use
this fingering.

ARTICLES

Middle C
The middle C is a stable note on the bassoon and usually does not need an
alternate fingering.
Middle C-sharp
There are two alternate fingerings I use for middle C-sharp. One is for sound,
intonation, and support, and the other is for facility while playing softly.
1. Stable Full C-sharp
If your reed is thin and the C-sharp tends to sag to a C
natural, add the low E key to the regular C-sharp fingering.
This will help support the C-sharp and provide a darker and
slightly lower pitch.

2. Soft Technical C-sharp

If you need a C-sharp fingering that is easy to finger, is soft,
and lower in pitch, put down the whisper key, first two fingers
of the left hand, and the first finger of the right hand. This
fingering is particularly good for passages like the opening
of the Marriage of Figaro (Mozart) Overture. I learned this
fingering from Phillip Kolker.
Middle D
The middle D usually needs no alternate fingering, but if the dynamics are
extremely soft, sometimes I add the low E key.

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127

Middle E-flat
The middle E-flat can be very unstable or sharp, especially if the reed is too
heavy. Therefore, I use two alternate full fingerings for a better sound and
better intonation. (The left hand basic fingering I use only in fast technical
passages.)
1. The first full fingering is used when the dynamic level is
mezzo forte or louder. Play as loudly as you want with this
fingering. I add the second finger of the right hand and the
thumb B-flat key to the basic left hand forked fingering. In
order to lower the pitch slightly, I prefer not to add the low
E-flat key.
2. The second full fingering is for situations when the dynamic
level is mezzo piano or softer. This fingering will give a softer
sound and a flatter pitch. If you play too loudly on this note,
a multiphonic (two or more pitches at once) may sound. If
so, use the first full fingering above.

Middle F
Middle F is a good note on the bassoon and usually doesnt need alternate
fingerings. However, on some instruments when you are playing very soft
(i.e., the Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony Slow Movement solo), it is helpful to
add the low E key to the regular fingering. This fingering darkens the sound
and slightly lowers the pitch.
The middle F may sag when playing extremely soft. This problem is
usually a fault of the bocal. If it persists with different reeds, try another bocal.
Also, periodically check for dirt which may collect in the F tone hole.
Middle F and the high notes may become clogged because of repeated
swabbing and exposure to saliva.
If middle F is flat in pitch, clean out the tone hole with a pipe cleaner or
small mandrel. Be careful not to alter or enlarge the tone hole.

ARTICLES

Middle E
If your reed is too thin, the middle E will sag to an E-flat when played loudly.
This problem can be corrected without adjusting your reed by putting down
the low E key (pancake key) in addition to the regular middle E fingering.
Depending on the bassoon, substituting the low F or low G keys for the low
E key may be preferable.

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ALTERNATE FINGERINGS! DO I HAVE TO LEARN THEM?

Middle F-sharp
As with low F-sharp, there are two alternate fingerings for middle F-sharp
one is a muted fingering, and the other a fingering used for technical facility.
1. Middle F-sharp is very bright in tonal quality, and an
alternate fingering is sometimes needed to soften and
darken the sound. Simply add the low E-flat key and the
low D key to the regular middle F-sharp fingering. This
fingering is easier to use than the muted low F-sharp fingering and is flatter in pitch. Dont use it for low F-sharp
because it makes the low F-sharp too flat.
2. When B-flat is played before or after F-sharp, it is
impossible to perfectly slur these notes when using the
right thumb F-sharp key.
Use the right little finger F-sharp key to facilitate this slur.

ARTICLES

Many professional bassoonists use the little finger F-sharp

fingering for the middle F-sharp note and the thumb
F-sharp fingering for the low F-sharp note. By using both
fingerings, each octave can be tuned correctly.
Middle G
While the low G is usually flat on the bassoon, the middle G is usually sharp.
Therefore, the low E-flat key (or the low D-flat key depending on the bassoon)
is added to lower the pitch. Add this key as often as possible. Only in fast
technical passages should you not use it.

Middle A-flat
The middle A-flat usually does not need an alternate fingering. Sometimes
the alternate A-flat can be used for slightly different intonation.
Middle A
I like to add the low D-flat key to the regular middle A fingering for certain
situations, i.e., phrase endings, tonal and pitch considerations, etc.
On some bassoons, the middle A can be a troublesome note. The lower
octave or the overtone above or several notes at once (multiphonic) may
sound but not the middle A. If this is the case, add a slight half hole with
the left forefinger to the regular middle A fingering until you can visit your
repairperson.

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129

B-flat Above the Staff

For an alternate B-flat above the staff that is useful for playing soft or for
diminuendos (i.e., the end of the first movement of the Hindemith Bassoon
Sonata), add the low B and low B-flat keys to the regular upper B-flat fingering.
It allows you to diminuendo B-flat above the staff without going sharp.
The trill B-flat key can be adjusted to be slightly lower in pitch and used
as another option for upper B-flat. (Refer to the middle alternate B-flat
fingering for further explanation.)
B Above the Staff
If a very soft and flat B above the staff is needed, use the second finger of
the right hand instead of the first finger. Only in extreme circumstances
would I use this fingering.

C Above The Staff

The C above the staff is a stable note on the bassoon and usually does not
need an alternate fingering.

D Above The Staff

If a loud upper D is needed or if you need to slur to upper D, add the second
finger in the right hand, the low G key, and the low F key to the regular upper
D fingering. This fingering is slightly higher in pitch but will produce a very
solid and stable D above the staff.

High E-flat Above the Staff

For difficulty in slurring to the second ledger line E-flat, raise the forefinger
of the right hand. The note will slur well and is slightly higher in pitch.
For a very fast technical passage, you may use the left hand
forked fingering. Put down the left hand first and third
fingers plus the low E-flat key. This is a weaker sounding
fingering but may sound smoother depending on the technical difficulty of the passage.

ARTICLES

C-sharp Above The Staff

If you need a strong and dynamically loud C-sharp above the bass clef, then
add the first two fingers of the right hand, the low G key, the low F key, and
the regular B-flat key to the left hand C-sharp fingering. Do not use the low
D key with this fingering. This fingering will give you the strength needed
and is better in tune than other alternate fingerings.

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ALTERNATE FINGERINGS! DO I HAVE TO LEARN THEM?

High E Above the Staff

If you are having trouble slurring to the second ledger line
E, raise the forefinger of the right hand when fingering this
note. The high E will slur well and is slightly higher in pitch.

ARTICLES

Some bassoonists prefer playing high E without depressing

the low E-flat key. This will result in a brighter and slightly
higher second ledger line E.

In certain fast technical passages you may wish to use the

left forefinger E fingering. This fingering is weak in sound
but may make a difficult passage easier and sound smoother.
Adding the right hand B-flat key will stabilize the pitch but
may be difficult to add in a fast passage.

High F Above the Staff

The high F above the staff is a stable note and rarely needs an alternate fingering. Occasionally in a very fast technical passage, it may be advantageous
to use the whisper key middle F fingering. If you can add the right thumb
B-flat key, the pitch and sound will be improved and more stable.

High F-sharp Above the Staff

There are several different fingerings for High F-sharp. The regular full
fingering is the best overall fingering for intonation and technical considerations, but the following alternate fingerings are useful in certain situations.
1. French Full High F-sharp
For a high F-sharp that is somewhat brighter in sound,
use the regular high F-sharp fingering but substitute the
low F key for the B-flat key. It is useful in certain fingering
combinations involving high G above the staff as well.

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131

2. Technical High F-sharp

For a rapid scale passage with high G before or after high
F-sharp, use the regular high F-sharp fingering in the left
hand but add only the first finger in the right hand. This
fingering makes it very easy to move rapidly to and from
high G. Although the intonation is slightly high and the note
may not articulate well, it is useful in the proper situation.
3. Technical High F-sharp No. 2
For a rapid scale passage with high E or F before or after
high F-sharp, use the regular high E or F fingering in the
left hand but add only the first finger in the right hand.
This fingering makes it very easy to move rapidly to and
from high E or F to high F-sharp. Although the intonation
is slightly lower and the note may not articulate well, it is
useful in the right situation.
High G Above The Staff

2. Another fingering that is useful in certain situations

is the same as the regular fingering in the left hand but
substitute the A-flat key for the first finger and the F
key in the right hand.

High G-sharp Above the Staff

The high G-sharp above the staff can be sharp and unstable. Whenever
possible, I use a fuller fingering by adding the right thumb B-flat
key and the right hand second finger to the regular fingering. This
fuller fingering is darker in sound and more stablea lifesaver in
certain situations.

ARTICLES

1. The regular high G fingering is usually a good fingering

but can be slightly high in pitch and difficult to articulate
depending on the reed and the instrument. A solution
is to use the regular high G fingering but substitute the
regular right hand thumb Bb key for the low F key. This
fingering is slightly lower in pitch and tongues easily.

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ALTERNATE FINGERINGS! DO I HAVE TO LEARN THEM?

High A Above The Staff

The high A above the staff can also be sharp and unstable. Add the right
thumb B-flat key and the right hand second finger to the regular high A
fingering whenever possible. This fuller fingering is also darker in sound
and more focused.

ARTICLES

High B-flat Second Octave Above The Staff

Slurring to high B-flat can sometimes be problematic. Use the regular high
B-flat fingering minus the first finger of the right hand to slur easily up to
this note. It is slightly higher in pitch and brighter in sound but very useable.

High B Second Octave Above The Staff

The regular fingering for the high B second octave above the staff is usually
the only fingering necessary, but this note can be sharp in pitch and bright
in sound. Bassoonists may prefer to use the regular fingering minus the
low E-flat key. The articulation is made a little easier, but for me the pitch
is higher yet and the sound brighter with this fingering.

High C Second Octave Above The Staff

The regular fingering for the high C second octave above the staff is usually
the only fingering necessary. Sometimes the articulation of the note is difficult if the reed is a little too soft. In this case, adding the high D key to the
regular high C fingering may help.

High C-sharp Second Octave Above The Staff

No alternate fingerings are usually needed for the high C-sharp second
octave above the staff. However, the pitch can be raised slightly by adding
the regular A-flat key. Also, use both the high C and the high D keys when
articulating this note. I find both keys preferable to using one or the other.

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133

High D Second Octave Above The Staff

Usually the regular high D fingering is sufficient, but on occasion a high D
fingering that is easy to finger for difficult technical passages (i.e., The Pines
of Rome, Respighi) is needed. For this passage I use just the third finger of
the left hand and the high D key. This passage is loud enough that the note
will speak and is easier to finger.

High E-flat Second Octave Above The Staff

The regular high E-flat is usually the only fingering necessary and is especially
easy to finger when going from high D. However, an E-flat isolated note may
need another fingering to speak better and be better in tune. Put down the
second and third finger of the left hand with the C-sharp, low D, and low
E-flat keys. In the right hand, put down the second finger, the C-sharp trill
key and the regular F-sharp key. This fingering articulates easily and is in
tune. I learned this fingering from Bernard Garfield.

ARTICLES

High E Second Octave Above The Staff

If you dont have a high E key, try the following fingering. In the left hand, put
down the second and third fingers, the F-sharp trill key, the low E-flat key,
and the middle C-sharp key or the high D key. In the right hand, put down
the second finger, the low G key, and the C-sharp trill key. It is best to have
the high E key, but this fingering works fairly well. Notes higher than this
can be found in the Essentials of Bassoon Technique book mentioned earlier.

134

POLYVALENT FINGERINGS FOR BASSOON: AN INTRODUCTION

Polyvalent Fingerings for Bassoon:

An Introduction
Jamie Leigh Sampson
Toledo, Ohio

ARTICLES

hile individual instrumentalists are drawn to the study of contemporary techniques

for many different reasons, bassoonists who choose to expand their capabilities
to include them benefit in both technical and practical ways.1 Not every new
composition includes harmonics, microtones, and multiphonics, but mastering these skills
can increase your marketability as a performer. As new employment opportunities present
themselves, the ability to execute both contemporary and standard techniques with a high
degree of proficiency is an invaluable asset. There are a number of contemporary music
groups with a bassoonist in their core membership, including Ensemble Intercontemporain
(Paris), International Contemporary Ensemble (NYC), Fifth House Ensemble (Chicago), and
Alarm Will Sound. At the same time, there is a growing body of compositions for bassoon
chamber ensembles. Dark in the Song, the Rushes Ensemble, and Dark & Stormy are just a
few of the groups actively commissioning new works for two or more bassoons. While some
of these sounds may not appeal to an individual bassoonists aesthetic, it will be important
to maintain an unbiased view of multiphonics as the bassoon repertoire expands, in order
to maintain marketability for both ones self and ones students.
In addition to the practical benefits of possessing employable skills, there are many technical benefits linked to each contemporary technique. Microtones exercise aural acuity and
memory for new fingerings, and skills like flutter tonguing can improve a performers control
over the direction and intensity of airflow. Perhaps the most considerable benefits, however,
are associated with mastering polyvalent fingerings (fingerings that have the potential to
produce more than one sound). Developing control over polyvalent fingerings during each
practice session will add greater definition to specific embouchure settings in the highest
and lowest registers of the bassoon, and it will also improve the muscle memory required to
accurately produce the standard tones associated with each fingering. While contemporary
techniques can take months to master, bassoonists at any level of their musical career
beginner through professionalcan attain proficiency on polyvalent fingerings in one sitting.

