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Boston Symphony Orchestra Principal Musicians: A Chronological ListingNavigation: Click here to go to the Home Page of www.stokowski.org Click here to go to the Navigation Table for www.stokowski.org Aller à la Page d'accueil - Héritage de Stokowski Aller au menu de navigation principal
A Chronological Listing ofPrincipal Musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestrawith Biographical Remarks
Musicians of the Boston Symphony OrchestraThis website has two listings of musicians of the great Boston Symphony Orchestra:
- A listing of all the Musicians of the Boston Symphony from its creation in 1881 until today. This list includes the names, location and date of birth and death, instruments, positions and dates of service of all known full-time Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians. To go to this list of all BSO musicians, click: Boston Symphony Orchestra Musicians - A listing of the Principal Musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra covering the Principal, or first chair musicians, with short biographical notes and photographs. This listing is the subject of this webpage, shown below. Boston Symphony Orchestra with Georg Herschel, conductor in an 1882 photo-collage A Listing of Boston Symphony Orchestra PRINCIPAL MusiciansThis page of the www.stokowski.org site seeks to list all the Principal, or first-chair musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since its inception in 1881. Also, the principal conductors or Music Directors of the Boston Symphony Orchestra are featured. With each musician, I have tried to reconstruct a short biography of the musician's professional career. Also, where possible, I have included a photograph of the musician. A Listing of ALL Boston Symphony Orchestra MusiciansAs well as the Principal musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra contained on this page, I am constructing what is intended to become a complete listing of all of the musicians of the Boston Symphony since its creation in 1881. To see this listing of all the Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians, click on the link ' Boston Symphony Orchestra Musicians List '. This listing includes names, instruments, titles and dates of service of all known Boston Symphony musicians. Also, when know, the place of birth, and the birth and death dates are included. Please have a look at this listing, and any corrections or updates to this www.stokowski.org site are welcome by contacting me, at the link below. Also, the Boston Symphony Orchestra has descriptions and photographs of all the current Orchestra musicians on its excellent website. You can visit the BSO website by clicking the link: GO TO THE BSO WEBSITE
Boston Symphony Orchestra Music Directors1881-1884 Isidor Georg Henschel
George Henschel 1879 painted by Lawrence Alma-Tadema Georg Henschel, (from 1914, Sir George), was born in Breslau, then part of Prussia (later Germany and now Poland) on February 18, 1850. He was a singer and pianist by training, having studied at the Leipzig Conservatory 1867-1870 and at the Berlin Royal Conservatory (part of Akademie der Künste, Berlin) 1870-1874. Henschel came to Boston in 1881 with his student, a Boston singer named Lillian Bailey (1860-1901), whom he was shortly to marry. Henschel made such a success at one of the Harvard Musical Association concert performances that he caught the attention of the Boston businessman and music lover Major (actually, a Civil War Colonel) Henry Lee Higginson (1834-1919). It had been Henry Lee Higginson's idea for some time to create a symphony orchestra in Boston which would reach the level of the great orchestras of Europe. Mr. Higginson organized the Boston Symphony Orchestra Association in 1880, facilitated by his guarantee of the orchestra finances. The result was the first BSO season in 1881-1882, with George Henschel as Music Director. As an orchestra builder, George Henschel hired many European musicians, particularly German, as well as employing Boston musicians from the older Handel & Haydn Society Orchestra, from Boston's Germania Orchestra, and from the Harvard Musical Association orchestra. These latter included pioneering Boston orchestral musicians such as the three Akeroyd brothers , Eichler father and sons , the Heindl brothers and son , Carl Miersch, the Mullaly brothers , the Schmidt brothers , the Suck brothers , and others. The European musicians would sail to Boston each season in October, alone, and then return to their families in Europe the following May. Contracts were on a season-by-season basis, which made for a certain level of instability and change. In Boston, Henschel was praised for his ambitious programs, but less so regarding the discipline and consistency of the orchestral playing. In 1884, after three seasons in Boston, Georg Henschel returned to London to become Professor of singing at the Royal College of Music 1886-1888. He also began in 1886 the London Symphony Concerts (not connected with what was later the London Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1904). These London concerts continued until 1897. From 1893-1895, Henschel conducted the Royal Scottish Orchestra. He was, along with Édouard Colonne , one of the earliest-born conductors to make a phonograph recording of a complete symphony orchestra. Henschel died in Aviemore, Scotland his highland home September 10, 1934. A Georg Henschel Story: George Henschel was a good friend of Johannes Brahms, but was terrified by Brahms' loud and unmusical snoring and wrote: " We retired to No. 11, and it was my instant and most ardent endeavour to go to sleep before Brahms...my delight at seeing him take up a book and read in bed was equaled only by my horror when, after a few minutes, I saw him blow out his candle. A few seconds later the room was fairly ringing with the most unearthly noises...what should I do? I was in despair... I went downstairs to the porter, whom, not without some difficulty, I succeeded in rousing from a sound sleep...I made him open room No. 42 for me...I returned, early in the morning, to the room in which I had left Brahms...he was awake and, affectionately looking at me said 'Oh, Henschel, when I awoke and found your bed empty, I said to myself, There! he's gone and hanged himself ! But really, why didn't you throw a boot at me ?' The idea of my throwing a boot at Brahms ! " 1884-1889, 1898-1906 Wilhelm Gericke
Wilhelm Gericke was born in Schwanberg, Austria about 30 km south of Graz on May 18, 1845. His family was not musical, yet he showed an early musical aptitude. Wilhelm Gericke entered the Vienna Conservatory at age 16 and studied conducting with Felix Otto Dessoff (1835-1892 and friend of Brahms) and piano under Julius Epstein (1832-1926) during 1862-1865. Epstein, who outlived his pupil Gericke, was instrumental in recommending to Henry Lee Higginson two Boston Symphony conductors: Gericke and Nikisch. Wilhelm Gericke’s early experience was gained by conducting opera at regional opera houses, a typical development path for conductors in Europe at that time. Following graduation in 1865, Gericke joined the Linz Opera, where he was Kapellmeister until Spring, 1874. The conducting talent early demonstrated by Gericke lead to his appointment in 1874 as assistant conductor under Wilhelm Jahn (1835-1900), Music Director of the Vienna Hofoper, as the Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper) was known at that time. In 1880, Wilhelm Gericke was selected as conductor of the Vienna Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (the Friends of Music or ‘Musikverein’) 44. In October, 1884, Henry Lee Higginson heard Gericke conduct Aida at the Vienna Opera, and asked his friend Julius Epstein, also of course Gericke’s teacher, if Gericke would come to Boston. Epstein was doubtful, but Gericke immediately agreed 45. It seems that Gericke had been in a dispute with the Music Director Jahn 46, which may well have influenced Gericke’s decision. After gaining Gericke's agreement in October 1884, Higginson quickly arranged for Gericke to come to Boston to assume the director position starting the season in November, 1884. In Gericke's 13 seasons as head of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Gericke was instrumental as an orchestra builder, bringing it to a more consistently high level. Gericke is said by contemporary critics 47 to have instilled a higher standard of orchestral playing and to have built new discipline which was not a strength of George Henschel. Early on, Wilhelm Gericke, in the summer of 1885 between his first and second seasons hired some 20 new orchestra musicians in Europe, primarily in Vienna 26. The new musicians included Franz Kneisel, Concertmaster and Louis Svecenski, who was violinist and violist in the orchestra for 18 years, Max Zach viola, and Emanuel Fiedler violin who was father of Arthur Fiedler, and Gustav Gerhardt, BSO bass for 41 years, 1885-1926. Gericke also worked to extend the season by touring other cities, and by adding a Pops program. This made the orchestra more attractive to musicians, particularly European musicians, by guaranteeing longer employment. European musicians of the era would sail to the US in September, leaving their families behind, and return to Europe in June. Gericke was able to offer multi-year contracts with the best players. By the 1904-1905 season, during Gericke's second term as Music Director, the Boston Symphony had expanded to a complement of 91 musicians, compared with the 71 musicians of Henschel's orchestra. It is widely considered that by his selection of musicians, his discipline, and tenacity, in addition to his art that Wilhelm Gericke made the Boston Symphony a great orchestra for the first time. By January of the 1888-1889 season, it was known that Wilhelm Gericke would resign from the Boston Symphony 48 due to poor health, primarily from the Boston workload. Gericke returned to Europe, and between 1890 and 1898, Gericke was living in Dresden. In 1898, following several seasons of growing criticism of the conducting of Emil Paur, Henry Higginson convinced Wilhelm Gericke to return as Music Director of the Boston Symphony in the 1898-1899 season. Then, after eight more seasons as Music Director of the Boston Symphony, in 1906, Wilhelm Gericke returned to Vienna. Wilhelm Gericke died in Vienna on October 27, 1925 at age 80. Some critics, such as the American violinist Sam Franko (1857-1937) were critical of the conducting of Wilhelm Gericke. Franko, who played under Gericke in the 1885-1886 season wrote '...the performances were full of subtle nuances, finely balanced, but lacked spirit and life...' 124. Others, such as Howe 5 credit Gericke with a clear and classical style, while also bringing the discipline and ensemble training that the Boston Symphony needed in its founding years.
Arthur Nikisch was born in Lébény, Hungary, located mid-way between Vienna and Budapest on October 12, 1855. Nikisch studied At the Vienna Conservatory. At the Conservatory, Nikisch studied conducting under Johann von Herbeck (1831-1877), and violin and conducting under Joseph Hellmesberger, Jr. (1855-1907). Upon leaving the Vienna Conservatory in 1878, Nikisch followed the German method of mastering conducting with a series of 'provincial' conducting responsibilities. In 1878, Nikisch became second conductor of the Stadt Theater, Leipzig (the opera), and in 1882, Nikisch advanced to Principal conductor. In 1889, Henry Lee Higginson, founder of the Boston Symphony, was searching for a successor to Wilhelm Gericke, who had decided to return to Vienna. Higginson's friend Julius Epstein of the Vienna Conservatory, just as he had recommended Gericke, now recommended Nikisch 56. Nikisch accepted and arrived in October, 1889 for the opening of the Boston 1889-1890 season. He is said to have found the BSO a better ensemble than he had expected 2. With the Boston Symphony, contemporaries noted that Nikisch conducting style was more free and romantic than Gericke's more classical approach. The Boston Symphony under all its conductors regularly toured U.S. cities, but a disagreement between the orchestra and Nikisch about such touring lead to his departure in the Spring of 1893. (It is interesting that Nikisch demurred at touring then, but later returned in 1912 to tour the eastern U.S. with the London Symphony. But the press claimed Nikisch was earning $1000 per night on this later tour 76.) On leaving Boston, 1893-1895 Nikisch became Director General of the Budapest Royal Opera. The Nikisch fame and career as a conductor advanced rapidly, and contemporaries all agree that he had an immediate, and some said magical, effect on the playing of an orchestra, simply from his direction. In 1895, Nikisch became Music Director of the famed Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, one of the oldest and greatest symphony groups. Nikisch remained head of the Gewandhausorchester until his death in 1922. Also in the 1895-1896 season, Nikisch became Music Director of the Berlin Philharmonic, while still Music Director in Leipzig. It may seem unusual, particularly for that era, for Nikisch to be Music Director of two of the leading symphonies. However, Wilhelm Furtwängler succeeded Nikisch in both positions upon Nikisch's death. 
Arthur Nikisch circa 1893
Arthur Nikisch made some of the earliest recordings of a full symphony orchestra playing major works. This was physically and musically difficult to accomplish in the acoustic recording era, and the results so variable and often poor that many leading conductors of that era did not enter the recording studio. Nikisch's first recording was with the London Symphony in June, 1913. This was followed by one of the most famous early recordings: the Beethoven Symphony no 5 with the Berlin Philharmonic in November, 1913. Fritz Busch in his autobiography 82 wrote that Nikisch knew everyone's name. This was unlike, for example, Stokowski who would address the musicians as "flute" or "fagotte". Fritz Busch wrote "...[it was] a speciality of Nikisch to know the players by name quickly and never make a mistake. I felt at once that, before he had even begun to conduct, the hearts of the whole of the orchestra had been won..." 82. Arthur Nikisch died in Leipzig, Germany on January 23, 1922.