Contemporary Techniques for Woodwind Instruments

Before further defining and exploring the acoustic possibilities of polyvalent fingerings, it
is important to understand the bassoons place within the greater context of contemporary
techniques for woodwinds. In the early 1960s the Italian bassoonist Sergio Penazzi was the
first instrumentalist to demonstrate the multiphonic capabilities2 of woodwind instruments
to composer Bruno Bartolozzi, inspiring Bartolozzi to write New Sounds for Woodwind. 3
This revolutionary collection of new techniques for orchestral woodwinds marked the beginning of formal study of extended techniques. While Bartolozzi acknowledged that he had
not arrived at completely definitive conclusions or created an entire[ly] evolved system,4
his book served as the introduction to a more complex vocabulary of woodwind sounds for
composers and instrumentalists around the world.
Since the publication of New Sounds for Woodwind in 1967, other writers have expanded
on that books ideas and materials in technique books specific to each woodwind instrument.
Leading guides for other woodwinds include the following:

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135

Dick, Robert. The Other Flute. St. Louis: Multiple Breath Music Company, 1989.
Netti, Georgio and Marcus Weiss. The Techniques of Saxophone Playing. New
York: Brenreiter, 2010.
Rehfeldt, Phillip. New Directions for Clarinet. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow
Press, 1994.
Van Cleve, Libby. The Oboe Unbound. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 2004.

Major Multiphonic Resources for German System Bassoons

For the bassoon, there are presently six major resources that collectively contain close to
four hundred unique multiphonic fingerings. This list does not include numerous masters
theses and Double Reed articles, which have been excluded here since almost all of the fingerings within those documents appear in at least one of the major resources identified below.

Gallois, Pascal. Techniques of Bassoon Playing. New York: Barenreiter, 2009.

Summary: A trilingual guide to the techniques essential for the performance of
Luciano Berios Sequenza XII
Bassoonist: Pascal Gallois, Ensemble Intercontemporain
Categorization of Fingerings: twenty-one monovalent multiphonic fingerings
and sixteen polyvalent multiphonic fingerings categorized by embouchure and
air pressure setting
Notation Suggestion: Full pitch content with fingering above
Pitch Content: All pitches notated equally with no amplitude distinction
Embouchure Notes: Symbols for air pressure, lip pressure, and placement on the
reed
Recordings: Included on CD
International Double Reed Society website, s.v. Heckel-System (German) Bassoon
Multiphonic Fingerings by Note Name (by Terry Ewell), http://www.idrs.org/resources/
BSNFING/fingmult.htm (accessed November 29, 2013).
Summary: Tests multiphonic fingerings from several resources including Double
Reed articles, Don Christliebs self published book Pictoral Fingerings for Bassoon,5
and New Sounds for Woodwinds
Bassoonists: Terry Ewell, playing a Heckel made between 1981 and 1986,6 and
Lisa Hoyt, on a Fox Renard 240 short bore made in 19957

ARTICLES

Bartolozzi, Bruno. New Sounds for Woodwind. Reginald Smith Brindle, translator.
New York: Oxford University Press, 1967.
Summary: First widely published book on extended techniques for woodwind
instruments
Bassoonist: Sergio Penazzi, principal bassoonist for the Teatro alla Scala and
professor at the Milan Conservatoire
Categorization of Fingerings: Polyvalent separate from monovalent with timbre
categories within the monovalent fingerings
Notation Suggestion: Full pitch content with fingering above
Pitch Content: All pitches notated equally with no amplitude distinction
Embouchure Notes: Symbols for air pressure, lip pressure, and placement on the
reed
Recording: Included on 45 rpm record disc

136

ARTICLES

POLYVALENT FINGERINGS FOR BASSOON: AN INTRODUCTION

Categorization of Fingerings: Based on the standard pitch to which the multiphonic fingering is most closely related
Notation Suggestion: None
Pitch Content: None
Embouchure Notes: Descriptions from both bassoonists, also includes fingering
modifications
Recordings: Streaming mp3one recording from each bassoonist for each fingering if the bassoonist was able to produce a multiphonic

Lipp, Charles Herbert. New Compositional Techniques for the Bassoon. Doctoral
Thesis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1982.
Summary: Over 140 multiphonic fingerings drawn from the early research of
Gary Echols and Sanford Berry
Bassoonist: Charles Herbert Lipp
Categorization of Fingerings: Based on the standard pitch to which the multiphonic fingering is most closely related. However, there is also a ranking based
on the ease of production.
Notation Suggestion: Similar to the Heinz Holliger oboe notation that shows
the fundamental fingering with additional noteheads indicating lifted keys (open
noteheads) and closed keys (filled noteheads). Lipp credits Don Christlieb with
this style of notation.8
Pitch Content: Differentiates between differences in amplitude with open noteheads, closed noteheads, and closed noteheads in parentheses
Embouchure Notes: emb and emb were used to indicate increased and
decreased embouchure pressure
Recordings: None
Penazzi, Sergio. Metodo Per Fagotto. Milan: Suvini Zerboni, 1972.
Summary: A method book with extensive microtonal and multiphonic fingering
options
Included in Etudes: Microtonal arpeggios, microtonal scales in intervals, microtonal tremolos, glissandi or portamento fingerings, threshold tones to multiphonic
fingerings
Bassoonist: Sergio Penazzi, principal bassoonist for the Teatro alla Scala and
professor at the Milan Conservatoire
Categorization of Fingerings: None
Notation Suggestion: Full pitch content with fingering above
Pitch Content: All pitches notated equally with no amplitude distinction
Embouchure Notes: Symbols for air pressure, lip pressure, and placement on the
reed
Recordings: None
Leslie Rosss official Web site, s.v. Multiphonics for Modern Bassoon (by Leslie
Ross), http://www.leslieross.net/multiphonics.html (accessed November 29, 2013).
Summary: Using the Penazzi method as well as Bartolozzis book as a foundation,
Leslie Ross experiments to present, as she calls it, the most prominent repeatable
frequencies for both Penazzi and Bartolozzis fingerings, in addition to those
discovered on her own.
Bassoonist: Leslie Ross, historic instrument maker based in New York City,
making multiple attempts for each fingering with different reeds

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137

Categorization of Fingerings: Based on the standard pitch to which the multiphonic fingering is most closely related
Notation Suggestion: Similar to the Heinz Holliger oboe notation showing the
fundamental fingering with additional noteheads indicating lifted keys (open
noteheads) and closed keys (filled noteheads)
Pitch Content: Color coded by amplitude strength
Embouchure Notes: None
Recordings: Streaming mp3

New Research in Bassoon Multiphonics

Since 2010, I have worked with twenty-one bassoonists from around the United States
to test 373 multiphonic fingerings from the major resources listed above, various Double
Reed articles, and popular compositions. The bassoonists ranged in age, experience, and
specialty, and they played a variety of instruments, including six Heckels, four Pchners,
nine Foxes (of various models), one Moosman, and one Yamaha. Through a multi-phase
process, multiphonic fingerings that did not work on at least half of the bassoons in the
study were eliminated; the remaining fingerings were categorized based on ease of response,
dynamic range, and level of embouchure manipulation. Thirteen bassoonists recorded the
remaining 270 fingerings, and the resultant sound files were analyzed for pitch content. The
final product of this research will be a compendium of bassoon multiphonics, which will
include annotations on embouchure settings, notation suggestions, threshold tones,9 and
the most consistent pitch content.

Defining Monovalent and Polyvalent Fingerings

The terms monovalent and polyvalent were first used to describe fingerings in Brindles
English translation of Bruno Bartolozzis New Sounds for Woodwind.10 At the simplest level,
monovalent refers to any fingering that produces only one result. Polyvalent means that a
fingering has multiple values or multiple results. Monovalent fingerings will produce a single
pitch or a single multiphonic, never both. Polyvalent fingerings will produce a single pitch
(including harmonics) and a multiphonic. Example 1 displays all of the possible results from
each type of fingering.

ARTICLES

While there have been multiple resources published for bassoon since New Sounds for
Woodwind, it is difficult to choose a leading guide. The presiding conflict among existing
research lies not in the accuracy of the author but in the accountability of their instrument.
The development of the bassoon through the late 19th and 20th century brought variations
that significantly affect the reliability of multiphonic fingerings and their pitch content. In
addition to major differences between the French and German systems, smaller inconsistencies
exist between European and North American-made instruments and equipment, including
bore length, bocal design, and reed style. The preponderance of so many uncontrollable
variables makes it impossible to scientifically present a single set of fingerings that produces
uniform pitch results between multiple bassoons. It is possible, however, to present fingerings that have been tested and analyzed using a wide variety of bassoons to find the most
probable results. Composers and performers using the multiphonics presented in previous
research have expressed frustration with the reliability of sound production as well as pitch
content. While it is possible that fingerings from each of these sources were tested on multiple
bassoons, the IDRS list is the only one that clearly documents testing on more than one.

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POLYVALENT FINGERINGS FOR BASSOON: AN INTRODUCTION

Monovalent and Polyvalent Results

Monovalent

Monovalent

Multiphonic

Standard Tone

Polyvalent

Multiphonic

Single Pitch

Standard Tone

ARTICLES

Example 1

Harmonic

Example 1

At one point in their writing/translation, Bartolozzi and Brindle describe polyvalent

fingerings as linking a single sound to a group of sounds ... by passing from the normal
reed position to an embouchure which takes more or less reed than normal (according to
circumstances).11 While this definition is technically accurate, two issues arise from this
thinking. First, it is not necessary to change the amount of reed taken to change the result
of a polyvalent fingering. Second, this definition more accurately describes threshold tones,
or pitches that easily slur into a multiphonic.12
While all polyvalent fingerings possess threshold tones, the most obvious being their
relative standard pitch, there are many monovalent multiphonic bassoon fingerings that possess
threshold tones as well.13 Threshold tone pitches are often present within a multiphonics
pitch content. Example 2 exhibits a monovalent multiphonic fingering and pitch content
as well as two corresponding threshold tone possibilities. These are the standard pitches
whose fingerings are most closely related to the multiphonic fingering. Brief experimentation will demonstrate that this is a very stable multiphonic and that it is possible to slur to
it from almost any note in any range. With some of the more difficult-to-place monovalent
multiphonics, it may be easier to find threshold tones that are closely related by embouchure
setting rather than similarity to a standard fingering.

Example 2

Avoiding the threshold tone confusion in his writing, Pascal Gallois, in The Techniques
of Bassoon Playing, identifies four different categories of multiphonics, the first two of which
are polyvalent fingerings. There are twelve high-range polyvalent fingerings in his book,
which he qualifies as the most reliable, and four low-range polyvalent fingerings.14 While I

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139

do agree that the high-range multiphonics can be reliably performed, they are not the most
stable in terms of immediate articulation response; that distinction is granted to monovalent
fingerings that require no embouchure manipulation. In terms of the low-range fingerings,
Gallois lists the four lowest pitches on the bassoon, but leaves out D, and E, which are also
capable of producing overtones and multiphonics.15 Low-range multiphonic fingerings can
also be reliably performed; however, they require the most control over embouchure setting.
Galloiss description of the air support required to produce these multiphonics also limits
the potential dynamic spectrum for each fingering. While describing high-range polyvalent
fingerings in section 3.2.1 of his book he states that, these twelve multiphonics are produced
from normal fingerings for the chromatic scale from e1 to e-flat2, with a weak air pressure.16
I would argue that it is possible to perform these without weakening air pressure, thereby
maintaining control of the full dynamic spectrum. Similarly, the low-range multiphonics,
which he states can only be played in p dynamics and only by pinching the reed and
strongly increasing the air pressure,17 can be performed with an embouchure change that
will allow for full dynamic contrast. (Exercises and etudes to encourage control of these
fingerings will be fully explored in the second and third articles of this series.)
To return to defining the true distinction between monovalent and polyvalent fingerings,
a monovalent fingering will produce the same results every time it is used, as seen in Example
1. For instance, the fingering presented in Example 3 will always produce the same result, a
low F, while the fingering in the Example 4 will always produce the notated pitch collection.

Example 4

The acoustic results of these fingerings are capable of being performed with a wide dynamic
spectrum and with great sensitivity to articulation, though the reliability of monovalent
fingerings does not preclude the need to place each monovalent multiphonic with a specific
embouchure settingjust as you would any single tone throughout the bassoons range.
There are over one hundred monovalent multiphonic fingerings that produce consistent
results without significant embouchure manipulation and there are an additional hundred
that require only slight manipulation.18
A single polyvalent fingering, on the other hand, can have up to three different results.
These fingerings are limited to two ranges on the bassoon: the low-range fingerings in Example
5 and the high-range fingerings in Example 6. The clarity of sounds in these ranges depends
on specific embouchure settings to differentiate between the possible results. (While each of
the major resources described earlier presents certain standard fingerings as being polyvalent,
only Reginald Smith Brindles translation of New Sounds for Woodwind and Pascal Gallois
The Techniques of Bassoon Playing actually attempt to define the embouchure settings for
both the standard pitch and the multiphonic.)
Low-range polyvalent fingerings will produce a standard pitch, a harmonic, or a multiphonic that is a collection of harmonics. High-range fingerings will produce either a standard
pitch or a multiphonic. It is important to note that using the E-flat and D-flat resonance keys
(in both ranges) restricts the resulting pitch content. These resonance keys limit overtones in

ARTICLES

Example 3

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POLYVALENT FINGERINGS FOR BASSOON: AN INTRODUCTION

Example 5

Example 6

ARTICLES

Example 7

Example 8

all low-range fingerings and also makes it very difficult to produce a multiphonic on the high
B-flat fingering. Example 7 identifies the three possible results for a representative low-range
fingering, and Example 8 presents the possibilities for a representative high-range fingering.