Emil Paur was born August 29, 1855 in Czernowitz, Austria, now called Chernivtsi, and part of the Ukraine where the Ukraine, Romania, and Slovakia come together. Paur studied at the Vienna Conservatory at the same time as his contemporaries Arthur Nikisch (1855-1922) and Felix Mottl (1856-1911). After graduation from the Conservatory, Paur played violin in the Wiener Hofoper (Vienna State Opera) in about 1874 135. In the classic German way of developing conducting skills, Emil Paur was chief conductor in a succession of German regional opera houses: Kassel (1876-1980), Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia), Mannheim (1800), and Leipzig (1889). The career of Emil Paur seemed frequently to have followed that of Arthur Nikisch. Paur followed Nikisch as Music Director of the Leipzig Stadttheater opera in 1889. In October, 1893, Emil Paur followed Arthur Nikisch to became the fourth Music Director of the Boston Symphony where he stayed for 5 seasons. Paur brought his wife, the pianist Marie Burger (1862-1899), who died just after the conclusion of Paur’s Boston term. Paur is said to have conducted less romantically (less variations of tempi, etc.) than Nikisch or Seidl, but to have been more intense, with "force and weight" the frequent description. Paur was also an advocate of the music of Johannes Brahms and Richard Strauss. In his last two seasons of five in Boston, Paur was regularly rumored to be replaced. This finally occurred at the end of the 1897-1898, after Wilhelm Gericke agreed to return to Boston. Paur continued to have a U.S. career after leaving the Boston Symphony. Following the Boston 1897-1898 season, Paur was then Music Director of the New York Philharmonic 1898-1902. In New York Paur programmed at least one symphony by Brahms every season, and at least one work by Richard Strauss from 1900-1902. However, in the 1903-1904 season, Richard Strauss himself was a guest conductor of the Philharmonic. In 1901-1902, Emil Paur also conducted a touring orchestra called the 'Paur Symphony Orchestra' touring western states. Then, beginning in 1904, Emil Paur led the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for six seasons, 1904-1910. There was some complaint of Paur in Pittsburgh, since his programs were of an uncompromisingly high symphonic level, whereas his predecessor, Victor Herbert, provided the audience with a mixture including what we now call "pops". After returning to Germany in 1910, Emil Paur went on to conduct the Berlin State Opera. In September, 1912, Paur succeeded Karl Muck as Music Director of the Berlin Royal Opera (or Königliche Kapelle), after 1919 named "Staatsoper Berlin". Then Karl Muck sailed for Boston to take up his second Music Director period with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Emil Paur died on June 7, 1932 in Frydek-Mistek, in what is today the Czech Republic.
Max Fiedler Karl Muck Emil Paur 1906-1908, 1912-1918 Karl Muck
Karl Muck and the Boston Symphony Orchestra 1914 Boston Symphony Archives
In 1917, the Boston Symphony Orchestra makes its first recordings under Karl Muck.As described elsewhere in this website ( 1917 - first Victor Acoustic recordings of Leopold Stokowski - Philadelphia Orchestra ), in 1917, the Boston Symphony Orchestra was the first major orchestra to record for the Victor Talking Machine Company. Victor then was the leading phonograph and phonograph recording company in the U.S. and probably in the world. It soon also soon owned 50% of its nearest world rival, when on December 5, 1920 had purchased half of the shares of the Gramophone Company. (Described elsewhere on this website: Licensing the Westrex Electrical Recording System to Victor and Columbia ). Until 1917, Victor had not successfully recorded a full symphony orchestra, nor did they have the recording location to do so. Then, with the construction of the Eighth Floor Auditorium of the Victor headquarters, the "Victor New Office Building no 2" in 1917, Victor finally had a suitable recording location for a full symphony orchestra. (Read about this by clicking on 1917 - First Victor Acoustic Recordings ). This led on October 2, 3, 4 and 5, 1917 to Victor's first full orchestral recordings. These were of the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Karl Muck directing. These recordings were followed on October 22, 1917 by the first recordings of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski.
From the surviving recordings and contemporary comment, it is clear that Karl Muck was one of the great conductors of the Boston Symphony. His career in Boston unfortunately came to a sad end, as described below. Karl Muck Arrested and InternedOn March 26, 1918, Karl Muck was arrested and subsequently interned as an "enemy alien". Before the arrest, there had been something of an ongoing furor in the press during the previous six months as to whether or not Muck and the Boston Symphony Orchestra would play the Star-Spangled Banner prior to certain concerts (which they did not). This seemingly trivial incident needs to be considered in the context of war fever, and the anti-German sentiments in the US at that time in World War 1. However, there have also been persisting rumors, which I have not pursued, that Karl Muck was involved in an affair with a young woman, which may have further complicated his treatment. In any case, Karl Muck was arrested at the end of March, 1918, and Ernst Schmidt conducted the remainder of the season until May, 1918. ( Ernst Schmidt was a first violin and conductor of the Boston Pops in the 1915 season. Schmidt left the orchestra at the end of the 1917-1918 season).
Max Fiedler was born in Zittau, Saxony, Germany (near the current Czech and Polish boarders) December 31, 1859, where his father was Musikdirektor. Max's brother Hermann Fiedler (1862-1945) and sister Elise Fiedler were scholars who moved to England to university teaching. Hermann Fiedler became Head of the German German Department of Oxford University 33. Max Fiedler studied piano and conducting at Leipzig and then beginning in 1882 at the Hamburg Conservatory. Max Fiedler made his first appearance with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1897. He conducted the Hamburg Philharmonic 1904-1908. In 1905, Fiedler was the first German conductor to guest at the Augusteo Orchestra of Rome 32. He made his U.S. premier with the New York Philharmonic Society in December, 1905 30, and the London Symphony Orchestra in June, 1907 30. This led to his invitation to conduct the Boston Symphony, it was widely said at the recommendation of Karl Muck. Incidentally, Max Fiedler was not a relation to Arthur Fiedler, the later Boston Pops conductor. Unlike his predecessors, Fiedler's conducting experience was orchestral, not with the opera. In Boston, Fiedler programmed contemporary music, such as Richard Strauss (1864-1949), Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936), Claude Debussy (1862-1918), Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) and Frederick Delius (1862-1934), as well as the austro-germanic core repertoire. Fiedler and the Boston Symphony were also the first to perform the Bruckner Symphony no 8 in the U.S. in March, 1909 34. However, not all critics were favorable to Fiedler in Boston. "...Fiedler was selected because of his warm personal friendship with Dr. Muck and as a result of the latter's suggestion. Friendship, however, is no mark of merit..." 31. Observers said that Fiedler introduced marked accelerations and extremes of tempo in a way, some critics felt, not as called for by the score. This may have resemblances to what some feel to be the mannered interpretations of Willem Mengelberg. Fiedler, according to more than one source also had the reputation as being something of a "martinet" with orchestras. After Boston, Fiedler returned to Germany, where he became Music Director of the Essen Orchestra 1916-1933 29. Max Fiedler also continued to teach, including in Cologne, and among his students was Einar Hansen , future first violin with the BSO 1926-1965. Max Fiedler continued to conduct a number of German Orchestras and make recordings well into the period of the Third Reich. Max Fiedler died in Stockholm, Sweden December 1, 1939.
Henri Rabaud was born in Paris on November 10, 1873. Rabaud came from a family of musicians. His grandfather was Vincent-Joseph Dorus (1812-1896), a well-know flutist, and his father was the cellist Hippolyte François Rabaud (1839–1900) who was cello professor at the Paris Conservatoire. Henri Rabaud's mother, a singer, created the role of Marguerite in Gounod's Faust. Henri Rabaud in his turn entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1891, where he studied composition with Jules Massenet and André Gedalge, among others. Rabaud said that the music of Wagner left him indifferent, but Rabaud's own compositions are said to be Wagnerian. From 1908-1914, Rabaud was conductor of the orchestra of the Paris Opéra and 1914-1918, he was Music Director of that group. With the removal of Karl Muck in March, 1918, Boston scrambled to find a new conductor. Only in September, 1918 could Henri Rabaud be announced. Nor could Rabaud arrive in time for the opening concerts in October 1918, which were led by Pierre Monteux (at that time conducting at the Metropolitan Opera), with piano soloist Josef Hofmann 55, as shown in the announcement photograph, below. Henri Rabaud was principal conductor of the Boston Symphony for one season, 1918-1919, and was not reengaged for the following season. Rabaud returned to France in the summer of 1919. Following the resignation in 1922 of Gabriel Fauré as director of the Paris Conservatoire, Henri Rabaud succeeded him as director position, a position Rabaud held until 1941. In 1940 and 1941, although not required by the authorities 1, Rabaud asked political guidance from the German ambassador. Rabaud then excluded, first the Jewish background professors from the Conservatoire, and later, the Jewish musical students. Rabaud also participated in the Vichy government's Comité professionnel de l'art musical, a French organization which was modeled after the Nazi regime's "Music Organization of the Reich". After the withdrawal of the Nazis from France in 1944, Rabaud took actions to insulate himself from charges of collaboration, and nothing further was said. Henri Rabaud died in suburban Paris (Neuilly) on September 11, 1949 at age 75.
Henri Rabaud and Pierre Monteux in a 1918 Boston Symphony announcement of the appointment of Henri Ribaud as BSO conductor, and that Metropolitan Opera conductor Pierre Monteux would begin the 1918-1919 Boston season, awaiting the later arrival of Ribaud Pierre Monteux was born April 4, 1875 in the ninth arrondissement of Paris. He studied violin from youth, and gained admittance to the Paris Conservatoire in 1884 at the age of nine. While at the Conservatoire, he played violin at the Folies Bergères to aid his finances. At the Conservatoire, Monteux's violin skills were sufficient that he shared the Conservatoire 1896 violin prize with Jacques Thibaud (1880-1953). Monteux then took up the viola, studying with Theophile Laforge (1863-1918), professor of viola at the Paris Conservatoire. While at the Conservatoire and after, Monteux was Principal viola of the Concerts Colonne, 1893-1912, under Édouard Colonne. Although he also conducted occasionally at the Concerts Colonne, Édouard Colonne did not support or encourage Monteux in this activity. In the early 1900s, Monteux was solo (Principal) viola of the orchestra of the Paris Opéra-Comique (a position that Boston viola Jean Lefranc was to hold a decade later). From 1902-1910, during the summer season, Monteux was first a violinist/violist and later the conductor of the Dieppe casino orchestra, a Normandy seaside resort. This Summer experience was perhaps something like the conducting taining experienced gained in regional theaters by beginning conductors in Germany. In 1911, Monteux became conductor of the Sergei Diaghilev Ballets russes ballet company, which gained Monteux his first wider conducting recognition. Monteux conducted the premières of Stravinsky's Petrushka in June, 1911 and his Sacre du Printemps in May, 1913. This latter was the performance which has gone down in concert legend for its riot by some parts of an angry Paris audience. Monteux also conducted the premieres of the Debussy Prélude à l'Après-midi d'un faune in May, 1912 and of the Ravel Daphnis et Chloé in June, 1912 and the Debussy Jeux in 1913. Quite a string of premieres of the first rank, thanks in part to the discernment and commissioning of these works by Sergei Diaghilev. Monteux then conducted at L'Opéra de Paris 1913-1914. At the outbreak of World War 1, Monteux was inducted into the French army, but upon discharge in 1916, he was briefly a conductor at Le Théâtre de l'Odéon. Then, in the spring of 1916, Monteux was allowed to travel to the U.S. for the 1916-1917 tour of Diaghilev's Ballets russes. It was consequent to this tour that, from 1917-1919, Monteux was appointed a staff conductor at the Metropolitan Opera, specializing in the French repertoire. French opera appreciation had grown in New York during the war, as the German operas began to fall out of favor. In 1919, following the unsuccessful season of Henri Rabaud in Boston, Pierre Monteux became conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In fact, Monteux had conducted the Boston Symphony during the initial weeks of the 1918-1919 season, because Henri Rabaud had been delayed in his arrival in Boston. Monteux remained in Boston for five seasons, 1919-1924.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra Strike of 1920Although Monteux's conducting was both successful and well-received, the disastrous Boston Symphony Orchestra strike of the 1919-1920 season damaged the remainder of his Boston tenure. In the 1919-1920 season, the Boston musicians sought to unionize the orchestra and gain wage increases. The life of an orchestra musician, even of the Boston Symphony, was precarious with a short season, facing difficult summer employment and also being low-paid in that era. The deadlock between the orchestra musicians and the Board on salary and unionization reached an impasse by March, 1920. On March 5, 1920, there was a confrontation in which the Concertmaster, Fredric Fradkin, who support the changes, remained in his seat when Pierre Monteux gestured to the Orchestra to rise at the conclusion of their performance of Berlioz's Sinfonie fantastique. This caused a sensation, and that evening Fradkin was summarily dismissed by the Board. This led to 32 other musicians leaving the orchestra 75. 12 of these musicians went to the National Symphony Orchestra of New York (later merged with the New York Philharmonic) under Willem Mengelberg, and several to the Detroit Symphony. With 21 of these lost musicians being in the violin, viola and cello sections, Monteux had a major orchestra rebuilding task Commentators since have considered that Monteux did a good job rebuilding the orchestra. However, Monteux's position seems to have also been damaged. Although Monteux avoided involvement in the strike confrontation, he emerged with his his authority and rapport with the orchestra partially compromised. Although he continued four more seasons, continuing to rebuild the orchestra, by the end of the 1923-1924 season, the Board felt a new organizing force was needed. After an extensive search, Serge Koussevitzky was hired from Paris as Monteux's successor 74. The Boston Symphony did join the musicians union on December 4, 1942. Monteux then returned to France where in 1924, he again conducted the Ballets russes. At that time, he also began a long relationship with the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, sharing conducting seasons with long-time Music Director Willem Mengelberg. In 1929, Monteux and Alfred Cortot were key in the creation of L'Orchestre symphonique de Paris (not the same as the orchestra created in 1967). In the summer of 1935, Monteux conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, and the San Francisco Orchestra Board asked him if he would come to San Francisco 31. This led to the hiring of Pierre Monteux in the autumn of 1935 to resuscitate the remnants of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. After conducting the first four weeks of the Los Angeles Symphony 1935-1936 season (Klemperer was conducting the New York Philharmonic) 31, Pierre Monteux came to San Francisco the week of September 9, 1935 142 to organize his orchestra. He had conducted at the Hollywood Bowl during the summer of 1935, to be followed by concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in December. During the latter part of 1935, Monteux was auditioning and selecting musicians to reconstitute the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. At that time, the SFSO season did not actually start until January, since each Autumn, the San Francisco musicians played in the San Francisco Opera, which also occupied the War Memorial Hall, and the opera season did not conclude until end December 32. Monteux's first rehearsal with his new orchestra was on Tuesday December 31, 1935 53. This was two days after his final concert of the season with the Los Angeles Philharmonic 143. Monteux's initial concert pair of his first 1935-1936 season was on Friday afternoon January 10 and Saturday evening January 11, 1936 140. Monteux's success, and his active recording schedule with the San Francisco Symphony allowed it to thrive economically, and extend its season. From the ten subscription concert pairs of the 1935-1936 season, by 1937-1938, the San Francisco Symphony season had expanded to twelve concert pairs of subscription concerts 31. (By 1948, Monteux had moved the beginning of the SFSO season back to November.) Monteux's musicianship and greatness was unquestioned, although some thought that Monteux did not always demand the best. Toscanini, for example always drove himself and his musicians to seek the best at every concert. Monteux was thought by some sometimes to accept less. Monteux became a U.S. citizen in 1942, and thereafter based his career in North America. His later life was centered in guest conducting, including the Boston Symphony (after Koussevitzky had retired), and the Concertgebouw Orchestra, as well as the London Symphony Orchestra. in 1943, Monteux founded his conducting school near his Summer home in Hancock, Maine, where a number of famous conductors (Lorin Maazel, Neville Marriner, Andre Previn) had at least part of their training. Monteux died July 1, 1964 in Hancock, Maine at age 89.
Serge Koussevitzky (sometimes transliterated as Sergei Koussevitski) was born in Vyshny Volochyok, 240 km northwest of Moscow on July 26, 1874. His poor Jewish parents were both musicians, and Koussevitzky learned violin and cello from an early age. In 1888, Koussevitzky won a full scholarship to the Music and Drama Institute run by the Moscow Philharmonic to study double bass. Koussevitzky was a virtuoso bass player and joined the Bolshoi Theater orchestra in 1894, where he stayed until 1905, moving to Principal bass of the Bolshoi in 1901. He married his first wife, Nadezhda Galat, a Bolshoi ballerina, in 1902. In 1905, Koussevitzky divorced Galat in order to marry Natalya Ushkov, daughter of a wealthy Russian tea merchant. With his wife's wealth, Koussevitzky was able to move to Berlin to study conducting. According to Norman Lebrecht in his gossipy (but fun) book The Maestro Myth, Koussevitzky was "...to take conducting lessons from Nikisch, whose gambling debts he paid off with his dowry. For his wedding present, Natalie asked her father to to buy Serge an orchestra ..." 53. Somewhat like the wealthy Sir Thomas Beecham in the early years of learning conducting, Koussevitzky used his great wealth to hire complete orchestras. In 1908, Koussevitzky made his conducting debut by hiring the Berlin Philharmonic (!) In 1909, Koussevitzky also founded a music publishing house, Editions Russes de Musique in Berlin, dedicated to new Russian music. In 1909, Koussevitzky formed his own orchestra in Moscow. During 1909-1920, Koussevitzky toured as a bass virtuoso and also conducted his orchestra. Koussevitzky had a flair for publicity and became famous across Europe. Following the Russian Revolution in 1917, Koussevitzky was appointed conductor of what became in 1918, the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Petrograd, predecessor of the Leningrad Philharmonic (and now the St. Petersburg Philharmonic). In 1920, Koussevitzky left Russia for Paris, where he began a new orchestral series called Concerts Koussevitzky. In 1923, the Boston Symphony, searching for a successor to Pierre Monteux, offered Koussevitzky a three year contract, beginning with the 1924-1925 Boston season. Koussevitzky accepted, moving to Boston, where he would live the rest of his life.
Aaron Copeland, Leonard Bernstein, Serge Koussevitzky at Tanglewood in 1940 photo: Ruth Orkin Beginning with the 1924-1925 season, Koussevitzky was director of the Boston Symphony for 25 seasons, 1924-1949, and brought the Boston Symphony Orchestra to a new level of international fame, with consistent excellence. Koussevitzky also provided the musicians with a new level of income security by expanding the season. Beginning in 1936, Koussevitzky further expanded the orchestra's activity with the Tanglewood Festival during summers. The Tanglewood Music Festival had its beginnings in 1936 when Koussevitzky brought the orchestra to the Tanglewood estate for a series of concerts. In 1940, Koussevitzky started what became known as the Tanglewood Music Center, an educational experience held each summer for promising young musicians, with master classes and multiple performance opportunities. During his tenure in Boston, Koussevitzky was a leading advocate of new music, commissioning a long list of now-famous works. Koussevitzky founded the Koussevitzky Music Foundation in 1942 to commission and promote new music. Koussevitzky's many commissions, such as the Bartok Concerto for Orchestra (1943), Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes (1944-1945), Aaron Copland’s Symphony no 3 (1944-1946), Arnold Schoenberg’s Survivor from Warsaw (1947), and others. One controversial aspect of Koussevitzky's art was his use of a pianist, or even the full orchestra, to play new scores, so that he could hear and master them. Most other conductors study the scores directly, but a facility to fully hear the music from reading the score was apparently was not a gift granted Koussevitzky (but of course he could read a symphonic score). Yet, Koussevitzky was an inspired performer, one of the greats of a great age, as still shown by his recorded legacy. Koussevitzky also had a broad repertoire, including an open attitude to contemporary music. As a conductor, Koussevitzky made relatively fewer alterations to the composer's score, unlike, for example, Stokowski or Mengelberg. During his tenure, Serge Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony made a long series of very successful 78 RPM recordings which are still enjoyed today on CD. Serge Koussevitzky made a long-lasting impact on the Boston Symphony. Harry Ellis Dickson in his book Gentlemen, More Dolce, Please noted: "...It is now more than twenty-five years since Serge Koussevitzky retired as Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, after having served for a quarter of a century. Inevitable changes have taken place in our orchestra since then...yet the spirit of Koussevitzky still hovers over the orchestra." 62 Serge Koussevitzky retired from the Boston Symphony at the end of the 1948-1949 season after twenty-five seasons as Music Director, and died in Boston two years later, on June 4, 1951, age 76.
Charles Munch was born Charles Münch in Strasbourg, France on September 26, 1891 (when the region was still under control of Germany). From an early age, he studied violin under his organist father, Ernest Münch (1859-1928). Charles Munch entered the Strasbourg Conservatoire 1905-1912, where his father also taught. Munch then studied with the great violinist Carl Flesch in Berlin and with Lucien Capet at the Paris Conservatoire. During World War 1, Munch was first conscripted into the German army, but in 1918, he became a French citizen. From 1919-1925, Munch taught violin at the Strasbourg Conservatoire, and was assistant Concertmaster of the Strasbourg orchestra. Munch then moved to the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra as Concertmaster 1925-1932, first under Wilhelm Furtwängler and then beginning in 1929 under Bruno Walter. While in Leipzig, Munch also taught violin at the Leipzig Conservatory. While in Leipzig, Charles Munch studied conducting, in part with the Czech musician Fritz Zweig (1893-1984, conductor at the Kroll Opera, who later ended up in Hollywood). Charles Munch returned to Paris and on November 1, 1932, he made his conducting debut with the Orchestre des Concerts Straram. The orchestra and the hall of Théâtre des Champs Elysées were hired by his fiancé Geneviève Maury, an heiress to the Nestlé chocolate fortune. So, like Koussevitzky, Munch got his start in conducting by having the fortune to hire an entire orchestra and hall for his debut. Munch then conducted a series of French Orchestras: in 1933, l'Orchestre Lamoureux (Albert Wolff 1884-1970 was then Music Director), l'Orchestre Symphonique de Paris (in 1934, following Pierre Monteux), Société Philharmonique de Paris (1935-1938), while at the same time teaching at l’Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris. Charles Munch then became Music Director of l'Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire during 1938-1946, including through World War 2. From 1946-1949, Charles Munch traveled widely as a guest conductor, particularly in the U.S. In the 1949-1950 season, Charles Munch was appointed to become Koussevitzky's successor as Music Director of the Boston Symphony. Munch remained in Boston for 13 seasons. Munch also lead the symphony in four major tours. In 1953, Charles Munch led the Boston Symphony on its first transcontinental tour of the US. In 1952 and 1956, he led European tours. In the 1956 European tour, the Boston Symphony was led by Munch and Monteux, and under Munch, the BSO was the first American orchestra to perform in the Soviet Union. In 1960, Munch lead the Boston Symphony on an extensive (and reportedly exhausting) tour of Japan, East Asia and Australia.
Charles Munch with the Boston Symphony in mid-1950s. photo: Boston Symphony Orchestra, n.d. Charles Munch was regarded by many BSO musicians as a protector of their interests, and was both liked and respected. At the end of the 1961-1962 season Charles Munch left the Boston Symphony and passed to a guest conductor phase of his career. He returned to France where in 1963 he became director of l'École Normale de Musique, where he had taught 30 years earlier. In 1967, Charles Munch was prevailed upon to become Music Director of the newly formed l’Orchestre de Paris. In 1968, he took the orchestra on a tour of North America, during which Charles Munch died on November 6, 1968 of a heart attack in his hotel room in Richmond, Virginia.
Erich Leinsdorf (right) with Richard Mohr, recording producer at one of many RCA Victor - Boston Symphony recoding sessions in the 1960s Erich Leinsdorf was born Erich J. Landauer in Vienna, Austria on February 4, 1912. Leinsdorf studied piano, cello and conducting at the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg, followed by the University of Vienna and the Vienna Conservatory. At the Salzburg Festival, 1934-1938, Leinsdorf was conducting assistant first to Bruno Walter and then Arturo Toscanini. Leinsdorf's ability to sight read scores at the piano, his memory, and his Italian language skills were advantages at Salzburg, and Toscanini became something of a mentor to Leinsdorf. During these years, Leinsdorf also conducted opera Italy, in Bologna, Trieste, Florence, and San Remo. In 1938, Leinsdorf left Vienna and Europe because of the rise of the Nazi influence and went to New York. At the recommendation of Lotte Lehmann to Artur Bodanzky 55, Leinsdorf joined the Metropolitan Opera in the 1938-1939 season. Beginning in the 1939-1940 season, following the death or Artur Bodanzky, Erich Leinsdorf was named principal MET conductor of the German repertory, which gave Leinsdorf's career an immediate boost during 1939-1942. Leinsdorf found the Metropolitan Opera progressively more frustrating, with the few rehearsals and the negative atmosphere of opera house politics. In 1942 in a controversial selection process in which candidates George Szell and Vladimir Golschmann were turned down 54, Erich Leinsdorf was named Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra. Leinsdorf happily departed from the MET, but he was unlucky at Cleveland. First, in the 1942-1943 season, with the US entering World War 2, Cleveland lost 22 musicians, whom Leinsdorf needed to replace. One of Leinsdorf's hires was George Goslee, Principal bassoon, who remained with the orchestra for 44 seasons. Then, Leinsdorf himself was drafted into the U.S. Army 1943-1945, and so was not able to make his mark in Cleveland. Leinsdorf received his Army discharge in September, 1944. Meanwhile, the 1944-1945 Cleveland Orchestra season had already been programmed with guest conductors including George Szell who had very successful series of November 1944 concerts. The 1945-1946 Cleveland season became a horserace between Leinsdorf, Szell, and Vladimir Golschmann as to who would become permanent Music Director. Szell made a strong impression on Cleveland that season, and Erich Leinsdorf gradually lost our to Szell. This may have seemed the destiny of George Szell, who continued with 24 seasons of greatness with the Cleveland Orchestra. Leinsdorf then went on to the Rochester Philharmonic, where he was Music Director for eight seasons, 1947-1955. Then, after a brief period at the New York City Opera, Leinsdorf returned as a leading conductor of the Metropolitan Opera during 1957-1962.
Erich Leinsdorf was appointed Music Director of the Boston Symphony in the 1962-1963 season. During his seven seasons with the BSO until 1969, Leinsdorf and the Boston Symphony made many recordings for RCA Victor, including an excellent series of Prokofiev symphonies and concerti. 1978-1980, Erich Leinsdorf was conductor of the Berlin Radio Orchestra. After the departure of Lorin Maazel from his stormy Cleveland tenure in 1982, Erich Leinsdorf returned to Cleveland frequently to provide continuity prior to the arrival of Christoph von Dohnányi in the 1984-1985 season. Erich Leinsdorf in his last years divided his residence among Sarasota, Florida, Zurich, Switzerland, and New York. Erich Leinsdorf died in a Zurich hospital, suffering from cancer on September 11, 1993. His musical erudition and generous personality gained respect, and during his most inspired performances, particularly in the opera house, he was often the equal of any of his contemporaries.