Production of Tones Based on Polyvalent Fingerings

Young players often encounter issues when attempting to clearly articulate the standard
tone of a polyvalent fingering. Responding to this issue in a 2009 Double Reed article titled
Response Issues on the Bassoon: Cracking Low Notes, Cracking High Notes, Bocal Flex
VoicingFoghorn Effect, Michael Burns (Professor of Bassoon at the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro) ends up also presenting one of the clearest embouchure descriptions for polyvalent fingerings. While he does not use the terms monovalent and polyvalent,
his descriptions of each of these ranges includes the most common articulation issues. He
states that low notes tend to crack because a higher partial sounds instead of the desired
fundamental, and high notes tend to crack because a lower partial sounds instead of the
desired one.19 His solution is called bocal flexing, a technique he initially learned from
William Winstead20 (this technique will be more thoroughly explored in a future article
in this series).

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141

In any case, it is necessary to maintain a higher level of embouchure control in the

polyvalent ranges than in monovalent ranges. To define this control, each bassoonist should
learn not only the standard tone (or the result they pursue most frequently) but also hone
their ability to produce other sound results. At minimum, a bassoonist should be able to
sustain a polyvalent multiphonic or harmonic in order to distinguish the fine line between
the correct and incorrect embouchure settings for each. It can also be said that if a person
has not learned the full capacity of each fingering, then he or she has not truly mastered it.

Conclusion
It has been nearly fifty years since the publication of New Sounds for Woodwind. In the intervening time, bassoonists have taken steps toward becoming fully integrated into the world of
contemporary techniques. Whether your exploration of multiphonics comes from a desire
to break into the field of new music as a performer, assist a curious student, or strengthen
your standard technique, there is no disadvantage to having greater control of polyvalent
fingerings. Additional articles in this series will present specific instruction on isolating
each result and will provide exercises that encourage the exploration of polyvalent ranges.

Endnotes

ARTICLES

1 While these techniques have, for most of their existence, been referred to as extended
techniques, they are in modern composition squarely within the realm of potential
sounds for the bassoonlittle extension is required. For that reason, I prefer to refer
to these techniques as contemporary techniques.
2 Others compiling multiphonic fingering lists in the mid-twentieth century include
American bassoonists Gary Echols, Sanford Berry, and Don Christlieb.
3 Bruno Bartolozzi, New Sounds for Woodwind (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967),
acknowledgements.
4 Bruno Bartolozzi, New Sounds for Woodwind (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967),
6.
5 Donald Christlieb, Pictoral Fingerings for Bassoon (Self-published, 1966).
6 Maarten Vonk, Bundle of Joy (FagotAtelier, 2007), pg 28.
7 Maarten Vonk, Bundle of Joy (FagotAtelier, 2007), pg 27.
8 Charles Herbert Lipp, New Compositional Techniques for the Bassoon (Doctoral Thesis,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1982), 54.
9 A note that is easily slurred into a multiphonic, typically present in the pitch content for
that fingering.
10 Bruno Bartolozzi, New Sounds for Woodwind (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967),
37.
11 Bruno Bartolozzi, New Sounds for Woodwind (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967),
37.
12 While an explicit definition of threshold tones was not included in their book, The
Techniques of Saxophone Playing, the authors, Weiss and Netti, present a chart of the
full chromatic range of pitchesincluding microtonesto which multiphonics may be
easily slurred on the saxophone. The title of that chart is, Threshold Tones.
13 Georgio Netti and Marcus Weiss, The Techniques of Saxophone Playing (New York:
Brenreiter, 2010), 117-134.
14 Pascal Gallois, The Techniques of Bassoon Playing (New York: Brenreiter, 2009), 36.

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POLYVALENT FINGERINGS FOR BASSOON: AN INTRODUCTION

15 Low D-flat (included by Gallois) and E-flat (also within the boundaries of this range but
not included by Gallois) have restricted reliability caused by resonance keys, for that
reason, they are not included in Example 5.
16 Pascal Gallois, The Techniques of Bassoon Playing (New York: Brenreiter, 2009), 36.
17 Pascal Gallois, The Techniques of Bassoon Playing (New York: Brenreiter, 2009), 37.
18 Jamie Sampson, Contemporary Techniques for the Bassoon: Multiphonics (Toledo:
ADJective New Music, LLC, 2014) - Not yet published.
19 Michael Burns, Response Issues on the Bassoon: Cracking Low Notes, Cracking High
Notes, Bocal Flex - Voicing - Foghorn Effect, The Double Reed 30 n4 (2007): 72.
20 Michael Burns, Response Issues on the Bassoon: Cracking Low Notes, Cracking High
Notes, Bocal Flex - Voicing - Foghorn Effect, The Double Reed 30 n4 (2007): 73.

ARTICLES

Jamie Leigh Sampson holds degrees in Music Composition and

Bassoon Performance from SUNY Fredonia and Bowling Green State
University. She studied bassoon with Jack Gillette and Nathaniel
Zeisler, and composition with Donald Bohlen, Burton Beerman,
and Marilyn Shrude. Jamie currently resides in Toledo, OH where
she manages the publication of contemporary scores, the production
of a concert series, and a private composition and performance studio.
Her book, Contemporary Techniques for the Bassoon: Multiphonics,
will be released by ADJective New Music, LLC in the spring of 2014.

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A Bassoon Lite, Please...

Bassoon SEX
Alan Goodman
Bedford, Wyoming

ARTICLES

had very little to occupy a very warped mind last month. And as warped minds definitely
need occupying, finding a means to an end was not so much a necessity, but a duty.
The most efficient way to satisfy this call to duty was to read through the IDRS Journal.
As usual I began at the end where I could discover the many means by which I could have
improved both my attitude and altitude as a bassoonistif only I had the foresight to attend
twenty music schools and purchase thirty in-tune bassoons (how come I always managed
to purchase the rare instrument that played out of tune?).
But soon enough I worked my way towards my column, which purported to infuse things
with humor. After reading the first paragraph of Bassoon Lite, I fell asleep. When I awoke
the next morning the cat had replaced the Journal on my chest.
Meow, said Vador, the cat. Your column lacks the one ingredient that guarantees interest.
And what might that be?
SEX. Meow.
Leave it to a black cat to inspire a warped mind. And so, armed with inspiration, a warped
mind, and a black cat I am devoting this column to the mention of SEX as a means of keeping
people who wander among these paragraphs awake long enough to get the Journal off their
chest before falling asleep.
SEX.
I played a blues job the other night, which validated my suspicion that I had left Carnegie
Hall somewhere in the dustbin of a leaky memory. Jim Vinson, a local guitarist who brags
on an intimacy with five chords, all in the key of A, had asked if I was available to play tenor
sax with his group.
Sure, I said, dispensing with the coyness that good players are reported to employ in
such negotiations. Where and when?
SEX!
Huh, I said.
SEX!
What in hell you taking about? I blurted into the phone. You got a job or not?
Yeah, said Jimbo. But I just thought Id help you spice up your column.
Just leave the SEX stuff to me, Jimbo. I can infuse enough SEX into my own column
without your interference just fine.
Suit yourself, he said. But I dont think a man your age realizes just how much SEX it
takes to liven up a bassoon column these days.
Okay, I get it. SEXSEXSEXSEX. Now can you tell me where in hell this gig is taking shape?
That-a-boy, he said. Never too much SEX to keep your readers glued to your words of
wisdom.
One Saturday later I was standing on the small stage of the Bull Moose Saloon in Alpine.
Jim stood to my left. Kale Harbon stood to my right hefting electricitys boon to hearing
lossan amplified bass. Somewhere behind me was Elmo Gibbon, the drummer whose
idea of increasing tempo was to pound louder. Finallyand most importantly to keeping
the disparate parts of the group from flinging themselves into separate orbitswas Bedoin
Buddha, the pianista man who could really play, and who had been stranded in Idaho Falls

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A BASSOON LITE, PLEASE...BASSOON SEX

for three years ever since his touring band manager ran off with the money and Buddhas
sixth wife, Flower Poof.
SEX.
(Oh, what the hell) SEXSEXSEX!!!
One, Two, Three, Four!! Jimbo screamed into his microphone, and we boogied into
Nine-Below Zero, a blues tune that lends itself to multi-tonalities and accommodates tempo
differences of opinion.
I honked into high gear somewhere in the space between the keys of A and G, my two
favorites. Jim turned his amp up and passed me on the right going two thousand decibels
per instant. Not to be outdone, Bedouin Buddha stood up on the piano and walked his way
through several choruses of cluster rock.
SEX.
Things were moving right along when one of the pole-dancing lovelies from the private
bar upstairs raced across the dance floor with three heavily inebriated bikers crawling after
her as fast as their knees could make tracks in the floors sawdust.
Come-on, Honey! Slow down! they hollered loud enough to be heard above the din of
the band.
Somehow the lady managed to evade capture, and escapedsans clothesthrough a side
door and into the night. I figured the excitement was just about over when the beautifully
apportioned lady shot back through the same door, heading past the bikers outstretched
hands. The bikers got up about as fast as three overweight rebels could possibly move and
scattered as well. Just in the nick of time too, as some cowboy came riding his pinto pony
onto the dance floor.
Yahoooooo!!
SEX!!!!
Ride em cowboy! Buddha hollered into his microphone, and Jim transitioned into Riders
In The Sky without the usual first couple of bars of key-searching. It was our hottest set
of the evening, what with a couple of other bluesy tunes coming right on its heels, and the
drunken cowboy falling off the horse while the beast came up to the bandstand to nuzzle
the bell of my horn.
SEXSEXSEXSEX!!
Well, thats all I have to say. I hope somebody out there managed to stay awake for this
column. For those of you who need SEX, there it is.
Just so yall know theres a whole lot more culture type stuff in Wyoming than most
people imagine. But its mainly in the warped minds of those who wished they had one or
two dozen of those bassoons that play perfectly in tunethe ones I see every several months
in the back pages, hanging out just past my outstretched imagination.
SEX.
More SEX (But thats it. Enough already).

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REVIEWS

BASSOON

MUSIC REVIEWS
Daniel Lipori, Ellensburg, Washington
Music from Potenza Music

http://www.potenzamusic.com

Stravinsky, Igor.

The Rite of Spring, arranged for Woodwind Quintet by Jonathan Russell.

($49.95)
This work began as a commission from the San Francisco Symphonys Keeping Score educational outreach program for a condensed version of Rite for woodwind quintet that would be
about 10-12 minutes in length. Imani Winds heard of this arrangement and commissioned
Jonathan Russell to extend the work to about 20 minutes. Obviously there are sections left
out and the scoring is a little thin at times, but it is still a very impressive transcription.
Most of the primary wind parts remain intact and the only instrument that doubles is the
flute (on piccolo). There are measure numbers throughout along with the original rehearsal
numbers, so it is easy to see which sections have been omitted. There are many technical
challenges for all the instruments and endurance will most likely be an issue, as there are
few rests once it starts. The range of the bassoon part is Bb1 to D5 and this work is certainly
deserving of a grade V. If you are a Stravinsky fan and looking for a new challenge, perhaps
your quintet might enjoy this new arrangement.

Halvorsen, Johan.

REVIEWS

Passacaglia, arranged for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon by Peter Simpson.

($17.95)
This piece is originally by Handel and is the final movement of his Suite in G Minor, HWV
432, for keyboard. Johan Halvorsen then took this passacaglia and created an arrangement
for violin and viola (often played with other combinationsviolin and cello being the most
common). There are many recordings available of both the Handel and Halvorsen versions.
In Halvorsens arrangement, the passacaglia theme is eliminated much of the time, which
strikes me as odd, but he has added some more technically challenging lines for the strings.
Peter Simpson has taken the Halvorsen arrangement to create this edition for reed trio. By
using three voices, Simpson gives each part a chance to rest at times, which is much needed
as this is a fairly taxing work to play. Each part has moderately difficult scale and arpeggiated
passages throughout, and depending on the tempo you take, fast tonguing may also be an
obstacle. The range of the bassoon part is C2 to Bb4 and I would give this work a grade of V.
This is a very challenging work to play, and if your trio has the chops to handle it, it would
be a very rewarding performance.

Three Reed Trios

Arranged for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon by Peter Simpson.
($19.95)
Included in this collection are three works from the Renaissance and Baroque eras. The
first piece is Quam pulchra es, by English composer John Dunstable. This is originally a

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147

homophonic choral motet, and it works very well for reed trio. The ranges are all very comfortable and nothing is technically demanding here. The second work is a few movements
from Frenchman Marin Marais Pieces en Trio, originally for two treble instruments and one
bass instrument. Peter Simpson has included some of the G Minor Suite from the Marais
collection, including the Prelude, Fantasie, Sarabande, Rondeau and Gigue. Most are fairly
imitative and once again, the ranges are not extreme. The final work in the collection is
J.S. Bachs Sinfonia 14, BWV 785, originally for keyboard. This is a three part invention so
obviously there is a lot of imitation as the main theme is passed between all the voices. The
range of the bassoon is C2 to G4 and I would give this collection a grade of III+. There are
many recordings of all the works in this collection both in original form as well as a variety
of arrangements. Peter Simpsons arrangement for reed trio works extremely well and is a
welcome addition to music for this combination.

Music From Associated Music Publishers

http://www.musicsalesclassical.com

Tower, Joan.

Red Maple, for Bassoon and Strings.

(no price listed)

REVIEWS

This work was premiered on October 4, 2013, with Peter Kolkay soloing with the South Carolina
Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Morihiko Nakahara. The piece was a joint commission,
initiated by Kolkay, with the South Carolina Philharmonic, Vanderbilt University School of
Music, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Pomona College, and the San Francisco Chamber
Orchestra. Joan Tower briefly describes the piece: Because of its delicacy, I am surrounding
the bassoon with strings only to give it a chance to shine. There are three cadenzas inside
the concerto that allow the bassoon to come forward alone. Having said that, however, the
piece does get energetic with speed and fast scales - something the bassoon does very well.
The piece is essentially through composed and begins with the bassoon alone, playing a slow
descending three note chromatic motive that quickly expands the range and rhythms used,
sounding quite free. After the strings enter, the bassoons next idea is a four note descending
figure with a few chromatic scales played in between at a slightly faster tempo. This leads to
the first cadenza, which is rather short and uses mostly chromatic eighth notes and eight note
triplets. Following this, the tempo speeds up considerably and the bassoon plays a variety of
scale passages, mostly eighth note triplets and sixteenth note combinations, as the intensity
builds throughout this section. There is a short middle sectionwhere the bassoon plays very
long notes above arpeggiated sixteenth notes in the stringsbefore the sixteenth notes return
in the bassoon part. The tempo begins to slow as some of the opening motives return, which
leads into the second cadenza featuring larger intervals and several accelerandos and ritards
before a chromatic sixteenth note line leads into the next section. The tempo is much quicker
here and uses mostly stepwise eighth note triplets in the melody and accompaniment. After
a lengthy orchestral interlude, the bassoon reenters, now playing chromatic sixteenth notes.
This then leads into the final cadenza, which is mostly chromatic thirty-second notes. The
final section begins with strings playing primarily stepwise sixteenth notes at a fast tempo
before the bassoon takes over this line with once again mostly chromatic writing. At the end,
it switches to eighth note triplets with string chords in the rests and concludes with some
long, held notes. The bassoon writing is fairly idiomatic and falls under the fingers well. The
string accompaniment, which is mostly chordal and homophonic, is very thin throughout
and should never cover up the bassoon. There are no extended techniques for any part, the

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bassoon range is not extreme, and the work sounds fairly diatoniceven with the chromatic
runs within. The range of the bassoon part is Bb1 to B4 and I would give this work a grade
of IV+. It is a rare treat to get a new bassoon concerto, so I am sure you will want to take a
look at this recent commission.

Music from TrevCo Music Publishing

P.O. Box 1, Tallevast, FL 34270

http://www.trevcomusicpublishing.com

Fernandez, Charles.

Remembrance, for Bassoon and Piano.

1762 ($18)
This work was premiered at the 2013 IDRS convention with Barry Trent on bassoon and Lura
Johnson on piano. There is no indication as to if this work is in remembrance of a particular
person, event, or some other happening. It is in a loose ABA form and a fairly slow tempo
throughout. After a short introduction, the bassoon introduces the main melody, which is
an ornamented descending half note and quarter note idea in the mid-upper register of the
instrument. The accompaniment throughout is mostly chordal and homophonic, allowing
the bassoon to easily be heard above. After a piano interlude, the B section begins, using
primarily an ascending quarter note, dotted quarter note, eighth note motive. The harmony
shifts from minor to major in this section as well. Both themes return in the A section and
the work ends with a very free sixteenth note figure in the bassoon. The range of the bassoon
part is Db2 to B4 and I would give this work a grade of III+. This is a very pretty work, and
would be a great contrast to a recital program.

Fernandez, Charles.

REVIEWS

Casablanca Sonata, for Bassoon and Piano.

1763 ($32)
This work was also premiered by Barry Trent at last years IDRS convention. It takes music
from Max Steiners movie score/suite to create this three-movement work. Movement one,
Opening/Market, begins with music from the opening credits, giving the feel of the hustle
and bustle of the big city. It then moves into the music of the Moroccan marketplace, with
many augmented seconds and a variety of rhythms, making it easy to picture this scene.
Movement two, Ricks, sets the scene for Ricks Caf American and all the action that occurs
there. It begins with the background piano music, now played by the bassoon of course, in
a fast swing beat with a walking bass line accompaniment. This leads into perhaps the most
famous song in the movie, As Time Goes By, which works perfectly for the bassoon (though
I might be a little biased). The third movement, Escape and Finale, is in a quick compound
meter and is quite frantic with all the eighth note triplets and large jumps in the bassoon
part. As we head to the airport, the Nazis get in the way and one of them is shot. The final
line of the movie is also spoken here, followed by playing the French National Anthem. The
bassoon range is Bb1 to C5 and I would give this work a grade of IV+. If you are a fan of this
movie, you certainly will enjoy this piece as it is a lot of fun to play.

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Martini, Jean-Paul gide.

Plaisir damour, arranged for Bassoon and Piano by Eric Varner.

1765 ($14)
Martini was a Bavarian region musician who spent most of his productive life in France, where
he at times taught composition at the Paris Conservatory. Plaisir damour (The Joy of Love)
is believed by many people to be the song on which the Elvis Presley hit Cant Help Falling
in Love is based. It is in a basic ABA form and has a moderately slow 6/8 meter throughout.
The main melody is a lyrical, ornamented dotted quarter note line in A Major with a mostly
chordal, arpeggiated accompaniment beneath. The B section moves to A Minor and the
accompaniment becomes slightly more agitated while the melody is only slightly varied. A
short return of the A section concludes the piece. It would have been helpful for me to have
a copy and translation of the text included in this edition to help with the interpretation. The
bassoon range is A2 to C5 and I would give this work a grade of III. This is a very beautiful
song and would be a nice contrast to a recital program.

Shields, Graeme.

Four Onomatopoeias, for Bassoon and Piano.

3908 ($20)

Granados, Enric.

Capricho Espaol op. 39, arranged for Three Bassoons by Silvia Coricelli.
11364 ($20)
Granados was a Spanish composer, probably most known for his piano work Goyescas.
Capricho Espaol, originally a Granados piano composition, has the normal large amount
of rubato and flexibility of tempo throughout. The main melody is a lilting half note and
two eighth note idea with a mostly arpeggiated quarter note accompaniment. This appears
in a few different key areas and the transitions between them vary. This arrangement for

REVIEWS

Graeme Shields is a music student at the University of Minnesota Duluth studying composition with Dr. Justin Rubin. Onomatopoeia is a word or action named for the sound associated
with it, such as hum or buzz. In this composition, the titles of the movements correspond
to main rhythms that are played in each. The first movement, Buh-uh, uses two slurred
stepwise eighth notes to sound the onomatopoeia. This idea then expands into longer phrases,
often using a grouping of three eighth notes to create a syncopated feeling. The piano easily
supports the solo line and often doubles the bassoon part. Movement two, Ba Doo-ah,
uses three eighth notes with the first one tongued and the second two slurred to create the
main motive. There are many large interval leaps throughout (some are two octaves) and
the piano line is bit thinner as it is mostly octave doublings. The onomatopoeia for the third
movement, Wa Bit-itty Doo-Wah, is not as obvious and does not begin the movement. This
rhythm is a descending group of eighth note triplets along with a beat of a quarter note and
eighth note triplet. There is a bit more interplay/imitation between the bassoon and piano
in this movement, often as a call and response, and quite a bit of syncopation as well. The
final movement, Gah-da-Bah, uses the last eighth note of a quarter note triplet followed by
a beat of a quarter note and eighth note triplet as its main rhythm. This triplet feel is used
throughout and the main rhythm of the third movement is also used frequently. There are
a lot of rhythm doublings with the piano. The range of the bassoon line is C2 to Eb5 and
I would give this work a grade of IV+. This certainly is not your typical solo bassoon work,
and perhaps would add a bit of contrast to your next recital.

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bassoon can be a bit awkward at times, with all parts going fairly high up in the range plus
the added difficulty of executing the rubato perfectly together. The work may need a few
extra rehearsals for it to feel comfortable. The range of bassoon 1 is D2 to Eb5, bassoon 2
goes from D2 to D5, bassoon 3 is from Bb1 to D5 and I would give this work a grade of IV+. I
am a fan Granados music, so I enjoyed reading through the arrangement. If your ensemble
is looking for a new challenge, this work might fit the bill.

Rossini, Gioachino.

Largo al factotum from the Barber of Seville, arranged for Four Bassoons and
Contrabassoon by Silvia Coricelli.
11587 ($24)
Many bassoon players are familiar with the Gebauer arrangement for two bassoons of this
popular aria. There is also a pretty fun woodwind quintet version (which I have played for
many school concerts). Silvia Coricelli gives us a very good five-part bassoon arrangement
that would be a nice addition to any ensemble concert. Most of the writing is fairly idiomatic
and falls under the fingers well. The first two parts have the majority of the melodic material
throughout, at times alternating the line back and forth. The range of bassoon 1 is C3 to D5,
bassoon 2 goes from G2 to A4, bassoon 3 is from G2 to F4, bassoon 4 goes from C2 to G4,
the contrabassoon goes from written C2 to D4 and I would give this work a grade of IV. Im
sure your group would enjoy playing this fun transcription.

REVIEWS

Daniel Lipori serves as associate professor of bassoon and music history at Central Washington
University. He is editor of Georg Wenzel Ritter: Six Quartets for Bassoon and Strings op. 1,
published by A-R Editions, Inc. (1999), and author of A Researchers Guide to the Bassoon,
published by the Edwin Mellen Press (2002). He has served as the new bassoon music reviewer
for The Double Reed since 2006.

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BASSOON

RECORDING REVIEWS
Ryan D. Romine, Winchester, Virginia
Virko Baleys Parables & Reflections
Kristin Wolfe Jensen, bassoon; Rebecca Henderson, oboe; Michelle Schumann, piano
TNC Recordings, CD-1524; 2010
Online: www.tncmusic.net
By Email: [email protected]
By Phone: 800-253-7675
By Fax: 702-457-0199
By Mail: 1350 E. Flamingo Road #308; Las Vegas, NV 89119
Also available for download on iTunes
This disc contains performances of the following works by Virko Baley:
Treny-Laments II for bassoon solo
a trois for oboe, bassoon and piano
Five Songs Without Words
Partita No. 2 (Dreamtime Suite No. 3) for bassoon and piano

REVIEWS

Virko Baley is a Ukrainian-born composer, pianist, conductor, and recording producer

(who happens to own the label on which this disc was released). Currently, he serves on the
faculty of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas as a Distinguished Professor of Music and
Composer-in-Residence. For this album of his own works, Baley has tapped into the powerful
Texas music scene and gathered a group of extraordinarily fine musicianssensitive and able
players who bring out the many shades of pathos written across the discs hour (plus) of music.
The first track, Treny-Laments II for bassoon solo, is an understated tour de force performance by Kristin Wolfe Jensen. For a full fourteen minutes, she displays a beautiful sound, an
uncanny sense of pitch, and a patient dedication to the lines of this Wilson Osborne-tinged
jeremiad, holding the audiences attention in spots where a lesser player would have easily
slipped the entire room into a torpid haze.
The second work on the disc, a trois for oboe, bassoon and piano, presents the listener
with another somber musing. It is cold music that somehow makes even unison lines in the
three instruments sound distant, detached. All three players handle the work with appropriate reserve, creating a fine performance of an ultimately depressing piece. (Even if the
work isnt entirely to your taste, be sure to have a listen to oboist Rebecca Hendersons high
F around minute sevenit is sublime.)
Following a trois is a set of Five Songs Without Words, transcribed for bassoon and
piano from Baleys vocal works. The first three songs began life as settings of poems by Emily
Dickinson, the fourth is from Miltons LAllegro, and the fifth does not have a source listed,
though it is dedicated to the memory of fellow Ukrainian composer Valentin Bibik. Song
1 is a short, beautiful work that Jensen plays with such quiet passion one can almost hear
the words. Song 2 is a rare departure from the discs prevailing sense of slow melancholy,
giving the listener instead a short, jaunty ride through the dark (think opening credits to a
Tim Burton film). The fast ride is over all too soon, though, and we arrive at Song 3, so far
Baleys most overtly tuneful utterance on the album. The tempo of Song 4 is thankfully true
to its source, though it doesnt have the same appeal as Song 2. The length of Song 5 is almost

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REVIEWS

equal to the first four combined. And for any listener seeking a cathartic experience, this is
not it. Instead, this last song is a wrenching, hypnotic portrait of loss, again ably performed
by Jensen along with pianist Michelle Schumann who pulls an admirable amount of depth
from both the music and her instrument.
The last work on the album, the monumental Partita No. 2, opens with an Intrada
for solo bassoon. Here, Jensen gets to flex her fast technical skills, which, if you have heard
her earlier CD, Shadings, you know to be astoundingly fluid. With a sudden flourish in the
piano, the Intrada then continues without break into the Scherzo I, subtitled Kozak Mamai
(Kozak Mamai being a Ukrainian folk-hero similar to Till Eulenspiegel). Here, the bassoon is
tasked with performing an increasingly disjointed set of musical ideas over an increasingly
disjointed rendition of a Ukrainian folk songin the end, an enjoyable effect.
Organized into three sets of two panels each (diptychs, if you prefer), the Partita moves
on in movement three from the faster opening diptych to a darker pair of frames. Here, the
composer explores (again) the idea of sadness and death. A slow movement with bell tones
reminiscent of Chopins funeral march from his second piano sonata melds into the fast
Scherzo II: West Wind, (Feux follets) which holds onto the bells but gives them a frantic
tone, as if the wind (and perhaps something more ominous) is forcefully raking a distant
townscape.
The third and final diptych begins with an extended movement titled Duma. In it,
numerous effects are conjured from the piano (including sounds akin to frame drum and
flexitone) while the bassoon has a slow personal crisis. Duma is then paired with a final
Tango, which takes our lusty Argentine dancers, doses them with a few hypnotics, and
then sits them down to talk about their feelings. It is a surreal track, but definitely worth a
listen (if only for the last two notes).
So what of the album as a whole? To be sure, it is not light and easy listening. Do not be
mistaken, though; the playing is of the utmost quality and the music itself is well crafted. This
large issue is that this album runs into the same problem that nearly any single-composer
album encounters: the music all speaks with the same voice. With numerous pensive, brooding
tracks stacked one after the other (after the other), one gets the sense that there will never
be sunshine again. So, what to do? Buy the album but then listen to it only a few tracks at a
time. That way, you are sure to better appreciate the depth and beauty each work has to offer.