William Steinberg was born Hans Wilhelm Steinberg in Cologne, Germany on August 1, 1899. During World War 1, Steinberg was in a German military band, playing the horn. 1918-1920 Steinberg studied at the Cologne Conservatory, where in 1920, he won the Heinz Wülner conducting prize. In the 1920s, Steinberg followed the classic German path for the training of a conductor: a series of provincial opera posts. First was the Cologne Opera, where in 1920, Steinberg was appointed Otto Klemperer's conducting assistant. When Klemperer left Cologne in 1924, Steinberg was appointed his successor. Cologne was followed in 1925-1929 by 4 years in Czechoslovakia at the Prague State Opera (the German opera in Prague). While there, Steinberg made his first recording in 1928 for Columbia with Bronislaw Huberman of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Berlin Staatskapelle Orchestra, a famous recording, never out of circulation until today. After Prague, Steinberg then graduated to one of the first-ranked German opera companies, the Frankfurt Opera from 1929-1933. In 1933, following the accession to power of the Nazi government, Steinberg was excluded from conducting groups other than of Jewish musicians. Consequently, Steinberg left Germany for Palestine where, with its founder Bronislaw Huberman (1882-1947), William Steinberg began the Palestine Symphony Orchestra in 1936 and was its first Music Director. On December 26, 1936, the Palestine Symphony gave its first concert with Arturo Toscanini conducting. Toscanini was impressed by the orchestral preparation done by William Steinberg, and invited Steinberg to become his assistant at the NBC Symphony. As a result, Steinberg arrived in New York City in 1938 as assistant conductor. 1945-1952, Steinberg was Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic. This was followed by the position for which Steinberg is likely most remembered: Music Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra 1952-1976. While still Music Director in Pittsburgh, William Steinberg was appointed Music Director of the Boston Symphony. Steinberg toured extensively with both the Pittsburgh Symphony and the Boston Symphony. Pittsburgh toured Europe for an amazing 11 weeks, August 10 to November 1, 1964. In April, 1971 Steinberg and the BSO also toured Europe. Then, in 1973 Steinberg and the Pittsburgh Symphony toured Oregon, Alaska and Japan, participating in the 1973 Osaka Music Festival. Steinberg's tenure at the Boston Symphony was also beneficial to Seiji Ozawa, because Steinberg had no interest in Tanglewood, and left the running of the Tanglewood Music Center to Ozawa and Gunther Schuller 81. At the end of the 1971-1972 season, Steinberg relinquished the Boston Music Director position, as he did the Pittsburgh position at the end of the 1975-1976 season, after 24 seasons as Music Director. In December, 1977, Steinberg made his last orchestral appearance with the Pittsburgh Symphony. I found the Steinberg concerts with different orchestras, as well as his Boston and Pittsburgh recordings to be competent, yet basically uninspired, including his Bruckner, for which he was often praised. However, I would not share the extreme opinion of a friend who claimed that he believed Steinberg must be deaf (probably he was not serious).
Steinberg was appreciated by his colleagues for his wry sense of humor, including about himself. William Steinberg died in New York City, six months after his final appearance with the Pittsburgh Symphony. 1972-2002 ("Music Advisor" in 1972-1973) Seiji Ozawa
Seiji Ozawa was born on September 1, 1935 of Japanese parents in Shenyang (also known as Mukden), in the southern Manchuria portion of China, then under Japanese occupation (called the province "Manchukou" by Japan). Upon his family's return to Japan in 1944, Ozawa began to study the piano. Ozawa studied with Hideo Saito (1902-1975), at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, who encouraged Ozawa interest in conducting. In 1958, Seiji Ozawa won first prize in conducting at the Toho Gakuen School of Music (where Eiji Oue, later Music Director of the Minnesota Orchestra, and Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Music Director of several orchestras also studied). In 1959 at the International Competition of Orchestra Conductors in Besançon, France, Ozawa won first prize. The Besançon win caused Charles Munch to invite Ozawa to attend the summer 1960 Berkshire (later Tanglewood) Music Center studies. While at Tanglewood in 1960 Ozawa won the Koussevitzky Prize for Outstanding Student Conductor. During the 1960-1961 season, Ozawa studied with Herbert von Karajan in Berlin. Then, Leonard Bernstein appointed Seiji Ozawa assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic beginning in the 1961-1962 season, and accompanied Bernstein during the Japan tour that year. Ozawa stayed in New York for 4 seasons, becoming Bernstein's exclusive assistant. In the summers of 1964 to 1971, Seiji Ozawa was Music Director of Chicago's Ravinia Festival. For four seasons, 1965-1969, Ozawa was Music Director of the Toronto Symphony. In 1970, Seiji Ozawa became Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, retaining the post seven seasons 1970-1977, being "Musical Advisor" for the last season. While still at San Francisco, Ozawa became Artistic Director of the Tanglewood Festival. Ozawa was then appointed "Music Advisor" of the Boston Symphony in 1972-1973, and then Music Director beginning with the 1973-1974 season, while still being Music Director of the SFSO. Seiji Ozawa is said to have expressed the objective to pass the forty-three seasons that Eugene Ormandy was Music Director in Philadelphia. Ozawa did not reach that mark, but with his thirty seasons in Boston (including the Music Advisor season), he surpassed Koussevitzky who served twenty-five seasons. In 1992, with Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Ozawa founded the Saito Kinen Orchestra of Tokyo in 1992. In 2002, Ozawa was named Music Director of the Vienna State Opera. It was announced he would leave his Vienna post at the end of the 2009-2010 season. Although Ozawa's health has been variable (reportedly due to esophageal cancer 109), Seiji Ozawa also continues an active guest conducting program. Seiji Ozawa throughout his career studied each of his scores intensively, and was regarded by his colleagues as always prepared in-depth. He also has an excellent musical memory. His conducting style is clean and transparent. Ozawa also has a remarkable depth of repertoire, including extended representation of contemporary compositions.
James Levine was born June 23, 1943 in that musical city of Cincinnati, Ohio. His father was a violinist who lead a dance band, and his mother had studied with Martha Graham. Levine began piano study at age 4 73, and was something of a prodigy. At age 10, he played the Mendelssohn Second Piano Concerto at a Cincinnati Symphony youth concert. Also at age 10, Levine began study with Walter Levin, first violin of the LaSalle Quartet, then quartet-in-residence in Cincinnati. (Walter Levin apparently initially said "the ten-year-old has not been born that I would teach".) In the summer of 1956, at age 13, Levine studied at Rudolf Serkin's Marlboro Music School in Vermont. The next summer, in 1957, Levine attended the Aspen Music School in Colorado, where he studied with with pianist Rosina Lhévinne (1880-1976), even though Levine had already settled on conducting as a career. His relationship with Rosina Lhévinne continued over the next decades. In 1961, Levine entered the Juilliard School, where he studied conducting with Jean Morel (1903-1975). James Levine graduated from Juilliard in 1964, just before his twenty-first birthday. In later years, James Levine said that the three most influential persons on his musical development were Walter Levin, Rosina Lhévinne, and Jean Morel. Levine thought that Jean Morel was perhaps not one of the great conductors, but a very good teacher of preparation and conducting technique 73. In 1964-1965 season, Levine studied with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, where he became assistant conductor to Szell 1965-1970. In 1971, Levine succeeded Seiji Ozawa as Music Director of Chicago's Ravinia Festival. From 1971-1994, for twenty-three seasons, James Levine was Music Director of the Ravinia Festival each summer, being succeeded in turn by Christoph Eschenbach. During this period, 1974-1978, Levine was also Music Director of the Cincinnati May Festival in his home town. Levine made his Metropolitan Opera debut in the summer of 1971, with an acclaimed performance of Tosca, followed by return engagements. Then, in the 1973-1974 season, Levine was appointed Principal Conductor of the Metropolitan Opera. Levine was further offered the Music Director position of the Metropolitan Opera by Schuyler Chapin, then General Manager, but with the stipulation that Chapin would reserve artistic decisions, as Sir Rudolf Bing had done 73. James Levine is said to have considered such an arrangement unworkable. The situation evolved, including the departure of Chapin. Then, for the 1976-1977 season, James Levine was appointed Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera, a position Levine still holds. In this position, it can be said that Levine has more total authority at the Metropolitan Opera than even Arturo Toscanini did with Gatti-Casazza from 1908-1915. At the MET, Levine has every year improved the working conditions and the quality of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Levine gradually added co-Principals in each of the orchestra sections, so as to reduce the heavy weekly work load of the Principal musicians. This, and the improvement of salaries and conditions allowed the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra to hire the best musicians, and to improve overall performance quality. With the virtuoso level of his orchestra, Levine also began a regular series of successful concert programs by the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. This was not the first time the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra had given purely orchestral concerts, but it was judged by critics to have achieved a new level of organization and quality in this orchestral series. James Levine first conducted the Boston Symphony in 1972. James Levine became the fourteenth Music Director of the Boston Symphony in the 2004-2005 season. Since his appointment in Boston, Levine has suffer health problems, including surgery in 2008 and 2009. Most serious was lengthy spinal surgery in April, 2010. However, James Levine made a triumphant return to open the 2010-2011 Boston Symphony season on October 2, 2010 125. Unfortunately, it was not to last, and the spinal problems continued, forcing James Levine to resign as Music Director of the Boston Symphony in March, 2011. A small Boston Symphony conductor joke: it is said that when Charles Munch conducted any of the Bach Brandenburg Concerti, the musicians backstage referred to him as "a Bach Suite driver". The Boston Pops Orchestra and its ConductorsThe Boston Pops, or "Boston Popular Concert Series" was a tradition in Boston, founded in 1885. Called "Music Hall Promenade Concerts" from 1885 to 1900, it was modeled after the London Promenade Concerts (the "Proms") or perhaps the Vienna summer concert gardens of Henry Lee Higginson's youthful experience, with tables and food and drink served to an audience of both lighter and more serious music. After 1900, it became officially the "Boston Pops".
These concerts, employing most of the musicians of the Boston Symphony, except the section principals, began just after the end of the BSO orchestral season, typically in May. For the first seventy years of the Boston Symphony, until year-around employment was achieved, the Pops season supplied welcome added employment for the Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians. Adolf Neuendorff 1885; 1887-1889 John C. Mullaly 1886 Wilhelm Rietzel 1887 Franz Kneisel 1888
Eugen Gurenberg 1891 Timothée Adamowski 1891-1894, 1903-1907
Antonio de Novellis 1895 Gustave Strube was born in Ballenstedt Germany March 3, 1867. Gustave Strube was a first violin of the Boston Symphony 1890-1913. From 1898 to 1912 he occasionally conducted the Boston Pops.
Max Zach 1896-1902, 1906-07
Leo Schulz 1897 Arthur Kautzenbach 1908-1909 André Maquarre 1909-1917 Otto Urack 1912-1914 (along with André Maquarre)
Clement Lenom 1913-1916 Ernst Schmidt , 1915, who also conducted the Boston Symphony at the end of the 1917-1918 season, after Karl Muck was arrested and interned. Josef Pasternack 1916 (autumn) Agide Jacchia 1917-1926 Alfred Casella 1927-1929 Arthur Fiedler 1930-1979 John Williams 1980-1993; Laureate Conductor, 1994-present Keith Lockhart 1995-present Boston Symphony Chamber PlayersFollowing the end of each regular Boston Symphony season, there are eight weeks of Boston Pops concerts to keep the orchestra's salaries coming, prior to the beginning of the Tanglewood season. However, since the Boston Symphony Principal musicians do not usually play with the Pops, these Principals previously had an open two months. This changed in 1964, when Erich Leinsdorf and Joseph Silverstein organized the Boston Symphony Chamber Players. In this group, twelve of the Boston Symphony first chair musicians make up a highly effective chamber music ensemble. This also gives the Principal musicians of the BSO employment during the Boston Pops holiday season. The Boston Symphony Chamber Players have proved a highly successful group, touring in the U.S. and internationally, with an innovative and varied repertoire, and reportedly an inspirational break from a steady diet of orchestral music for the first chair players.
seated: Doriot Anthony Dwyer, flute, Joseph Silverstein, violin, Burton Fine, viola, Jules Eskin, cello standing: Ralph Gomberg, oboe, Harold "Buddy" Wright, clarinet, Charles Kavalovski, horn, Armando Ghitalla, trumpet, Ronald Barron, trombone, Everett J. "Vic" Firth, percussion, Sherman Walt, bassoon, Edwin Barker, bass.