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Bassoon Transcended:
Contemporary Music for Bassoon and Piano by Women Composers
Christin Schillinger, bassoon & Jed Moss, piano
MSR Classics MS1439; 2013
Online: www.msrcd.com
By Email: [email protected]
By Phone: 203-304-2486
By Mail: 8 Dover Circle, Newtown, CT 06470
Also available for download on iTunes
This disc contains performances of the following works:
Adrienne AlbertCircadia
Elizabeth AlexanderFractals
Cindy McTeeCircle Music III
Susan KanderThe Lunch Counter: A Musical Play in Seven Movements
Nancy GalbraithSonata

REVIEWS

Bassoon soloist, teacher, and force of nature Christin Schillinger opens Bassoon Transcended
(her second albumthis one with a metaphor-laden set of maple seeds on the cover) on a
strong note with Adrienne Alberts Circadia. The works first movement, Cycles, thunders to
life in the piano with a dark series of arpeggios with the bassoon joining in shortly thereafter.
The music is an unexpected mix of apocalyptica meets light jazz but it somehow works quite
well. Schillinger and pianist Jed Moss ably handle the shifts in texture and tone, creating a
striking beginning to this fine album.
Judging by the works title, its second movement, Nightfall, is supposed to be a reflection
of the more organic side of night. To many, though, it may instead bring to mind a smoky
cabaret, its denizens held in thrall by an equally smoky chanteuse. The writing is languid
and soulful and Schillinger delivers a nuanced interpretation, only letting on once or twice
that the movement sits in a slightly uncomfortable range. The work then closes with Spring
Ahead, which pairs lusty Orff-tinted outside sections (think the childrens choir part of
Carmina Burana) with a short, beautifully soaring middle bit.
The second work on the album is Elizabeth Alexanders Fractals. Comprised of five small
movements, the work allows Shillinger to show of her significant extended technique chops
while keeping ideas moving along so as to not bog down the listener. It is an effective work
(especially the bop-infused third movement, Twindragon) and both performers sound
completely at home, playing with confidence and commitment.
Next up is Cindy McTees Circle Music III, a wandering affair that becomes even more
interesting when one reads about how it is put together. Constructed of a set of musical
fragments from which the performers spontaneously choose in the heat of performance,
the work is meant to be a sort of real-time musical sculpture. Guided by a few rules from
McTee, the players set out on a musical journey that will be unlike any other before or since.
The piece is indeed atmospheric, lacking the focus derived from proscribed form, but it is
well played and definitely a worthwhile listen.
Dramatically, the fourth work on the album, Susan Kanders The Lunch Counter: A
Musical Play in Seven Movements, has it all: a proposal, a dead girlfriend/wife, bed wetting,
a dead son, the town oddball, tardy students, a waitress whos been around the block a few
times. Musically, however, there is a noticeable disconnect. The work is not poorly playedin
fact it is played exceptionally well. The issue here is that the short, spoken vignette at the
beginning of each movement is followed by musical material that does not really match up.

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It is wholly decent music unnecessarily propped up by a series of theatrical crutches. If one

heard the seven movements without their spoken lines, instead of affianced bliss and potty
training, one might instead be inclined to think of seven relatively similar postal carriers or
perhaps a series of things pockets are good for.
2013 was a good year for Nancy Galbraith and her Bassoon Sonata (the last work on this
disc) as it was recorded not once but twice! Here, Schillinger and Mosss performance is
warm and quietly celebratory; organic, tender and vulnerable. Nicolasa Kusters rendition
of the work on her own excellent album, Metamorphosis, is comparatively more aloof and
angular, reserved with an elegant dignity. Which one is better? That all depends on what
you like. The best thing to do would be to buy both albums (support your solo bassoonists!)
and enjoy them both.
This album is certainly not the last weve heard from Christin Schillinger and her
wonderful collaborator Jed Moss. Together, they create passionate music that gives voice to
works one may otherwise have never heardand the bassoon world is all the better for the
care and dedication they have put into this work.

REVIEWS

Ryan D. Romine has held the position of Assistant Professor of Bassoon at Shenandoah
Conservatory (Winchester, Virginia) since 2009. More information about him and his many
interests can be found at his website: www.ryanromine.net.

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OBOE

RECORDING REVIEWS
Jeanne Belfy, Boise, Idaho
Oboe Dolce.
Sherry Sylar, oboe; Judith LeClair, bassoon; Cynthia Phelps, viola; pianists Yi-Fang
Huang, Harriet Wingreen, Norman Weiss, and Jonathan Feldman.
Engineered and produced by Daryl Bornstein, 2013.
Available at http://www.sherrysylar.com/#!oboe-dolce/c1yi7
and through Amazon and iTunes.

REVIEWS

For nearly thirty years, Tennessean Sherry Sylar has played associate principal oboe with
the New York Philharmonic, also subbing as acting principal there, as well as other major
orchestras in the U.S. and abroad from time to time. She began her rapid orchestral ascent
with an associate position with the Louisville Orchestra in the early 1980sshe quickly
established herself as a soloist with irrepressible energy, enthusiasm, and good humor. I
heard her play a baroque concerto with the LO and the solo from Saint-Sans Bacchanale,
and I had the honor of sitting at the end of her section for several larger works in 1982-3.
This, her first solo recording, reveals a musical personality of delicacy, evenness, refined
color, and immaculate interpretation. Sherry has chosen some of the most beloved oboe
chamber music of her generationLoefflers Deux Rapsodies and Poulencs Trioto perform
with her cherished colleagues who hold principal chairs in the NYP. She also includes a set
of lesser known gems by Thomas Dunhill, along with specially chosen jewelsPiazzollas
Oblivin, Drings Danza Gaya, J.S. Bachs Sinfonia from Cantata 156, and Broadway musical
conductor Norman Weisss Reverie for oboe and piano. It is clear from her playing and her
notes that their repertoire was chosen with great care and personal purpose.
The CD opens with the Rhapsodiesthe ominous piano bass, the rich viola line, and
the sweet blend of her Laubin oboe. Sylars approach to chamber playing is that of restraint
and discretion. Her projection is so tightly focused that the other players lines are never
obscured, yet she is heard. The flexibility of the trios ensemble is stellar; they demonstrate
the architecture of The Pool by developing tempo and dynamic changes within the context
of the entire movement, and no moment is sacrificed to any technical obstacle. Beauty of
tone is matched, instrument for instrument, as all three come together in vocal lyricism
even through the faster, articulated section. Pianist Yi-Fang Huangs touch yields new
expressive dimensions to the score, while Cynthia Phelps can make even the croak of a frog
sound lovely with her viola. A contemplative tempo introduces The Bagpipe movement.
Huangs interpretation of the theme is original; oboe and viola blend with quiet precision.
Sylar plays the rhapsodic bagpipe melody with unusual care. The complicated polyphony
and polyrhythms that follow fit together in striking metric precision, section by section. (I
remember when my only recorded access to this mysterious work was Robert Sprenkles
pioneer effort on Mercury LP SR 90277how differently it is performed now!). Of particular
note are the trios phrase endings: each diminuendo is perfectly calculated and matched in
time and dynamic. The detail of expressive precision is like that of a superb string quartet.
This is not the wildest or most emotional performance of the Rhapsodies Ive ever heard,
but probably the most polished.
Danza Gaya relieves the gloom of the murky pond and the devil at the crossroads in a
bright, prancing tempo. Sylars fluid lines spin across phrase after phrase, and yet convey
varied articulation gestures within the legato. Her tonguing is astoundingly light and flexible.

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Harriet Wingreen is the strong, supportive pianist for this piece, and for the sad tango that
follows. Though multiple oboists now perform Astor Piazzollas Oblivin from 1982 movie
Enrico IV, so popular in many arrangements, its long winded-ness could be fatiguing (for
player or audience). This performance is a winnerSylar demonstrates the relaxed line of a
top-flight violinist. One has no sense that producing this precious, melting timbre over the
pianists languorous changes and sultry grooves is anything but a joy. The homogeneity of
the Laubin oboes tonal scale contributes to my impression of a fine stringed instrument. In
the last piece of this set, Norman Weisss Reverie in waltz time, Sherry shows her lyricism
even more, as she plays a melody that was originally written for a contemporary musical
with a slightly slower, wider vibrato. Its impossible not to imagine the words.
At the center of the program is Poulencs magnificent Trio of 1926. Jonathan Feldman,
long-time chair of the Juilliard School collaborative piano department, does the honors on
the acrobatic score. He sets the tempo and never looks back. His emphasis brings out the
most pungent of the harmonies, but he is perfectly balanced with the two extraordinary
double-reed players, who are in turn perfectly balanced and in tune with each other. I dont
remember hearing a more precise and sophisticated recording of this work, and some of the
credit for the extreme clarity and beauty of sound must belong to recording engineer Daryl
Bornstein. I especially enjoy the death-defying tempo of the final movement, with the adroit
technique of all three players on full display, and Sylars changing colors and articulations
outlining each episodic mood. Feldman drives the tempos relentlessly, and of course bassoonist Judith LeClair shows no fearher refined, velvety tone races through all registers
in passagework and trills of the utmost accuracy.
Sherry introduces British composer Thomas Dunhills Friendships Garland, A Suite
of Five Miniatures, Op. 97, for Oboe and Piano with pianist Harriet Wingreen. (The work
has also been recorded by Erin Hannigan in 2008 on Crystal CD820). The five short movements bear tempo markings rather than programmatic titles, but are simple, lovely character
pieces. Each is concise and concentrated in its essential mood, but has melodic grace and
controlled harmonic activity. Sherry Sylar seems to have the most fun with the playful
Allegretto grazioso, the last and most extended of the five, which makes a convincing finale
to the suite. The technical demands of this work are moderate for the oboe, and it is sure
to please a general audience.
As a kind of benediction, the CD ends with Albert Andrauds arrangement of the Sinfonia
from J.S. Bachs Cantata 156, in the words of the oboist, simply the way I did it when I was
14. She asks forgiveness for her lack of studied authenticity. No forgiveness is necessary for
playing with such purity. This CD is obviously a labor of love, with classic, artistic photographs of all the performers by Matt Dine; it is foremost a record of one womans musical
and interpretive abilities. It is also a graceful, satisfying collection of music for oboe. We
hope for more to come.

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Turbine
Michael Lisicky, oboe; Philip Munds, horn; Mary Woehr, piano.
Engineered by Eric Echols, 2013.
Available on iTunes, at chesapeakehornshop.com, and bsomusc.org
(the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra store).

REVIEWS

Baltimore Symphony oboist Michael Lisicky (also an historian of American department

storessee The Double Reed, vol. 36 no. 4, p. 32) formed a trio with BSO principal horn
Philip Munds and BSO violist and pianist Mary Woehr to perform on BSO chamber music
events. They adopted the name, Turbine, for this ensemble, epitomizing, in Lisickys words,
three blades that create energy through wind. They also found that the collaboration and
music inspired them to make a recording. They dug deeply into the repertoire, played all
the standards, and made some surprising discoveries and additions.
For example, the transcriptions of the first four songs of Robert Schumanns Myrthen,
Op. 25, are included in order to feature a recognizable composer for the reassurance of
concert presenters. If one is forced to these lengths, what a heavenly length is this exercise!
I cant think of anything with a bigger goose-bump factor than the opening melody of
Widmung. Lisicky gives himself the entire A section on the oboe, accompanied by Mary
Woehrs noble pianistic foundation. Philip Munds takes the next verse, his supple agility
sending his horn into the melodic apex, where he is relieved by Lisicky with short dialogues.
This arrangement concludes with a tasteful interpolation of the horn into the piano texture,
alternating and combining with the oboe melody. Freisinn offers the horn an idiomatic
dotted-rhythm opening, while the oboe takes the more legato theme and later accompanies the
horn. Nussbaum offers each melody instrument opportunities for comfortably alternating
phrases, and continues with graceful insertions of the winds into judiciously chosen parts
of the piano texture. Jemand again features the horn in the declamatory opening. Each
player is adept at portraying his text-driven melodies in terms of articulation and emphasis.
Michael Lisicky is the thoughtful arrangeradd astute appreciation of early 19th-century
German Lieder and skilled orchestration to his list of accomplishments.
The rest of the CDs program is equally Romantic, though all its composers were not
equal to Schumann in imagination. Nonetheless they all created engaging, enjoyable pieces,
with moments of great beauty. Heinrich von Herzogenbergs substantive Trio in D Major
is given a crisp, authoritative reading, from its striking opening horn theme to the end of
its tapeworm of a finale. The sonata-form first movement offers oboists the closest thing
we will get to a Brahmsian piano trio. Mary Woehrs piano sparkles with the right balance
of showmanship and deference as she leads the winds through the scaffolding themes and
modulations. The sometimes seemingly directionless development becomes coherent in her
capable hands, falling into the recapitulation with a natural ease. I admire the fine balance
and blend of oboe and horn when they are given homophonic lines, both here and in the
joyous second movement scherzo. The scherzos outer sections are rooted in horn call, but
also invite the oboe to accompany the hunt. Once again, Turbine makes perfect sense of
the less strong compositional moments, in this case the central section. Both wind players
have the control and endurance to realize Herzogenbergs meandering, but poignantly sweet
conversations among the three performers. The motives are touchingly passed around with
precise clarity. I didnt realize how much I love this piece until I heard these musicians play it.
A short treat by Adolphe Banc from around 1870 for oboe, horn, and piano, called Romance,
Op. 43b, was uncovered by the players on Petruccis ISMLP website. Classically textured in
the traditional French style, it features regular phrasing and some moderate coloratura for
the winds, keeping the piano in a subsidiary role. The disc opens with Robert Kahns 1923
Serenade, more familiar with viola than horn. This nearly twelve-minute work begins with

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an arching, achingly plaintive horn theme, which, with its variants, comprises the entire
first section. The agitated second section gives both winds plenty of activity, and sends the
piano on a frantic flight. Several more sectional mood swingsfolky, dance-y, grace-notey
parts alternating with joyous, soaring wind lines over busy piano partslead to a return of
the original, gloomy theme. But the Serenade ends with a final burst of energy and happiness
that seems to poke fun at the whole ordeal.
As if he had not tugged enough heart-strings, Lisicky concludes with his original arrangement of Danny Boy. His setting is unaffected, as is the trios performance, but evocative
in its creative voicing and graceful countermelodies. Orchestrating for the horn can be a
challenge. Lisicky has placed his colleagues and himself in registers that complement each
other well in unusual ways. The result is tender and satisfying, but never maudlina fine
trick with this beloved chestnut. Here we have another strong recording of fine musicians
playing repertoire that is meaningful to them and enjoyable for anyone listeninga pleasure
and an inspiration to review.

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OBOE

BOOK REVIEW
Mary Ashley Barret, Greensboro, North Carolina
Jacqueline Leclair

Oboe Secrets: 75 Performance Strategies for the Advanced Oboist and English Horn Player
London: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2013
ISBN: 978-0-8108-8620-9. 166pp. $36.00
ebook: $21.99
www.rowman.com

REVIEWS

Have you ever wondered how to improve your endurance? Or how about techniques to
super-hydrate your oboe? What about creating exercises to work on complex rhythmic
patterns? Jacqueline Leclair is here to answer these questions and to offer possible solutions
to at least 70 other ponderings or musings you may have about the oboe, the English horn,
or performing in general.
As developed by Scarecrow Press Music Series, the volumes comprising the Music Secrets
for the Advanced Musician are designed as quick resources for those students or teachers
who are looking for ways to improve their music making beyond the level of beginner or
intermediate performer. Leclairs Oboe Secrets is the fourth book in the series, and as titled,
presents performance strategies for experienced players, from the advanced high school
oboist to professional performers, teachers, and amateurs. Dr. Leclair is an internationally
distinguished performer, a champion of new music, and is currently the oboe professor at
the Schulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Her performance
edition of Luciano Berios Sequenza VIIa has become the go-to road map in learning this
masterwork of the oboe repertoire.
Oboe Secrets is intended to be provocative, to encourage discussion, experimentation, and
above all to help make oboe and English horn playing easy, healthy, joyful, and focused on
making music.1 The book is divided into nine chapters plus a resource section, and includes
secrets for practicing, tone and rhythm, reed making, health and strength, simplifying your
musical life, maintaining your equipment, English horn, expanded techniques, and one chapter
containing a variety of topics, entitled Sundry Strategies. Illustrations, drawings, photos
and musical examples highlight many of the strategies and provide clarity where necessary.
Each chapter is divided into several secrets, which in turn are defined by Leclair, followed by
a suggested technique to aid in mastering this secret, notes or helpful hints often containing
a personal story, and the benefits we gain by learning this technique.
Most secrets are reduced to one or two pages of explanation, rendering them easy to
read and distilled to the most important aspects of the topic at hand. For example, Secret
6: Rhythm First focuses on learning a new piece of music containing rhythmic challenges.
Leclair suggests working on the rhythms alone, without the oboe, using a metronome and
singing or speaking the rhythms. Add musical gestures and appropriate style as you say the
rhythms. Only when your rhythm is solid do you begin to add the oboe. This secret is especially helpful when learning mixed meter sections or a pattern of five quarter notes against
three quarter notes, or simply learning foundational rhythms such as triplets, syncopations,
and dotted figures. Good rhythm supports all aspects of musicianship. (Leclair, 9)
Secret 18 discusses Contemporary Music with Big Leaps. How often have you looked at
music containing large leaps and thought There is no way I will be able to sound lyrical on
this passage? The temptation to perform these phrases as simply notes is great; however,

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lyricism can prevail if you reconsider how to practice these leaps. Leclair suggests rewriting
the intervals to be in close position, all within one range, and in simple quarter note rhythms.
Practice the section several times slowly so that you can hear the intervals and melodic
intent. Focus on beautiful phrasing and tone. Sing through the passages. Add in the original
rhythms. Once you have the tune and rhythm in your ear, move forward to playing the
passage as written, making sure you remain focused on hearing the intervals and melody you
previously established, no matter how large the leaps have become. Voila, lyrical intervals!
Many of the topics discussed may be familiar to professional oboists; however, Leclairs
descriptions and ideas of conquering them should be refreshing and often liberating. Being
reminded of a lost technique is quite helpful, and likewise reading solutions similar to your
own can be reassuring. The resource list at the end of the book is extremely helpful in that
Leclair has included a brief synopsis for each book listed. The variety of texts and suggested
recordings lends insight into Leclairs reading tastes and habits. It is clear that she is committed to working towards healthy playing habits, enhancing and encouraging creativity, and
opening her mind and body to discovery and invention. Oboe Secrets is written in clear, easy
to comprehend language, should be a staple in the oboists and English hornists libraries,
and I recommend it for students, teachers, amateurs and professionals alike.
Ashley Barret is professor of oboe and associate department chair for the School of Music,
Theatre and Dance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She actively freelances in the Piedmont Triad area in addition to holding the principal oboe position with
the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. Her main teachers have been Richard Killmer, Doris
DeLoach, and Eric Ohlsson.

REVIEWS

1 Jacqueline LeClair, Oboe Secrets: 75 Performance Strategies for the Advanced Oboist and
English Horn Player (London: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2013), ix.

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

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Midwest Musical Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Miller Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Miller MarketingMoosmann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NisseN Bassoon Bocals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nora Post, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Oboe Chicago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
rdg woodwinds, inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Roger Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sharons Oboe Shoppe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Woodwind & Brasswind, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Reeds, Cane & Supplies

Bassoon Reeds by Gene Griswold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Edmund Nielsen Woodwinds, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ets. Glotin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jende IndustriesJende Reed Knife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
KGE Reeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lgre Reeds LTD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Northwest Oboe Cane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reed Expertise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reeds n Stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RIMPL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Stuart Dunkel Oboe Cane & Reeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Suprieure Cane Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Weber Reeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wicked Edge Knife Sharpening System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sheet Music & Recordings

Crystal Records Bassoon Compact Discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Crystal Records Oboe Compact Discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crystal Records24 Reicha Woodwind Quintets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crystal RecordsSusan Nigro, Contrabassoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Music Source, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TrevCo Music Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TrevCoVarner Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Education, Competitions, Camps & Festivals

Ball State UniversityRobert Atherholt Masterclass Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bassoon Bonanza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bocal Majority Bassoon Camp & Operation O.B.O.E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Boston Conservatory, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crusell International Oboe Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Florida State University Summer Music Camps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hidden Valley Music Seminars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Illinois Summer Youth Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lucarelli Oboe Master Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Juilliard Historical Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Juilliard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
McGill Oboe Reed Making Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Purchase College, State University of New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Roosevelt University Chicago College of Performing Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Royal Conservatory, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
USC Thornton School of Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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186
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194
168
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164
208
186
168
195
201
174
172
177
163
204
210
193
181
162
204
197
203

Other

Clarion Musical Instrument Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

Weisberg SystemsDouble Octave Key System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Double ReeDs
AT PuRCHAse
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offering Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, Performers certificate

and Artist Diploma in Westchester county just north of new york city

oboe james austin smith

bassoon adrian morejon, cynde iverson, monica ellis
for information

visit our website at www.purchase.edu/music/woodwinds

or email [email protected].

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

163

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the worlds Foremost Purveyor

oF sheet music For double reeds
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165

ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

24 Reicha Woodwind Quintets

Each Reicha Quintet is a masterpiece of the highest
order. Those who ignore this legacy are missing out
not only on some terrific wind music but on some of
the finest music ever penned. These pieces are symphonies in miniature. Audiophile Audition (Ritter)
CD261: op. 88, #1&2 CD262: op. 88, #3&4 CD263: op. 88, #5&6
CD264: op. 91, #1&2 CD265: op. 91, #3&4 CD266: op. 91, #5&6
CD267: op. 99, #1&2 CD268: op. 99, #3&4 CD269: op. 99, #5&6
CD270: op. 100, #1&2 CD271: op. 100, #3&4 CD272: op. 100, #5&6.
CDs are $16.95 each. Special price for box set of all 12 CDs
is $128. Shipping is $2 per order US or $10 per order foreign.
Glorious quintets...a constant freshness, with radiant good humour. International Record Review
Yes, indeed! What a recording of the complete string quartets [of Beethoven] is to the world of string
players, this series of Reicha recordings is to [the] wind quintet. The Clarinet (Bruce Creditor)
These quintets are absolute masterpieces, symphonic in scope. Fanfare
Performed by the Westwood Wind Quintet (Peter Christ, oboe Patricia Nelson, bassoon)
The Westwood Wind Quintet is one of the finest wind quintets in the world...wonderfully precise,
clear and always exciting...when they play, the music truly comes alive. Klimko, IDRS The Double Reed
a standard of ensemble playing that is nothing short of breathtaking International Record Review
Order at www.crystalrecords.com or email: [email protected] Hear sound samples on web.

More Westwood Wind Quintet CDs:

Other acclaimed CDs by the Westwood Wind Quintet include:

CD601: Nielsen & Hindemith Woodwind Quintets plus Schulhoff,
Divertissement. I cannot imagine a better performance than the
one given here by the Westwood Wind Quintet High Fidelity Mag.
CD750: Barber, Summer Music; Ligeti, Six Bagatelles; Mathias,
Quintet; & Carlson, Nightwings. a recording which, equally
good in tone quality, balance and clarity, can also be described
as superlative. Gramophone Magazine
CD759: Tschemberdschi, Concertino (Quartet: flute, oboe,
clarinet, bassoon); Ripper, Wind Trio (oboe, clarinet, bassoon);
Piston, Three Pieces (flute, clarinet, bassoon); Berger, Quartet;
Hartley, Quartet; Kosins, Rainbow Sundae for Woodwind Quintet.
CD250: Klughardt, Quintet; Berio, Opus No. Zoo; plus Linn, Pillin,
Stein. one of the finest ensembles of its kind Amer. Record Guide
CD751: Dahl, Allegro & Arioso; Husa, Serenade; Moyse, Quintet;
& Sapieyevski, Arioso. as usual, the Westwood Wind Quintet
plays with spirit, finesse, and magnificent articulation. Very
fine recording. Fanfare Magazine
CD752: Bergsma, Concerto; Rochberg, To the Dark Wood; Carter,
Quintet; Schuller, Suite; Schuman, Dances; Plog, Animal Ditties
a feast of virtuoso music for winds In-Tune Magazine
CD353: Sextuor Vent, by Milhaud, Heiden, Dubois, w/Harvey
Pittel saxophone; plus Ibert, Rossini, DeWailly, Barthe, Arnold, etc.
CD647: Holst, Terzetto; Plog, Four Miniatures; Sapieyevski,
Concerto for Viola & Winds, with James Dunham, viola.

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Bergsma, Concerto; Rochberg, To the Dark

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166

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

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Quality Consistency Innovation

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

171

BASSOON COMPACT DISCS

Zelenka, Six Chamber Sona-

tas for 2 Oboes, Bassoon, & Continuo.

(No. 3 is performed twice, once violin &
oboe, and once 2 oboes) Performed by
principal players from the Dallas & Houston
Symphonies & St. Paul Chamber Orchestra,:
Erin Hannigan and Kathryn Greenbank, Oboes; Kristin Van Cleve, Violin;
Benjamin Kamins, Bassoon; Timothy Pitts, Double Bass; Layton James, Harpsichord. CD821 (vol. 1): Sonatas 1-3, CD822 (vol. 2): Sonatas 4-6.