Boston Symphony Orchestra String Section heads 1913-1914 season
Boston Symphony Orchestra leaders of string sections 1913-1914 seasonseated: Heinrich Warnke, cello, Anton Witek, Concertmaster, Emile Férir, viola, Alfred Holy (Holý), harpstanding: Max Kunze, bass, Sylvain Noack, second Concertmaster, Walther Habenicht, second violin
Titles of First Chair MusiciansNote: Today, except for the Concertmaster (sometimes called the "Leader" in Europe), the usual title for the first or leading instrument of an orchestral section is "Principal", as in "Principal Flute". However, in earlier years and in some orchestra sections, the first chair musician may have been referred to as "Solo", or "First", as in "solo trumpet". In the profiles below, for consistency and clarity, I usually use the title "Principal", even if the title was not yet used at that time. Boston Symphony Orchestra Concertmasters1881-1885 Bernard (or Bernhard) Listemann
Bernard Listemann was born in Schlotheim, Germany (Thuringia region, 60 km west of Leipzig) on August 28, 1841. After beginning study at age 4 with his uncle, the Concertmaster, Ullrich. Bernard Listemann's older brother, Fritz (1839-1909) was also a violinist who emigrated with Bernard to the US in 1867. Bernard Listemann studied under some of the most famous violin teachers of the nineteenth century: Ferdinand David, Henri Vieuxtemps and Joseph Joachim. in 1856, age only 15, Bernard Listemann played in the first violin section of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra 88. In 1858, Bernard Listemann was appointed Concertmaster of the Court Orchestra of Rudolstadt in Thuringia 88. After Bernard and Fritz Listemann came to the U.S. in 1867, Bernard soon became Concertmaster of the Theodore Thomas Orchestra, a touring orchestra organized by Theodore Thomas and based in New York City. Bernard Listemann until the early 1870s. Brother Fritz Listemann also joined the Theodore Thomas Orchestra as a first violinist. Then in about 1875, Bernard Listemann became Concertmaster, and in 1880 conductor of the Philharmonic Club of Boston, a semi-professional orchestra organized before the Boston Symphony Orchestra 23. (The Philharmonic Club and the Harvard Musical Association were the two primary symphonic groups, along with the Handel & Haydn Society Orchestra prior to the organization of the Boston Symphony). Fritz Listemann played violin in the Philharmonic Club orchestra. In the 1870s, Bernard Listemann also organized and conducted other orchestral groups in Boston. One such group was the Listemann Concert Company, modeled after the Theodore Thomas touring orchestra. However, none of the Listemann groups survived. This activity led to Bernard Listemann becoming the first Concertmaster of the newly formed Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1881. Fritz Listemann similarly joined the Boston Symphony from 1881-1885. Wilhelm Gericke then became Music Director of the Boston Symphony in 1884. In the summer of 1885 between his first and second seasons, Gericke in Europe is said to have hired some 20 new orchestral musicians for the Boston Symphony. This led to important changes in the Orchestra, including the replacement of Bernard Listemann by Franz Kneisel, as well as the replacement of Fritz Listemann among the first violins 26. In 1893, Bernard Listemann relocated to Chicago, where he became head of the violin department at the Chicago School of Music 89. After relocating to Chicago, in the 1890s Bernard Listemann also organized the Listemann String Quartet, consisting of Listemann, first violin, Bruno Kuehn, second, Eugene Boegner (1870- ), viola, and Bruno Steindel, cello. Kuehn, Boegner, and Steindel were all musicians in the Chicago Orchestra at the time. Bernard Listemann continued to head the violin curriculum at the Chicago School from 1893-1911, after which time he retired. Bernard Listemann died in Chicago February 11, 1917, age 75. 1885-1903 Franz Kneisel and the Kneisel Quartet
Two Views of the Kneisel Quartet circa 1906 on left, circa 1917 on right 1906 Quartet: Franz Kneisel at left, Alwin Schroeder , cello, Louis Svecenski , viola and Julius Theodorowicz , second violin 1917 Quartet: Franz Kneisel at left, Willem Willeke, cello, Louis Svecenski , viola and Hans Letz , second violin
(Click here to see a picture of the Kneisel Quartet in 1913) Franz Kneisel was born in Bucharest, Romania January 26, 1865 of a Rumanian father and French mother. He studied with Jakob Grün (famous teacher born 1837) at the Vienna Conservatory. In 1883, Kneisel became Concertmaster of the Bilse Orchestra of Berlin. Then Kneisel emigrated to the U.S. in September, 1885 to become Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony under Gericke and Nikisch, and to form the Kneisel String Quartet, one of the most famous quartets of its time, a decade before the Flonzaley Quartet. The initial members of the Kneisel Quartet from 1885-1887 were Franz Kneisel first, Emanuel Fiedler second, Louis Svecenski viola and Fritz Giese cello. Louis Svecenski remained viola during the career of the Kneisel Quartet, but Fritz Giese was eventually dropped due to his unfortunate alcoholism, from which he died at age only 37 157. The Kneisel Quartet from 1885-1917 pioneered the appreciation in the United States of the rich literature of the string quartet, including not only a full variety of contemporary composers, but also of Beethoven and Haydn. The Kneisel Quartet also made at least one recording for Columbia (Columbia 47138) in 1917 56. There is an interesting story that Louis Svecenski , violist for more than 20 years in the quartet would ask, when he heard complements about a particular string quartet in a work of romantic or contemporary music: "Yes, but how was their Haydn?" Franz Kneisel resigned from the Boston Symphony at the end of the 1902-1903 season so as to devote himself full time to the Kneisel Quartet which traveled to all parts of the U.S. In 1896, the Kneisel Quartet toured England. The Kneisel Quartet was playing the Debussy quartet only ten years after its composition, and also played the George W. Chadwick Quartet in 1902 in support of American music. In 1905, Franz Kneisel became head of the String Department at the Institute of Musical Art (later Juilliard). In 1917, Kneisel disbanded his quartet so as to devote all his time to teaching. As a string teacher, Franz Kneisel said that his teaching was devoted to "...trining violinists to be musicians rather than virtuosos..." 146. After a rich career equally important as a performer and as a teacher, Franz Kneisel died in New York City on Mach 26, 1926. 1903-1904 Enrique Fernández Arbós
Enrique Fernández Arbós was born in Madrid December 24, 1863. He studied at the Madrid Conservatoire under the great Spanish teacher, Jesus de Monasterio (1836-1903). Arbós then studied violin in Brussels under Henri Vieuxtemps (1820-1881), and composition under François-Auguste Gevaert (1828-1908). He then moved to Berlin to study with Joachim for 3 years. Arbós was also Concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic, and spent five years in Germany. In the late 1880s, he taught violin at the Hamburg Conservatory. In about 1890, he returned to the Madrid Conservatoire to teach violin. Then, he moved to London to teach at the Royal College of Music 1894 – 1916. During this period in England, he also toured with the singers Edward Lloyd (1845-1927) and Charles Santley (1834-1922). When he moved to Boston to become Concertmaster for the 1903-1904 season, he continued his chamber music activities. In Boston in 1903 he performed the Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio with Harold Bauer, piano and Rudolf Krasselt , cello. At the end of the Boston 1903-1904 season, Arbós moved back to Spain and became principal conductor of the Orchestra of the Gran Casino of San Sebastián. Then in 1905, Arbós moved back to London, where he founded the 'Concert Club' which premiered many new works, including those of Frank Bridge (Benjamin Britten's teacher), with whom Arbós also formed a String Quartet, with Arbós as first violin and Bridge as second. In 1914 Arbós moved back to Spain to settle finally. In Madrid he created a string quartet with Julio Francés, Juan Ruiz Cassaux, and José Vianna do Motta. Enrique Fernández Arbós was the long-time conductor of the Madrid Symphony Orchestra 1904-1938. As well as being a composer of orchestral works and a comic opera, Enrique Arbós is remembered for his orchestrations sections of Albéniz's Iberia, which he did at Albéniz's request. Enrique Fernández Arbós died in San Sebastián, Spain on June 2, 1939, just after the end of the Spanish civil war. 1904-1910 Willy Hess (except 1907-1908)
Willy Hess was born July 14, 1859 in Mannheim, Germany. From 1876-1878, Hess studied with Joseph Joachim (1831-1907) in Berlin. In 1878, Willy Hess became Concertmaster at the Frankfurt Opera (the Alte Oper Frankfurt). During two seasons, 1886-1888 Willy Hess was Concertmaster of the orchestra in Rotterdam (before the current Rotterdam Philharmonic) and taught at the Rotterdam Conservatory. Willy Hess was then for seven seasons, 1888-1895, Concertmaster of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, leaving after the famous Music Director Sir Charles Hallé died. Willy Hess returned to Germany, and 1895-1903, was eight seasons in Cologne. Hess taught at the Cologne Conservatory (Conservatorium der Musik) and was Concertmaster of the Gürzenich Orchestra. Hess then returned to England, where he taught violin at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 1903. In 1904, on the departure of Enrique Fernández Arbós, Wilhelm Gericke invited Willy Hess to come to Boston. Willy Hess became the fourth Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony in the 1904-1905 season. He remained in the first chair for six seasons. At the end of the 1909-1910 season, Willy Hess resigned from the Boston Symphony to return to Germany, where he became premier violin instructor at the famous Berlin Akademische Hochschule für Musik, succeeding Karl Halir (or Karel Halíř 1859-1909). Willy Hess was a friend of Max Bruch (1838-1920) and premiered several of Max Bruch’s works for violin and viola. Willy Hess died in Berlin February 17, 1939. Violin students of Willy Hess in Berlin included Adolf Busch (1891-1952 and father-in-law of Rudolf Serkin) and Arthur Fiedler, before he returned to Boston.
Carl (or Karl) Wendling was born August 10, 1875 in Strasbourg, France (but then called "Straßburg", being part of Germany). His father, Georg Wendling was also a musician. Carl Wendling lived for many years in Stuttgart, Germany, where he also taught at the Conservatory. Carl Wendling was Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony for one season, 1907-1908 season, under Karl Muck. In Germany, according to Robin Stowell in his Cambridge Companion to the String Quartet, Carl Wending in Stuttgart was a successor to Joseph Joachim in forming a long-term and successful string quartet. This was following World War 1, named after Carl Wending. The quartet consisted of Carl Wendling, first, Hans Michaelis, second, Philipp Neeter, viola, and Alfred Saal, cello 83. Alfred Saal had been Principal cello of the Philadelphia Orchestra for two seasons 1904-1906. The Max Reger (1873-1916) Clarinet Quintet was dedicated to Carl Wendling, and given its premier by the Wendling String Quartet 14. The Wendling Quartet also toured the U.S. in 1922 94. Richard Aldrich, famous New York Times critic wrote that Carl Wendling "...hardly seems to be the strong and incisive personality as the leader of a string quartet should be..." 85, yet he gave the group a good review. (I am not sure that first violins of successful string quartets are usually "incisive personalities", thinking of the Kneisel, the Flonzaley, the Capet, the Budapest, etc.) The Wendling String Quartet made a number of recordings in Germany in the late 1920s. Carl Wendling died on March 27, 1962 in Stuttgart, Germany, age 87.
Anton Witek: detail of 1914 photo Boston Symphony Archives, and Berlin caricature circa 1909 Anton Witek was born in Saaz (east of Graz), Austria January 7, 1872. Witek studied violin with Antonin Bennewitz (or Benevic in the Czech spelling, 1833-1926), director of the Prague Conservatory. Some of Bennewitz's other violin pupils were Franz Lehar and Josef Suk. Anton Witek was Concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic 1894-1909 28. In Berlin in 1903, Witek founded the Berlin Philharmonic Trio, including with his Swedish pianist wife Avita Witek, and with Joseph Malkin , later Principal cello at Boston. Witek came to Boston, eventually to stay, in October, 1910 to take up the Concertmaster position with Max Fiedler . Anton Witek, Avita Witek, and Joseph Malkin also formed a trio in Boston during the 1910s. Witek resigned as Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1918, after which he taught violin in Boston. See his picture below showing the string section leaders for the 1913-1914 season. Anton Witek died in Boston in August, 1933.