LEONARD SHARROW , one of the

worlds best-known bassoonists, was principal
bassoon with the NBC Symphony with Arturo
Toscanini and the Chicago Symphony with Fritz
Reiner. JOSEPH POLISI is President of The
Juilliard School and has performed extensively
in the U.S. as bassoon soloist and chamber
musician. CD341: Sharrow plays Concertos by Luke and Welcher. Polisi
plays Bitsch, Concertino; plus Villa-Lobos, Matthews, and Noon.
THE BASSOON BROTHERS. CD873, Wanted. Just plain
hilarious. Seattle Times. Special
treatment of music by Gounod, Grieg,
Schickele, Bizet, Brubeck, Dubois, &
more. CD875, Captured! Another
hilarious CD includes Godfather Suite, Carmen Crusader, Sabre Dance, etc.
SUSAN NIGRO, CONTRABASSOON.
The Paganini of the contrabassoon. Fanfare.
CD346, The Big Bassoon: Muradian, Contrabsn
Concerto; also Doran, Draganski, Nicholson, Warren.
CD348, Little Tunes for the Big Bassoon. Includes
Pink Panther, Harlem Nocturne, Morceau (Cherubini),
& more. CD843: New Tunes for the Big Bassoon by
Cummings, Grassel, Kurrasch, McKenna, Powning, and
Waddle. CD845: Bellissima, Italian Tunes for the
Big Bassoon. Rossini, Vivaldi, Albinoni, Besozzi, Nussio, Procaccini. CD847:
Original Tunes for the Big Bassoon by Kurrasch, Proto, Fine, Bjorling, Stybr,
and Koukl. Premiere recordings of works commissioned by Nigro.
THE 2 CONTRAS: CD349. Burl Lane &
Susan Nigro, Chicago Symphony Contrabassoonists. Vanhal, Concerto, Mozart, Sonata; Weisberg,
From the Deep; Dorff, Sonatina dAmore; Ozi,
Sonata No. 1; Curtis, The Impish Imp. fascinating
mosaic of sound...superb playing...intonation is
ideal...most enjoyable. Fanfare.
OBOES, BASSOONS, & CONTRA-BASSOON: CD871. Lukas Foss,
Oboe Concerto. Bert Gassman, oboe. Also
Double-Reed ensembles: Bach Ricercar (Musical
Offering), plus Handel, Pillin, & Heussenstamm,
Los Angeles Philharmonic oboes & bassoons.
What a gorgeous sound! The Instrumentalist.
IDRS 25th Anniversary: CD870.
Oboists John Mack, Alex Klein, & Cynthia
Koledo DeAlmeida, and bassoonists David
McGill, Stefano Canuti, Sergio Azzolini,
George Sakakeeny, & Nancy Goeres. Music
by Francaix, Rossini, Villa-Lobos, & Andr Previn
(with Previn on piano).

BACH & BASSOON: ARTHUR WEISBERG. CD345: Unaccompanied works of J.S.

Bach (trans. for bassoon): Flute Partita; Violin
Partita; Cello Suites Nos. 2 & 3. There are simply
no finer bassoon sounds on record. Incredible
technique, & lyrical, marvelously shaped
tones. American Record Guide
DAVID BREIDENTHAL. fine, sensitive
musician, principal bassoonist Los Angeles
Philharmonic more than 30 years. Fanfare.
CD842. Dutilleux, Sarabande et Cortege; Persichetti, Parable, Bassoon; Chihara, Beauty of the
Rose is in its Passing; Wolfgang, Moody Blues;
Tansman, Suite; Sestak, Inventions
DAVID DE BOLT, BASSOON. Former
principal Kansas City Phil., & prof. at Kent State Univ.
CD347: Heiden, Serenade; Osborne, Rhapsody; Etler,
Sonata; Farago, Variations; Bernard Garfield, Pome.
CD841: Rossini, Krommer, Ravel, Cherubini,
Dihau, Lalliet, Chabrier. DeBolt: skill, elegance,
and dramatic power. Fanfare
ARTHUR GROSSMAN, BASSOON
CD840: Beethoven, Three Duos, Clarinet & Bn
(Frank Kowalski, clar); Plagge, Trio (2 bsns &
piano, w/Seth Krimsky, bn); Luke, Contrasts for
bassoon & piano; Roseman, Fantasy. tone
production and phrasing are lovely. Fanfare
CAROLYN BECK, BASSOON. CD846:
Andr Previn, Bassoon Sonata; Marcel Bitsch, Concertino; Alex Shapiro, Of Breath & Touch; Zorman,
Grizzlys Dream; Spisak, Duetto; Don Chamberlain,
Beck and Call. extremely inviting disc. [Beck
plays] with keen sense of phrasing and color...
serious and expressive. Gramophone
BENJAMIN COELHO, BASSOON.
Coelho is fantastic Fanfare. Sonorous &
expressive Gramophone. CD844: Jacob, Suite;
Heiden, Serenade; Villa-Lobos, Corrupio & Diri.
CD358, Pas de Trois: Kenneth Tse, saxophone;
Benjamin Coelho, bassoon. Music by Van Beurden,
Feld, Froom, Goldstein, & Freund.
WIZARDS! A Double Reed Consort: Weiger, Gullickson,
DAVID MULLER, BASSOON & DANILO
Duncan, Faulconer; Morton,& Barris. CD872:
LOZANO, FLUTE. CD710: Music by Villa-LoFantasy for Wizards! Music by Morton, Curtis,
bos, Schrder, Gabaye, Osborne, Piazzolla, Jan Bach,
Kibbe, Corina, Constantinides, Bartok, etc.
and Bozza. Muller was principal Mexico City Phil. and
CD874: Classical Wizards! Beethoven Trio
bassoonist with the Westwood Wind Quintet. Lozano
op. 87; Salieri, Theme & Variations; Schenk,
is a founding member of the Hollywood Bowl OrchesQuartet; Dussek, Parthia; Mozart, Impressario.
tra and recorded on all Hollywood Bowl releases.
miraculous playing Fanfare

CDs $16.95 each. Send for free catalog, specializing woodwinds & brass. Sound samples at www.crystalrecords.com

FREE

CD with purchase of three. Order four and pay for only three.

Add $2/order for US shipping; or US$7/order Canada; or US$10/order other countries. Visa, MC, US check

CRYSTAL RECORDS, 28818 NE Hancock Road, Camas, WA 98607 USA

Phone 360-834-7022 email: [email protected] website: www.crystalrecords.com

172

ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

2014 Master Class Series

Immersive, week-long intensives

Oboe l English Horn l Bassoon

CLASSES
Elaine Douvas

Principal Oboe
The Metropolitan Opera
June 8-13, concert June 9

Thomas Stacy

English Horn, retired

The New York Philharmonic
Special Guest Teacher

Rob Walters

I learned more in a week

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It was great to connect so
personally with Ms. LeClair.
She is such an inspiration.
2013 Bassoon
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English Horn
The Cleveland Orchestra
June 14-21, concert June 16

Judith LeClair

Principal Bassoon
The New York Philharmonic
June 28-July 4, concert June 30

Hidden Valley Music Seminars

Carmel Valley, California

uncompromising musical excellence since 1963

hiddenvalleymusic.org l (831) 659-3115
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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

the florida state university

summer music camps

Band camp for senior High ......... June 22 - July 5
Band camp for middle school...............July 6-12
Choral Ensemble Camp ........................................................... June 8-14
Double Bass Workshop.......................................................... June 18-21

Double reed Workshop .....................June 10-13

Elementary Music Day Camp................................................... June 9-13

Guitar Workshop ................................................................... June 17-21

*Honors chamber Winds camp .. June 22 - July 5

Jazz Ensemble Camp for Senior High ......................................June 15-21

Jazz Ensemble Camp for Middle School ...................................June 8-14
Marching Band Leadership Camp.............................................. July 6-11
Piano Camp ..............................................................................June 8-21
*The FSU Piano Institute ..........................................................June 8-21
String Orchestra Camp ....................................................June 22 - July 5
Tuba & Euphonium Workshop................................................June 18-21
*Audition Required

Visit music.fsu.edu or call 850-644-9934

for more information. Registration is now open.

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

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55708 - USA

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177

ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

IllInoIs summer youth musIc

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[email protected].

hannah's Oboes and English Horns LLC

BUY SELL CONSIGN

Outstanding Instruments for Players of ALL Ages

Nurturing the Legacy of Music Your Satisfaction is My Pleasure
I LOVE What I Do! Exceptional Personal Service Founded 1999
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Call 602-999-0325 for a Personal Consultation Scottsd ale, A Z

178

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OBOE COMPACT DISCS

Zelenka, Six Chamber Sona-

IDRS 25th Anniversary: CD870.

Oboists John Mack, Alex Klein, Cynthia Koledo
DeAlmeida; Bassoonists David McGill, Stefano
Canuti, Sergio Azzolini, George Sakakeeny, and
Nancy Goeres. Music by Jean Francaix, Rossini,
Villa-Lobos, & Previn (with Previn on piano).
CYNTHIA KOLEDO DeALMEIDA,
OBOE. principal oboe Pittsburgh Symphony.
one of the best players in the world Amer.
JOHN MACK, OBOE (36 years principal, Rcd. Guide CD729: Arthur Bliss, Conversations
Cleveland Orchestra):Mack [was] one of the (flute, oboe, strings); plus Dubois, Ponchielli,
worlds major virtuosos San Francisco Chronicle Sinigaglia, Coste, Ripper, Stoyanovich, & Freidlin.
CD323: Mozart Quartet; Loeffler Deux Rhap- ERIN HANNIGAN, OBOE. principal oboe Dalsodies; Britten Six Metamorphoses; Paladilhe.
las Sym. CD820: Sargon, Homage to Hafiz & Haas Trio
CD324: Schumann, Three Romances; Sonatas by for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano; Dutilleux, Oboe Sonata;
Saint-Saens, Hindemith, Poulenc; Murgier, etc.
Dunhill, Friendships Garland; Patterson, Duologue.
Playing is accomplished and beguiling [with]
HARRY SARGOUS, OBOE, former solo oboe
high level of musicianship. Fanfare
Toronto Symphony CD326: music by Bolcom, CowWIZARDS! A Double Reed Conell, Bassett, Singer. Sargous may be the greatest
sort: Weiger, Gullickson, Duncan, Faulconer;
American oboist of this genre. Sarah Bloom, AmerMorton, & Barris. CD872: Music by Morton,
ican Record Guide. CD327: Bach, Sonata in g minor;
Curtis, Kibbe, Corina, Constantinides, Bartok,
Wolpe, Oboe Sonata; Pasculli, Gran Concerto; Mead,
etc. CD874: Beethoven Trio; Salieri Theme
Scena for Solo Oboe. Extraordinary Amer. Rcd. Guide
& Variations, Schenk Quartet, Dussek Parthia,
CAROLYN HOVE, ENGLISH HORN &
Mozart Impressario Overture CD876: Music
OBOE: Hove is EH with the Los Angeles Phil. probby Collier, Powning, Freihofner, Jadin, Flegier, Pozajic, & Mlodziejowski.
ably the greatest English hornist in the world today
MARK WEIGER, Oboe: CD722. Devienne
Jim Svejda, KUSC CD328. Hindemith, EH Sonata;
& Widerkehr Sonatas. CD725: Sonatas by RntPersichetti, EH Parable; plus Carter, Salonen, Marvin, &
gen, Grabert, & Schreck; plus Colin & Verroust
Tom Stevens; Sensational release, spectacular. InTune
CD728: Oboe Wizardry. Carnival of Venice, Hora
Mag. CD329: Tedesco, Eclogues (flute, EH, guitar);
Staccato, Stevenson Twinkle Variations, Barth &
Kraft, Encounters XI (EH, percussion); Turok, Improvisations; Samuel, Lyric Scene; Hovhaness, Suite for EH & bassoon. CD823: Bitti Sonatas, Mozart Turkish March. stunning
Eclecticism: Ravel, Pavane; Beethoven, Variations; plus music by Lane, virtuosity BBC Music Magazine
Morehead, Rudin, Steinmetz, & Rathbun (with Rebecca Henderson, oboe).
ANDREA GULLICKSON, OBOE:
CD727. Robt. Schumann, Three Romances; Clara
BACH BY BERT: CD726. Oboist Lucarelli performs
Schumann, Three Romances; Madeleine Dring,
Partita, Sonata, & Sinfonias by J.S. Bach. Americas
Suite; Andr Jolivet, Serenade; Andrea Clearfield,
leading oboe recitalitst. N.Y. Times. Deeply
Unremembered Wings. Gullicksons oboe playexpressive. Gramophone Magazine
ing is some of the finest I have heard. Fanfare
PETER CHRIST, OBOE. CD321:
OBOES, BASSOONS, & CONTRA-BASThompson, Suite (ob, clar, viola); Persichetti, Oboe
SOON: CD871. Foss, Oboe Concerto. Bert Gassman,
Parable; Wm Gr. Still, Miniatures; Wm. Schmidt,
oboe. Also Double-Reed ensemble works by Bach, Handel,
The Sparrow & Mr. Avaunt; Ginastera, Duo (Flute,
Pillin, & Heussenstamm. Los Angeles Philharmonic oboes
Oboe).RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT. Some of
& bassoons. What a gorgeous sound! Instrumentalist
the most delightful music for oboe since the 18th
DAVID WEISS, OBOE; with Dawn Weiss,
century Stereo Review CD723: Muradian,
Flute; Abraham Weiss, Bassoon: CD354. Svoboda,
Concerto; Biggs, Dance Suite; LaTraille, Quintet (all oboe & strings);
Trio & Worthey, Sandcastles, plus Vivaldi Sonata (trio),
Kosins, Rendezvous & Dreams (oboe, piano). Colorful new works
Hindemith, Oboe Sonata; Bourdeau & Messiaen. David
Gramophone. Performances are exemplary Fanfare
was first oboe, L.A. Phil; Dawn was first flute, Oregon
Symphony; Abraham, first bassoon, Rochester Symphony.
WILLIAM McMULLEN, OBOE: CD724. 20th
Century British Music for Oboe & Piano. Bennett, After
PAMELA PECHA, Oboe: CD721. Marcello &
Syrinx I; Howells, Sonata; Berkeley, Sonatina; Rubbra,
Cimarosa Oboe Concertos; Bach Brandenburg #2; also
Sonata; Jacob, Bagatelles. Beautiful, natural recordoboe & organ works by Guilmant, Koetsier, Rheinberger,
ing MusicWeb. McMullen: oboist Moran Quintet; oboe
Krebs, & Schroeder. Pecha was asst. princ., Cleveland Orch.
professor University of Nebraska.
disc is a credit to all involved. American Record Guide
CDs $16.95 each. Send for free catalog, specializing woodwinds & brass. Sound samples at www.crystalrecords.com
tas for 2 Oboes, Bassoon, & Continuo.
(No. 3 is performed twice, once violin &
oboe, and once 2 oboes) Performed by
principal players from the Dallas & Houston
Symphonies & St. Paul Chamber Orchestra,:
Erin Hannigan and Kathryn Greenbank, Oboes; Kristin Van Cleve, Violin;
Benjamin Kamins, Bassoon; Timothy Pitts, Double Bass; Layton James, Harpsichord. CD821 (vol. 1): Sonatas 1-3, CD822 (vol. 2): Sonatas 4-6

FREE

CD with purchase of three. Order four and pay for only three.

Add $2/order for US shipping; or US$7/order Canada; or US$10/order other countries. Visa, MC, US check

CRYSTAL RECORDS, 28818 NE Hancock Road, Camas, WA 98607 USA

Phone 360-834-7022 email: [email protected] website: www.crystalrecords.com

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

Back By Popular Demand!

-Automatic Monthly Shipments
-Automatic Billing to MC or Visa

Baroque
Performance Institute

181

Double Reed March 20

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1/4 v page ad

The Bach Legacy

Wayne Gaver
15 Crestview Drive
Milton PA 17847
t. 570-742-8434
51 Stuart St. Watertown, MA 02472 617-924-6127
waynegaveridrs@msn

featuring student performances

of the J.S. Bach
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(with flute, violin, and gamba)

Anna Hoffmann 440-7

fax 440-775-8942
anna.hoffmann@oberl

15 - 28 June 2014

Gonzalo Ruiz, oboe

oberlin.edu/con/summer/bpi

182

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leitzinger

bocals & bassoons

www.leitzinger.de

Stephan Leitzinger
Grntalstrae 1
63768 Hsbach
Germany
fon: ++ 49 (0) 6021 540384
fax: ++ 49 (0) 6021 540394
e-mail: [email protected]
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68 ter rue jacquard / 77400 LAGNY SUR MARNE - FRANCE

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193

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Oboe Reed
Making
Workshop
July 20-24, 2014
For more information:
[email protected]

Tradition
Innovation
www.mcgill.ca/music

Double Reeds at the

Schulich School of Music
Undergraduate,
Masters, Doctorate, and
Diploma Programs

194

ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

Susan Nigro, Contrabassoon

Nigro is a veritable Paganini of the contrabas- worlds best exponent of the contrabassoon. Her
musicality glows. American Record Guide
soon. The instrument sings. Fanfare
CD346: The Big Bassoon. Muradian, Contrabassoon Concerto; Draganski, Hearts Desire; Doran, Four
Movements; Nicholson, Miniature Suite; Warren, Music for Contrabassoon & Piano. The instrument is
allowed to be amorous, graceful, classical, and even a little noble. Fanfare
CD348: Little Tunes for the Big Bassoon. 22 short pieces include Pink Panther, Harlem Nocturne,
Tarantella Napoletano, and works by Cherubini, Corelli, Geminiani, Debussy, Bozza, Gipps, Desmond, Del Negro,
Davis, Laudenslager, Philips, and Organn. the instrument sings like a basso profundo. Fanfare
CD349: The 2 Contras. Susan Nigro & Burl Lane, contrabassoons. Music by Mozart, Ozi, Vanhal, Dorff,
Arthur Weisberg, & Michael Curtis. The contrabassoon section of the Chicago Symphony (Lane & Nigro) shows
how good low can be. One contrabassoon is a luxury, but two are a pure extravagance. In the hands
of these excellent musicians they produce a most fascinating mosaic of sound. Intonation is ideal, the
articulation crisp, with breath control that allows long flowing melodies. Fanfare Magazine
CD843: New Tunes for the Big Bassoon. Cummings, Contrabassoon Concerto & Arioso; Grassel,
Reminiscences; Waddle, Broken Icicle Twilight & Severe Thunderstorm Warning; Kurrasch, Ponderings from
the Pond; Graham Powning, Contrabassoon Sonata. musically satisfying adventure Fanfare
CD845: Bellissima: Italian Tunes for the Big Bassoon. Three pieces by Rossini; Albinoni, Adagio;
Vivaldi, Sonata #3; Besozzi, Sonata; Nussio, Divertimento; Procaccini, Moments. The name Susan Nigro
[is] synonymous with contrabassoon. There is excellent music-making here. American Record Guide
CD847: Original Tunes for the Big Bassoon. Premiere recordings of works commissioned by Nigro
by Ann Marie Kurasch, Frank Proto, Elaine Fine, Joel Bjorling, David Stybr, and Giorgio Koukl.
CDs US$16.95 ea. FREE CD w/purchase of 3. Add $2/order for U.S. shipping (US$5 for
Canada; $10 for other; mention this ad). Send for free catalog, specializing ww & brass.

CRYSTAL RECORDS

28818 NE Hancock Rd, Camas, WA 98607 phone 360-834-7022 fax 360-834-9680

email: [email protected] web: www.crystalrecords.com

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

At The Boston Conservatory we have faculty

to guide you, programs to support you,
and a community that understands what
it means to be a performer.

This is The Boston Conservatory.

Prepared to perform.
PROGRAMS IN WOODWIND PERFORMANCE
Bachelor of Music, Master of Music,
Graduate Performance Diploma, Artist Diploma,
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Now offering specializations in auxiliary
instruments for graduate level study.
OBOE FACULTY
Kyoko Hida
Robert Sheena
BASSOON FACULTY
Adrian Morejon
Margaret Phillips

www.bostonconservatory.edu/admissions

195

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

NisseN Bassoon Bocals

www.davidnissen.com
Now available at
leading dealers in the US.

As a professional Bassoonist with over 50 years of experience, I

have been for some time thinking about making bassoon bocals to
improve reliability, tone and intonation. Over the last two years of
experimentation, I believe I have now developed an excellent,
improved design based on the very latest modern techniques.
NisseN Method
My method is completely new and revolutionary and bears very
little resemblance to the traditional seamed design.

The basic tube is machine-shaped from drawn brass

eliminating all of the initial processes of the seamed
method. Therefore, there is no seam - resulting in a
stronger tube.
The drawn tube is physically and exactly worked into a
conical tube using special processes in which the conical
tube wall is made thicker at the start (reed end) and
thinner at the other instrument end (wing joint). Wall
thickness is calibrated to produce specic acoustical
characteristics.
No traces of toxic materials. The bending process
eliminates the need for toxic metal bending alloys, by
using the completely safe plastic alternative Polybend

Basic Principles:
The rst 10cms of the bocal has a signicant eect on both tone
and intonation. If the wall dimensions at this point are too thin
then the vibrations and overtones can upset the intonation making
the traditionally dicult notes on the bassoon even more
unstable. Therefore, the wall thickness of the rst 10cms should
calm down these vibrations by being a thicker material.
After the rst section of the bocal, the wall thickness can aord to
be thinner, thereby releasing the vibrations and overtones to add
to the tone characteristics. The NisseN bocal therefore has a
gradual decrease in wall thickness from reed end to instrument
end.

Diagrams of principle (exaggerated and not to scale)

Available for approval and for sale from the following:

www.davidnissen.com (Full details and specications).
On display and trial at the following retailers:
www.howarth.uk.com - www.doublereed.co.uk www.dawkes.co.uk

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Profiling machine for American reeds.

Quality made in Germany
More info at

www.reedsnstuff.com

ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

TRAINING TOMORROWS LEADERS

IN CLASSICAL MUSIC
The Royal Conservatorys Glenn Gould School
welcomes two new exceptional artists and educators
to its acclaimed faculty.

Sarah Jeffrey, Oboe

Frank Morelli, Bassoon

Principal Oboe, Toronto Symphony

Orchestra

Principal Bassoon, Orpheus Chamber

Orchestra

For admission and audition information and a full listing

of Glenn Gould School faculty, please visit rcmusic.ca/ggs
[email protected]
The GGS offers competitive scholarship assistance to all successful applicants.

THE GLENN GOULD SCHOOL is internationally

renowned for excellence in performance
training. Its intensive programs, acclaimed
faculty, access to international artists,
performance opportunities, and superb facilities
attract top young artists from every part of
the world.
273 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1W2
T: 416.408.2824 x322 Toll Free: 1.800.462.3815

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forrestsfullpagecolor_final_Layout 1 5/28/2013
8:19 PM Page 1

1849 University Avenue

Berkeley, CA 94703 USA
800-322-6263 510-845-7178
[email protected]
For our complete catalog
and easy secure ordering:
www.forrestsmusic.com

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

199

Pchner bassoons,
contrabassoons, oboes,
oboes damore and
English horns
Expressive, resonant
and rich in colours
Expand the nuances of
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Sole distributor for

Pchner oboes:
Peter Hurd
Phone (360) 6710696
Toll-free (1 800) 4195912
[email protected]
www.oboes.us
Distributor for Pchner
bassoons:
Midwest Musical Imports
Jessica Nelson,
Bassoon Specialist
2021 E Hennepin Ave
Suite 374
Minneapolis, MN 55413
Phone (612) 3314717
Toll-free (800) 9265587
Fax (612) 3314718
[email protected]
www.mmimports.com
Woodwind & Brasswind
Kurt Witt
[email protected]
www.wwbw.com

J. Pchner Spezial-Holzblasinstrumentebau GmbH

Beethovenstrae 18
64569 Nauheim
Telefon + 49 61 52 67 25
Telefax + 49 61 52 6 28 08
puchner @puchner.com
www.puchner.com

200

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New York City, NY, August 5-9, 2014

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Division of Classical Performance Studies

REDEFINING RELEVANT
Our students define success | Our priority is to get them there

With a continuing contribution of renowned

faculty-artists, we have a keen eye towards the
future and understand the new paradigms of a
career in classical performance studies.

Joel Timm, oboe

Allan Vogel, oboe

David Weiss, oboe

Shawn Mouser, bassoon

Judith Farmer, bassoon

Explore why we are unique among the
finest music schools in the world.
usc.edu/music/doublereed
facebook.com/uscthornton

204

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Robert Mealy,
Director

Juilliard

Monica Huggett,
Artist-in-Residence
and Artistic Advisor
Gonzalo Ruiz,
Oboe
Dominic Teresi,
Bassoon

H I S T O R I CA L
PERFORMANCE

Full-Tuition Scholarship Program in

Period Instrument Study in New York City
Renewing Tradition

Apply by Dec 1
Auditions in
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Juilliard.edu/historicalperformance

Photo: Nan Melville

CHICAGO PERFORMS. SO WILL YOU.

Oboe Faculty:
Eugene Izotov (Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
Peggy Michel (Music of the Baroque Orchestra)
Lora Schaefer (Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
Bassoon Faculty:
Dennis Michel (Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
Theodore Soluri (Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)

Study with accomplished faculty, who include Chicago Symphony and Lyric Opera
orchestra members, Metropolitan and Lyric opera sensations, renowned soloists,
Grammy-winning jazz musicians, and award-winning composers. Enjoy opportunities
to perform in professional venues. Live, learn, and perform in downtown Chicago.
roosevelt.edu/CCPA
(312) 341-6735
[email protected]
Text CCPA to 57711

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205

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WIND5541 Duet Plus Oboe IDRS3_Layout
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Duet+ Oboe
An injection-molded inner bore in the
upper joint of the YOB-441M intermediate
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these instruments the durability to withstand
world-travel as well as the rigors of school use.
Now featuring an industry-leading
10-year warranty against cracking in all
Duet+ Upper Joints.

YOB-841L
www.4wrd.it/dpobidrs3

YOB-441M

206

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Robert Atherholt
Masterclass Series
May 2831, 2014 | Ball State University, Muncie, IN

Join us for 4 days of

classes with Robert
Atherholt, professor
of oboe at Rice
University and retired
principal oboe of the
Houston Symphony.
The series will also
cover instrument
maintenance and
repair classes with
Carlos Coehlo.
Hosted by:
Aryn Day Sweeney,
assistant professor of oboe
Ball State University
[email protected]
765-285-5549

ENRICH+EXPRESS
bsu.edu/music/atherholt

BALL STATE UNIVERSITY

10148 IDRS Atherholt Ad.indd 1

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SCHOOL OF MUSIC
11/27/13 4:11 PM

ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

209

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

Double Reeds at

Juilliard

Undergraduate Graduate Post Graduate degrees

Juilliard.edu/woodwinds

Master Classes Studio Teaching Ensemble Coaching

with
Todays Leading Performers
and Juilliards Dedicated Faculty
OBOE
Richard Dallessio
Elaine Douvas
Chair, Woodwinds
Nathan Hughes
Linda Strommen
(visiting faculty)

BASSOON
Kim Laskowski
Judith LeClair
Frank Morelli
Patricia Rogers

Apply by December 1 Juilliard.edu/apply

Photo: Nan Melville

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ADVERTISERS VOL. 37 NO. 1

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Double Reed Specialists since 1983

Musicians Serving Musicians

2021 e. hennepin ave. suite 374 | minneapolis, mn 55413
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New and Used Instruments, Accessories, Rentals, and Repair

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HAUTBOIS

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