Fredric 'Freddy' Fradkin was born in Troy, New York on April 24, 1892 of Russian parents. Fradkin studied violin with Sam Franko (1857-1937), who was also briefly a BSO violin (2 weeks !), Leopold Lichtenberg (1861-1935), and Max Bendix (1866–1945). Beginning in 1908, at age sixteen, Fradkin was admitted to the Paris Conservatoire, where he won the violin Premier prix in the 1910 Concour. Fradkin was briefly Concertmaster in Bordeaux and Monte Carlo, and also studied with Ysaÿe in 1911. Fredric Fradkin then played in 1912 with the Wiener Concert-Verein (Vienna Concert Society Orchestra, after 1933 called the "Vienna Symphony") in 1912. In 1914-1915 Fradkin was Concertmaster of the Russian Symphony Orchestra of New York , under Modest Altschuler. Freddy Fradkin then joined the Diaghilev Ballet Russe orchestra in their 1916 U.S. tour, conducted by Pierre Monteux. Fredric Fradkin became Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony in the 1918-1919 season under Henri Rabaud. At this time, the impact of the warfare of World War 1 on public thinking was ever-growing, which generated significant anti-German sentiments. The concert public considered Fredric Fradkin as being the first US-born Concertmaster of a major U.S. orchestra - seen as an important event, subject of much comment. (Perhaps they had forgotten Nahan Franco, Metropolitan Opera Concertmaster 1883-1907, and brother of Freddy Fradkin's teacher Sam Franco.) The next season, Pierre Monteux became conductor beginning 1919-1920. In this 1919-1920 season, the orchestra musicians sought to unionize and gain wage increases, which Fradkin as Concertmaster supported. Feelings escalated into March, 1920. On March 5, 1920, there was a confrontation in which Fredric Fradkin remained in his seat when Pierre Monteux gestured to the Orchestra to rise to recognize the audience applause for their performance of Berlioz's 'Sinfonie fantastique'. This caused a sensation, and that evening Fradkin was summarily dismissed by the orchestra Board80. Following this spectacular event, Fradkin had a minimal later role in the concert world. 1922-1924, he was Concertmaster of the New York Capital Orchestra, a well-known theater orchestra (Eugene Ormandy became Concertmaster of the Capital Orchestra a few years later). Freddy Fradkin also toured in Europe in 1924. Fradkin became a freelance radio orchestra musician, and later opened a restaurant in New York City. For the next 35 years, Freddy Fradkin was not active in music concerts. Fredric Fradkin died in New York in 1963, age 71 after a varied, if perhaps blighted musical career. There is a famous story (told many times, but still good) involving two leading violinists, Freddy Fradkin and Mischa Elman, attending a Jacha Heifetz concert with the famous wit and pianist Leopold Godowsky. One Saturday afternoon, 27th October 1917, Carnegie Hall was filled to hear the sixteen-year old violin sensation, Jascha Heifetz. Godowsky, his wife Dagmar and violinists Fradkin and Elman were seated in their box. Heifetz successfully performed a dazzling concert. At the interval, Godowsky's party retired to the open area behind their box. Elman wiped his brow, and said "Phew, it's awfully hot in there !" Godowsky, with his famous quick wit replied "Not for pianists !". 1920-1962 Richard Moiseyevich Burgin
Richard Burgin was born October 11, 1892 in Warsaw, Poland (at that time, part of the Russian Empire). Burgin began the study of violin at age 6. After study with local teachers and with the Polish violinist Isidor Lotto (1840-circa 1900), in 1903, Burgin moved to Germany to study with Joseph Joachim at the Berlin Akademische Hochschule für Musik. Bergin's first public performance was in 1904, age 11 with the Warsaw Philharmonic. Then, 1908-1912, he studied with Leopold Auer at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he graduated in 1912, winning the Siver prize in violin in that year 67. Burgin became Concertmaster of the Warsaw Philharmonic in 1914. He was Concertmaster of the Oslo (at that time Christiania) Norway Symphony in 1915, and of the Stockholm, Sweden Concert Society in 1916-1919. Burgin came to the U.S. in 1920 to join the Boston Symphony. During the 1920s and 1930s, Burgin went to Paris every summer, according to ship records. Burgin also served as Assistant Conductor of the BSO beginning in 1927. In fact, according the the New York Times obituary, Bergin conducted the BSO in 308 different concerts. Burgin taught violin for many years at the New England Conservatory, where he became the Conservatory Orchestra conductor in 1953, and and at the Berkshire Music Center, where he taught conducting. The also conducted the Portland, Maine symphony. In 1940, Burgin married the Massachusetts born Ruth Posselt (September 6, 1914-February 19, 2007), 22 years his junior and a violin virtuoso student of Frantisek Ondricek (1857-1922). Richard Burgin had the somewhat amusing reputation of being personally absent-minded, and of not being concerned about clothes, both in formal wear, and in details, such as remembering to wear a concert necktie. Although forgetful, Burgin was also a champion-level Bridge player. Burgin was much admired by his colleagues. Burgin retired from the Boston Symphony at the end of the 1961-1962 season. He moved south to Florida, where he and his wife Ruth Burgin taught at Florida State University. Burgin also conducted the Florida State Chamber Orchestra. Richard Burgin suffered a stroke in January, 1981 67, and died 3 months later in St. Petersburg, Florida April 29, 1981.
Joseph Silverstein was born in Detroit, Michigan in March, 1932. Silverstein first studied with his father, Ben Silverstein who had himself studied with Franz Kneisel at the Institute for Musical Art (Juilliard) 3. Joseph was left handed, but his father taught him to play right handed. In about 1945-1946, Silverstein studied with Josef Gingold who was at that time Concertmaster of the Detroit Symphony. Silverstein was admitted to the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia in 1946, where he studied with Ephram Zimbalist. Silverstein was expelled from the Curtis Institute in 1950, at age 17. He later said "I was too distracted by "girls and baseball" 4. After leaving Curtis, he played with the Houston Symphony 1950-1953, and with the Philadelphia Orchestra in the 1953-1954 season. Silverstein returned to Detroit, and began study with Detroit Symphony Concertmaster Mischa Mischakoff , whom Silverstein said transformed his attitude toward preparation and playing. Joe Silverstein then went to the Denver Symphony as Concertmaster and Assistant conductor for one season, 1954-1955. Next year, Joseph Silverstein joined the Boston Symphony in the 1955-1956 season taking the last chair of the second violins. As unusual as such a progression was, Joseph Silverstein gradually moved up in the violin section until he was appointed Concertmaster in the 1962-1963 season. Silverstein remained Concertmaster for 21 season, until the end of 1983-1984. During the time that Richard Burgin was still with the Boston Symphony, Silverstein said he was a mentor to him. Beginning in 1971, Silverstein was Assistant Conductor of the BSO, in which capacity, he conducted the Orchestra more than 100 times. In the 1980s, Joe Silverstein was appointed appointed Principal Conductor of the orchestras at New England Conservatory. He also helped found the Boston Symphony Chamber Players in 1962 and served as its Music Director until 1983. In 1983, during his final season with the Boston Symphony, Silverstein was appointed conductor of the Utah Symphony on a trial basis, where he remained as Music Director until 1998. Now, well into his seventies, Silverstein is active as Professor of violin at the Curtis Institute.
Malcolm Lowe joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Concertmaster in 1984, only the tenth Concertmaster in its nearly 130 year history. Malcolm Lowe was born in born in July, 1953 in Hamiota, Manitoba (about 200 km west of Winnipeg) to musical parents. Lowe's father was a violinist and his mother a singer. Lowe moved with his family to Regina, Saskatchewan at the age of nine. In Regina, he studied at the Conservatory of Music with Australia-born Howard Leyton-Brown (1918- ), Concertmaster of the London Philharmonic 1951-1952 and long-time director of the Regina Conservatory. Malcolm Low then later studied at the Meadowmount School of Music, a summer music camp in up-state New York, founded by Ivan Galamian (1903-1981) who was also a famous Juilliard teacher. Later, Malcolm Lowe was admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music. After graduation from Curtis, Lowe was Concertmaster of l'Orchestre symphonique de Québec in Québec-City in the late 1970s. When Joseph Silverstein left the Boston Symphony, Malcolm Lowe won the competition to replace him. Malcolm Lowe joined the Boston Symphony in the 1984-1985 season, only the third Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony since 1920, when Richard Burgin took the first chair position. Since coming to Boston, Malcolm Lowe has taught at the Tanglewood Music Center, and at the New England Conservatory and Boston University, as well as presumably getting in a number of rounds of golf (a passion at which he may match his 46 year BSO violin colleague Leo Panasevich 1951-1997). In his playing, and in interviews, after more than two decades as Concertmaster in Boston, Malcolm Lowe still shows his enthusiasm and engagement in music making.
Boston Symphony Principal String Players, 1921-1922 Season Boston Symphony Archives standing: Max Kunze, bass, Julius Theodoriwicz, Assistant Concertmaster, Fernand Thillois, Principal second violin seated: Georges Fourel, Principal viola, Richard Burgin, Concertmaster, Jean Bedetti, Principal cello, Alfred Holý, harp First Cellists Boston Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Heindl (or Heind'l) was born into a musical family in Bavaria, Germany on June 25, 1835. Alexander and his youger brothers Edward Martin Heindl (1837-1896) and Henry Heindl (1843-after 1899) were all musicans, and all eventually were musicians of the Boston Symphony. In the first Boston Symphony season, Alexander was appointed Principal cello, Edward was named Principal flute, and Henry joined the viola section. Their father had also been a musician, playing the flute and other instruments. Alexander Heindl had had a distinguished career in Europe, playing cellor in the Vienna Philharmonic in the 1860s, when the orchestra was building its season length. The Heindl brothers immigrated to the U.S. in March, 1868. Alexander, Edward, and Henry all played in the Handel & Haydn Society Orchestra 136, the primary Boston music group prior to the organization of the Boston Symphony. Alexander and Edward Heindl also played cello in the Mendelssohn Quintette Club for two seasons137. The Mendelssohn Quintette Club, started Boston in December, 1849 137 was one of the earliest successful and long-term chamber groups in the US, when orchestral music was virtually non-existent. The Philharmonic Society in New York was performing only 4 concerts per season until 1858 144, and the Boston Orchestral Union the same. The Harvard Musical Association was not organized for concerts until 1865 138. However, the Mendelssohn Quintette Club was performing more frequently in Boston, and also touring New England states. The initial members of the Mendelssohn Quintette Club included many of the handful of orchestral musicians of the US (almost) able to make a living from playing the music of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Mendelssohn. This initial group included August Fries violin, Francis Riha violin, Edward Lehman viola and flute, Thomas Ryan viola and clarinet, Wulf Fries cello 137. Thomas Ryan and Wulf Fries, along with the Heindls, were later among the first members of the Boston Symphony. Soon thereafter joined two musicians from the original Germania Society, both violinists: Carl Meisel (1829-1908) and William Schultze (1827-1888) who was leader of the Mendelssohn Quintette Club 1859-1878. Later members of the Mendelssohn Quintette Club included Charles Allen violin, Gustav Dannreuther violin, Fritz Giese cello, Alexander Heindl cello, Edward Heindl flute and viola, Anton Hekking cello, and Ludwig Manoly bass, Hermann Diestel cello, and Rudolf Hennig cello. All of these pioneers joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra, except Rudolf Hennig, who became Principal cello of the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1900. The Mendelssohn Quintette Club deserves a book just covering its fifty years of activity covering the very first professional group in the US to devote itself to classical chamber music.
The Mendelssohn Quintette circa 1854: August Fries, first violin, Edward Lehman, flute and viola, Wulf Fries, cello, Thomas Ryan, clarinet and viola, Francis Riha, second violin Alexander Heindl remained Principal cello of the Boston Symphony through the 1888-1889 season. There is some indication that Alexander Heindl was replaced as Principal because Arthur Nikisch, when he became conductor of the BSO in the 1889-1890 season, wanted Hekking. Nikisch had known Anton Hekking, previously cello of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra 1882-1888. Alexander Heindl remained at the Boston Symphony as a cellist until the end of the 1893-1894 season, when he retired, age 64. However, his nephew, Alexander Heindl Jr, son of Henry Heindl joined the Boston Symphony and served 1900-1907.
Anton Hekking was born in the Hague, Netherlands on September 7, 1856. Hekking was from a musical family. He studied first with his cellist father Robert Gerard Hekking (1820-1875). Hekking was brother of the cellist André Hekking (1866-1925) long term teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. He was also cousin of another cellist, Gérard Hekking (1879-1942). Anton Hekking studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Alexander Chevillard (1811-1877) and Léon Jacquard (1823-1892) from 1873-1878. Anton Hekking won the Conservatoire Premier prix for cello in the 1878 Concour. Following graduation, Anton Hekking toured the U.S. with the Russian pianist Anna Yesipova (1851-1914). Then, returning to Europe, in 1880, Anton Hekking was Principal cello for the Bilse Orchestra of Berlin at about the same time as Franz Kneisel was Concertmaster of that orchestra. Hekking was one of the 54 musicians who founded the Berlin Philharmonic in 1882, after breaking away from the orchestra of conductor Benjamin Bilse (1816-1902)132. Anton Hekking was Principal cello of the Berlin Philharmonic for six seasons, 1882-1888, with a short break to tour Europe with Eugène Ysaÿe. During this period, Anton Hekking had a reputation in the orchestra of a practical joker, which is said to have caused some tension within the Philharmonic, and led to Hekking's departure in 1888. In 1889, when Arthur Nikisch became director of the Boston Symphony, he selected Anton Hekking as Principal cello, presumably knowing him from Berlin. Hekking remained as Principal cello in Boston for two seasons, 1889-1891. During this time, Hekking was also cello of the Kneisel String Quartet 131. Anton Hekking then went to the New York Symphony as Principal cello for two seasons, 1891-1893 130. In 1902, Anton Hekking returned to Berlin, but according to Cesar Saerchinger's interesting biography of Artur Schnabel, Hekking was not welcome to return to the Berlin Philharmonic. '...[Hekking] had exercised his curious sense of humor on many occasions...now, having returned... [he] gladly followed the suggestion to take young Artur Schnabel as a partner...' 133. So was created the Hekking Trio which continued seven seasons, 1902-1909. The Hekking trio consisted 1902-1907 of Hekking with Artur Schnabel, piano and Alfred Wittenberg (1880-1952), violin. During 1907-1909, American pianist Clarence Adler (1886-1969) succeeded Arthur Schnabel in the trio. The concerts of the trio followed the Bilse Orchestra format with tables and beer served with the music. These programs sold well for the seven years they continued. Anton Hekking also taught at the Stern Conservatory, Berlin, where he died after a full and colorful career on November 18, 1935. 1891-1903, 1910-1912, 1918-1925 Alwin Schroeder
Alwin Schroeder with the Kneisel Quartet circa 1903 Franz Kneisel violin, Alwin Schroeder cello, Louis Svecenski viola, Julius Theodorowicz violin Alwin Schroeder (or Schröder) was born in Neuhaldensleben, Germany on June 15, 1855 into a musical family. Alwin Schroeder was initially violist in the Schroeder family quartet, with his older brother Karl as cello. Karl Schroeder was later Professor of cello at the Leipzig Conservatory, and he encouraged his brother Alwin to pursue the cello. Alwin Schroeder loved the sound of the cello and initially taught himself. Alwin first studied the viola at the Berlin Akademische Hochschule für Musik, while continuing with the cello. Following graduation, Schroeder’s first orchestral cello engagements were 1875-1876 in the Karl Liebig orchestra in Berlin. Then, 1876-1880, Alwin Schroeder played cello with the Laube Kappelle, Hamburg. This led to Alwin Schroeder in 1880 being appointed co-Principal cello with the famous cellist Julius Klengel (1859-1933) of the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra.
During his time at the Leipzig Gewandhaus 1880-1890, Alwin Schroeder also began teaching at the Leipzig Conservatory after his brother Karl had left to become Kapellmeister in Sondershausen in central Germany. Alwin Schroeder then toured in Germany and Russia. In the 1891-1892 season, Alwin Schneider joined the newly formed Boston Symphony Orchestra as Principal cello, where he stayed initially for 12 seasons. During this time, he advised Dvorak on his cello concerto (1894-1895). In 1903, Franz Kneisel, Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony asked Schroeder to also join the Kneisel Quartet , with which Kneisel, Theodorowicz, Svecenski, and Schroeder toured the U.S. Alwin Schroeder left the Kneisel Quartet in the Spring of 1907 to return to Germany, where he taught cello at the Dr. Hoch Konservatorium for a year in Frankfurt 49. Schroeder then returned to the U.S. in the Summer of 1908 to Boston where he again became Principal cello with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for two seasons 1910-1912. 1912-1918, Alwin Schroeder may have been with the New York Symphony. During this period, Schroeder played with Willy Hess violin and Lionel Tertis, in the Hess Quartet. Schroeder also replaced Leo Schulz in the Margulies Trio. During the 1910-1912, Schroeder played with the Boston String Quartet. In the 1918-1919 season, Alwin Schroeder returned to the Boston Symphony as Principal cello. He remained with Boston for another 7 seasons until the end of the 1924-1925 season. In the mid 1920s, Schroeder taught cello at the New York Institute for Musical Art (Juilliard). Alwin Schroeder died in Boston, October 17, 1928. Rudolf Krasselt was born in Baden-Baden, Germany January 1, 1879. He came from a musical family. Rudolf Krasselt was the son of George Krasselt, Concertmaster of the Philharmonie Baden-Baden. His older brother, Albert Krasselt (1872-1908) was a violinist, Concertmaster of the Staatskapelle Weimar Orchestra, and later a conductor. Rudolf Krasselt began cello study at age 9. In 1897, Rudolf Krasselt played at the first desk of the Berlin Philharmonic under Artur Nikisch. The next season Rudolf Krasselt next became Principal cello of the Berlin Philharmonic in 1898 at age 19. In about 1900, Krasselt became Principal cello at the Vienna Hofoper, as the Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper) was known at that time. Rudolf Krasselt moved to Boston in 1903 to assume the solo cello chair for the 1903-1904 season. He was not able to join the Boston Symphony until October, 1903 joining only at the second concert of the season due to German military service 41. Krasselt was Principal cello of the Boston Symphony for only one seasons 1903-1904 under Gericke. When he left the orchestra, in 1904, the New York Times stated that Krasselt was preparing himself for a conducting career 52. The remainder of Krasselt's career was in fact as a conductor. From 1911-1913 Krasselt was Kapellmeister of the Kiel Opera. In 1913, Krasselt was appointed conductor of the German Opera (Deutsche Oper) located in Charlottenburg, then still a separate suburb of Berlin. Beginning in 1920, Rudolf Krasselt taught conducting at the Berlin Akademische Hochschule für Musik, where Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and Berthold Goldschmidt (1903-1996) were among his students. Willy Hess, former BSO Concertmaster was also at the Berlin Akademische Hochschule für Musik at the same time. Krasselt was for many years (1924-1943) Music Director of the Staatsoper Hannover. He conducted the Stockholm Symphony Orchestra in 1924. There was an interesting letter in a recent auction from Arnold Rosé, but written in Gustav Mahler's hand, withdrawing an invitation to Rudolf Krasselt to assume the cello position in the famous Rosé Quartet. The letter is described as "...citing an unpleasant situation between Krasselt's brother (Concertmaster in Weimar) and his behavior toward Arnold's brother Eduard Rosé..." 15. Krasselt died in Hannover, Germany in 1954. 1912-1914 Otto Urack Co-Principal cello
Otto Urack in 1914: detail of BSO photo Boston Symphony Archives Otto Urack was born in Berlin, Germany on May 13, 1884 of a Hungarian family. He was trained in Berlin both as a cellist and pianist. He studied cello with Robert Hausmann (1852- ) at the Berlin Akademische Hochschule für Musik, and he studied harmony with Engelbert Humperdinck. In 1903-1906, Otto Urack was appointed Principal cello with the orchestra of the Royal Court Opera, Berlin ('Königliche Hofoper', renamed 'Staatsoper unter den Linden' after the the fall of the Kaiser) 71. In 1906, Otto Urack was appointed Principal cello of the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, where perhaps Karl Muck was exposed to his talents. In 1906, Urack conducted the Berlin Philharmonic in his own works including 'Fantasia for Orchestra' 72. In 1911, Otto Urack was appointed conductor of the Stadttheater of Barmen-Elberfeld (renamed Wuppertal after 1930), near Stuttgart. This was the same opera theater at which Alfred Hertz learned his conducting 15 years previously. In the 1912-1913 season, Urack joined the Boston Symphony under Karl Muck as associate conductor and Co-Principal cello 70, seated at the stand next to Principal cello Heinrich Warnke, and with Urack listed second in the Boston Symphony programs. Beginning the next season, Otto Urack also conducted the Boston Pops concerts. In 1914, Otto Urack conducted the premiere of his Symphony no 1 in E, opus 14 with the Boston Symphony. Urack continued as Co-Principal cello until the end of the 1913-1914 season. While in Boston, Otto Urack pursued conducting, as he also did later in Europe. While in Boston, Otto Urack was conductor of the Boston Pops concerts, alson with André Maquarre during 1912-1914. Prior to World War 1, Otto Urack relocated back to Germany. In Berlin, Otto Urack was a staff conductor at the Royal Court Opera, Berlin prior to World War 1, and following the war with the re-named Berlin State Opera 167 into the 1920s, serving with Leo Blech (1871-1958) and Fritz Steidry (1883-1968). Also in Berlin in the early 1920s, he played chamber music and accompanied several leading singers in concerts from the piano. Otto Urack also conducted some of the earliest radio broadcast concerts (beginning October, 1923) transmitted by the VOX-Haus broadcasting station in Berlin. In 1923, also for VOX, Otto Urack conducted an acoustical recording of the Beethoven Symphony no 5 with the 'VOX Symphony Orchestra' (on VOX 01269-72). Otto Urack later relocated to Dresden. In the 1930s he was a conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden, the orchestra of the Sächsische Staatsoper (State Opera of Saxony). Otto Urack in the 1930s also composed some film music.
Heinrich Warnke was born in Wesselburen (north of Hamburg), Germany in 1870. At age 12, he entered the Hamburg Conservatory where he studied cello with Albert Gowa (1843-after 1918). In about 1887, Warnke went to Leipzig where he played with the great Gewandhaus Orchestra. Prior to Boston, Heinrich Warnke was from 1897-1905 104 Principal cello of the 'Kaim Orchestra' in Munich, predecessor to today's Munich Philharmonic. In the 1905-1906 season, after the resignation of Rudolph Krasselt, Warnke came to Boston to become Principal cello at the Boston Symphony. Heinrich Warnke's brother, Johannes Warnke (born in Germany December 3, 1871) also joined the Boston Symphony that same season. Johannes Warnke remaining with the Boston Symphony for ten seasons, 1908-1918, 1919-1939. Heinrich Warnke remained Principal cello of the Boston Symphony for nine seasons. At the end of the 1913-1914 season, perhaps due to the return of Karl Muck, Heinrich Warnke was succeeded by Joseph Malkin as Principal cello. Warnke, however, remained with the Boston Symphony four more seasons, until the end of the 1917-1918 season. From 1920 until the early 1930s, Heinrich Warnke was co-Principal cello of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Heinrich Warnke died in Germany during the summer of 1938.
Joseph Malkin was born in Odessa, Russia (now the Ukraine) September 25, 1879. His first cello teacher starting in 1892 was Ladislas Alois (circa 1842-circa 1914). In 1895, Malkin entered the Paris Conservatoire, where he studied under Henri Rabaud (1873-1949), and received the first prize in cello in 1898. In the Autumn of 1898, Joseph Malkin toured European countries with his violinist brother Jacques 27. He made his debut in Berlin in 1899, and performed there in 1899-1900. He played solo cello with the Berlin Philharmonic 1902-1908, and during this time played cello with the Witek trio, with Anton Witek, later Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony , and at that time Concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic. In 1908, he left Berlin and joined the Brussels Quartet, and also toured Europe, seeking to establish a soloist career. Malkin made his American debut in 1909. Malkin was back in Germany at the outset of World War 1 in 1914, and Saleski says that it was Malkin's friendship with Chief of the German General Staff General Helmuth von Moltke (1848-1916), that allowed Malkin to gain an exit visa to go to Boston 27. He joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Principal cello 1914-1919, and played as Principal cello in the Chicago Symphony 1919-1922. In Chicago, he formed a trio with his brothers. In 1924-1925, Malkin toured accompanying Metropolitan Opera soprano Geraldine Farrar. 1925-1927, Joseph Malkin was Principal cello with the New York Symphony under Walter Damrosch. In 1933, the family founded the Malkin Conservatory of Music in Boston. Schoenberg taught at the Conservatory for one year (1933-1934) immediately upon his emigration to the United States. The Malkin Conservatory closed in 1943, and Joseph Malkin in the 1943-1944 season joined the New York Philharmonic for six seasons, retiring at the end of the 1948-1949 season. Joseph Malkin died in 1969.
Jean Bedetti was born in Lyon, France December 25, 1883. He began study with his father, also a cellist and a teacher at the Lyon Conservatory. In the 1890s, Jean Bedetti won the competition for entrance to the Lyon Conservatory, where he conditnued studies with his father, a cello virtuoso. This training allowed Jean Bedetti to be admitted to the Paris Conservatoire, where he studied cello with Jules Loeb (1852-1933). At the Conservatoire, Jean Bedetti won cello Premier prix in the 1902 Concour 128. In 1904-1908, Jean Bedetti became Principal cello of the Orchestra of the Théâtre de l'Opéra Comique (particularly prized for its good season and regular employment). In 1908, Jean Bedetti became Principal cello of the Colonne Orchestra. While still in France, Bedetti first recorded for Pathé in 1908. When Joseph Malkin left for the Chicago Symphony, Pierre Monteux invited Jean Bedetti (as well as Frédéric Denayer, viola, the Van Den Berg brothers, and moving to trumpet Georges Mager, among others) to join the Boston Symphony in the 1919-1920 season. Bedetti was to remain with the Boston Symphony as Principal cello for twenty-nine seasons. Georges Bedetti was described by his students as an emotional player. Kermit Moore, a Bedetti student describes an emotional scene between Bedetti and Koussevitzky. "...Bedetti became very angry with Koussevitzky because Koussevitzky had the temerity to say things to Bedetti: 'Bedetti, your notes don't sound. They don't sound.' And Bedetti said. 'Maître, which notes don't sound?' And Koussevitzky said. 'The whole thing. The whole thing. The notes just don't sound,' and so Bedetti was so angry he stormed off the stage. He walked across the stage and management had to ask him to come back and he refused. So they asked Koussevitzky if he would apologize to Bedetti? Koussevitzky said, 'No, I will not apologize. He will come back.' And Bedetti eventually did come back..." 64 Jean Bedetti retired from the Boston Symphony at the end of 1947-1948, one year before Serge Koussevitzky's retirement, and after twenty nine seasons as Principal cello. Jean Bedetti moved to Florida, where he died in Miami on July 25, 1973. 1948-1964 Samuel Houston Mayes
Samuel Houston Mayes was born in St. Louis, Missouri on August 11, 1917. Samuel Mayes had a genuine American west background: one of his grandfathers was a Cherokee chief, and two Oklahoma counties were named for his forbearers, Rogers County and Mayes County. Mayes began early with cello lessons with Max Steindel (1891-1964), long time Principal cello of the St. Louis Symphony (42 years with the orchestra). Mayes played at age 8 as soloist with the St. Louis Symphony under Rudolph Ganz. Samuel Mayes entered the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia in 1930, where he studied with Felix Salmond (1888-1952). During the 1930s, while at Curtis, Samuel Mayes played frequently in the cello section of the Philadelphia Orchestra under Stokowski and Ormandy. Mayes graduated from Curtis in 1937, and was already listed in the Philadelphia Orchestra cello section in the 1936-1937 season. In the 1939-1940 season, Mayes became Principal cello of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and remained Principal in Philadelphia until the end of the 1947-1948 season. Serge Koussevitzky selected Samuel Mayes as Principal cello of the Boston Symphony beginning with the 1948-1949 season, where Mayes remained for 18 seasons. While in Boston, he married Winifred Schaefer, first woman in a BSO string section. In 1964, Eugene Ormandy convinced Samuel and Winifred Mayes to join the Philadelphia Orchestra as Principal and co-Principal cellists. Samuel Mayes remained with the Philadelphia Orchestra until declining health convinced him to retire at the end of the 1972-1973 season. While in Philadelphia, in 1964, Samuel Mayes gave the American premiere of the Kabalevsky Second Cello Concerto, with Dmitry Kabalevsky (1904-1987) conducting. After Samuel retired, Winifred Mayes remained with the Philadelphia Orchestra four more seasons, departing at the end of 1976-1977. Samuel Mayes, after Philadelphia, briefly taught at the Eastman School of Music. He apparently thought that his health had improved sufficiently for him to take up the position of Principal cello of the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta 1974-1975. However, this proved not to be sustainable, and Mayes joined the music faculty of the University of Michigan. Samuel Mayes retired in 1984, but occasionally performed with the Aspen Festival Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony. Before the Eastman School and the University of Michigan, Samuel Mayes taught at a series of schools, including the New England Conservatory, Boston University and Temple University (in Philadelphia). Unfortunately, Samuel Mayes's heath continued to deteriorate, and following open heart surgery and later surgery for colon cancer 135, he died in Mesa, Arizona on August 24, 1990, age 73. 1964-current Jules Louis Eskin
Jules Eskin was born in Philadelphia in October, 1931. Jules Eskin’s father was an amateur cellist who gave Jules his first lessons. In 1948, at age 16, Jules Eskin joined the Dallas Symphony cello section under Antal Dorati. While in Dallas, Eskin studied with Janos Starker (1924- ) who was then Principal cello for Dallas in the 1948-1949 season. In the summers of 1947 and 1948, Eskin studied at the Tanglewood Music Center. Jules Eskin was then accepted into the Curtis Institute in his home town Philadelphia, where he studied with Gregor Piatigorsky and Leonard Rose. In the early 1950s, Eskin took master classes with Pablo Casals. In 1954, Jules Eskin won first prize for cello in the Walter Naumburg International Competition (which Joseph Silverstein also won for violin in 1960). This led to his 1954 New York Town Hall debut and a 1954-1955 concert tour in Europe. Since then Jules Eskin has always been Principal cello in the orchestra sections which he has led. Jules Eskin was Principal cello of the Cleveland Orchestra 1961-1964 under George Szell. Eskin then joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Principal cello in the 1964-1965 season, following the departure of Samuel and Winifred Mayes to the Philadelphia Orchestra. Jules Eskin was one of the founding members of the Boston Symphony Chamber Players in 1964. He taught cello at the Boston University College of Fine Arts and in the summers at the Tanglewood Music Center. Jules Eskin is married to the Boston Symphony first violin Aza Raykhtsaum , a graduate of the St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) Conservatory. In performance, it continues to be exciting to see Jules Eskin's engagement and enjoyment of the music after more than four decades with the Boston Symphony, under five Music Directors.
A Boston Symphony Viola Virtuoso Joke: Louis Snyder in his interesting book Boston Symphony and Its World of Players 116 recounts a joke about the virtuoso talents of the Boston musicians. The orchestra was touring Europe and in Germany, the morning after a concert, a violist was reading and translating a critic's review to his colleagues. The newspaper headline was "A Virtuoso at Every Desk". The musician read the article to his colleagues, but then made a puzzled expression. After a pause, he said: "but he does not say which one of us it is !" (Recall that there are two musicians at every desk. But they say a joke is not good if you need to explain it !) First Violas Boston Symphony OrchestraHenry Heindl was born in Bavaria, Germany in July, 1843. Heindel and his wife emigrated to the US in 1868 at age 25, along with his older brothers Alexander Heindl (1835-after 1897) and Edward Martin Heindl (1837-1896). Henry Heindl became Principal viola of the Boston Symphony in its first season. Henry Heindl was Principal viola of the Boston Symphony for three seasons 1881-1884. Louis Svecenski was appointed Principal viola by Wilhelm Gericke in the 1885-1886 season, at which time Henry Heindl moved to the second chair. Henry Heindl remained in the viola section 25 more seasons until the end of 1910-1911, when he retired at age 67. Henry Heindl’s six children, Alexander Jr., Henry Jr., Max, Elsa, Hans, and Herbert were all musicians. Alexander Heindl, Jr. (1872-about 1918) joined the cello section of the Boston Symphony for 7 seasons 1900-1907. He also made what was likely the first recordings by a Boston Symphony musician for Victor Talking Machine Company 1900-1904.
Louis Svecenski was born in Osijek, Croatia November 6, 1862. Svecenski studied violin at the Vienna Conservatory under two famous teachers: Josef Hellmesberger (1828-1893) and Jakob Grün (1837-1916), who had also taught Franz Kneisel. In 1885, Gericke engaged both Svecenski and Kneisel for the Boston Symphony as first viola and first violin, respectively. This was during the period of Gericke's extensive orchestra building, adding many new players, particularly from Germany. Svecenski and Kneisel also formed the Kneisel Quartet. From its inception in 1885 until its disbanding in 1917, for more than 20 years, Svecenski was viola in the Kneisel Quartet, the only other permanent player besides Franz Kneisel himself. See the photograph of Louis Svecenski with the Quartet in about 1906. Louis Svecenski also taught at the New York Institute of Musical Arts (later renamed Juilliard). Then, in 1924, Louis Svecenski was one of the founding professors of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Svecenski is recalled today principally for his teaching and for his long contribution to the Kneisel String Quartet. Louis Svecenski died on June 18, 1926 in New York City after a lingering illness and three surgical operations.
Max Zach was born August 31, 1864 in a city then called by the Austrians Lemberg during the first partition of Poland (called Lvov by the Poles). Today, following the movement of the Polish boarders by Russia, the city is called Lviv, and is part of the Ukraine. Zach came to the U.S. in 1886 to join Wilhelm Gericke at the Boston Symphony. Zach was Principal viola of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1886-1907. During his time in Boston, Max Zach also conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra 1896-1902 and 1906-1907. During these Boston years, Zach played in with The Adamowski Quartet, with Timothée Adamowski (1858-1943), violin, A Moldauer, second violin, Max Zach, viola, and Joseph Adamowski (1862-1930), cello. Timothée Adamowski also conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra before Zach in 1891-1894 and between Zach's first and second conducting period with the Pops, 1903-07. Max Zach left the Boston Symphony in 1907 to conduct the newly renamed St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. During 1907-1921, Max Zach was the third conductor of the St. Louis Symphony. Zach is said to have not only expanded the St. Louis Symphony season, but gradually increased the quality of musicians and the content of programs. Max Zach died in St. Louis February 3, 1921, age only 56 from an infection subsequent to a tooth extraction, at a time when antibiotics did not yet exist.
Émile Férir was born July 18, 1873 in Brussels, Belgium. From 1897-1903, he was Principal viola at Henry Wood's Queen Hall Orchestra in London 10. While in Britain, he was also active in the Kruse String Quartet: Johann Kruse first, Charles Schilsky second, Emil Férir viola, Walenn cello in about 1898-1900 145. Émile Férir emigrated to the U.S. at the end of his 1902-1903 season in London in September, 1903. Presumably, he had already been contracted by Wilhelm Gericke to become Principal viola of the Boston Symphony. While in Boston, Férir became a US citizen in 1917. Émile Férir was Principal violist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for fifteen seasons, from 1903-1918. The next season, Leopold Stokowski, who had gone through two Principal violas in three seasons appointed Émile Férir Principal viola of the Philadelphia Orchestra . Unfortunately for Férir, he also lasted only one season, 1918-1919, with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Férir then joined the New York Symphony during the early 1920s. At this time he also joined the Berkshire String Quartet, funded by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge (1864-1953), consisting (at that time at least) of Hugo Kortschak first, Jacques Gordon second, Emile Férir viola, and Emmeran Stoeber cello. Émile Férir had replaced Clarence Evans in the viola position of the Berkshire Quartet. In the early to mid 1920s, Émile Férir was Principal viola for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where he joined Sylvain Noack. Emile Férir died in Orange County, California on April 26, 1949. 1921-1932 Georges August Fourel
Georges Fourel was born in Grenoble, France in June 19, 1892 of a French father and Italian mother. Fourel studied first at the Municipal Conservatoire of Douai (near Lille in the north of France). This prepared Georges Fourel to gain admission to the Paris Conservatoire. Georges Fourel won the Premier prix in viola at the Conservatoire in the 1913 Concour. Upon graduation, Fourel played viola in l'Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux about 1913-1914. Fourel then joined the orchestra of l'Opéra de Paris in about 1915. It may have been that Fourel would play both Concerts Lamoureux and the Opera, since in that era, orchestral concerts all occurred at the same time on Saturday afternoons, and musicians were not contracted exclusively. During World War 1, Georges Fourel served in the French army, was wounded at Verdun, where he won the Croix de Guerre for valor. In 1918-1920, Georges Fourel played in l'Orchestre des Concerts-Touche and the Concerts de Monte-Carlo. These were small concerts, with none of the Paris halls of the era holding more than about 1500 listeners. As can be seen from the photo of Concerts-Touche, below, less than 1000 connaiseurs could attend.
Georges Fourel emigrated to the US in 1920. He entered the Boston Symphony subsequent to the 1920 musician's strike at the invitation of Pierre Monteux as a second violin in the 1920-1921 season. In the 1921-1922 season, Fourel advanced to Principal viola, a path followed by other violinists, such as Burton Fine , 40 years later. Georges Fourel also played viola in the Boston String Quartet, in which Alwin Schroeder was cello. In the 1932-1933 season, Jean Lefranc replaced Georges Fourel in the first chair viola position. Georges Fourel remained with the Boston Symphony viola section until the end of 1953-1954 season, thirty-three years of service. Georges Fourel became a U.S. citizen in 1932 at the same time as his friend, the cellist Jean Bedetti , and his successor Jean Lefranc . George Fourel taught at Middlebury College in Vermont in the 1930s. Also, with the organization of the the Berkshire Music Center in Tanglewood, Georges Fourel was particularly active with summer instruction of strings. For example, at Tanglewood, Sarah Caldwell (1924-2006) the conductor studied viola with Georges Fourel in 1946. After retiring from the Boston Symphony, Georges Fourel seems to have returned to France. Georges Fourel died July 25, 1955.
Jean Lefranc, left, with Abdon Laus, Principal bassoon, and Jean Bedetti, Principal cello in mid-1930s Jean Lefranc was born in St. Quentin Aisne, France, 60 km northwest of Paris on March 28, 1884. Jean Lefranc entered the Paris Conservatoire where he won Premier prix in the 1907 Concour. After graduation from the Conservatoire, Jean Lefranc was appointed Principal viola of l'Orchestra of the Théâtre de l'Opéra Comique in Paris (where Pierre Monteux had also been Principal viola a decade previously. For five seasons, Jean Lefranc become Principal viola in l'Orchestre Colonne in Paris 1920-1924. The next year, Serge Koussevitzky who likely knew Jean Lefranc's playing from Concerts Koussevitzky in Paris, invited Lefranc to Boston. So, in Serge Koussevitzky's second season as Music Director, Jean Lefranc joined the viola section of the Boston Symphony in the 1925-1926 season. Jean Lefranc later succeeding Georges Fourel as Principal viola in 1932, remaining in the first chair in Boston for fourteen seasons. Jean Lefranc became a U.S. citizen in 1932 at the same time as Georges Fourel, Lefranc's friend and his predecessor as Principal viola of the Boston Symphony. Jean Lefranc retired from the Boston Orchestra at age 62, following the conclusion of World War 2 at the end of the 1946-1947 season.
Joseph de Pasquale was born in Philadelphia in December, 1919. His father, Oreste de Pasquale was also a violinist, who gave Joseph his first lessons. Accepted at the Curtis Institute as a violinist, Joseph de Pasquale switched to viola at the suggestion of Max Aronoff of the Curtis String Quartet (1906-1981) and Louis Bailly (1882-1974). At Curtis, de Pasquale studied with Aronoff and Bailly, and later with William Primrose (1904-1982). Joseph de Pasquale graduated from Curtis in the Class of 1942. During World War 2, de Pasquale played in the US Marine Band and Orchestra in Washington DC, and took the train to Philadelphia every two weeks to study with William Primrose. Following the retirement of Jean Lefranc from the Boston Symphony at the end of the 1946-1947 season, Serge Koussevitzky appointed Joseph de Pasquale Principal viola of the Boston Symphony beginning in the 1947-1948 season. Jean Cauhapé remained in the second chair of the viola section. Joseph de Pasquale was married to the niece of Serge Koussevitzky's wife, Natalya Ushkov Koussevitzky. In Boston, de Pasquale played the very large Gasparo de Salo viola. Eugene Ormandy favored the richer sound of a large viola and insisted his viola section use these. Joseph de Pasquale's Gasparo de Salo viola was large even by these standards. Ormandy had invited Joseph de Pasquale to join the Philadelphia Orchestra on several occasions, and after seventeen seasons in Boston, de Pasquale became Philadelphia Orchestra Principal viola in the 1964-1965 season. Joseph Pasquale held the first viola position in Philadelphia until he retired at the end of the 1995-1996 season. Harry Ellis Dickson, BSO violinist, and sometime conductor of the Boston Pops said that de Pasquale was know for two things, besides his music. One was that he was an excellent cook and the other was his means of expression. "...he was known as 'Mister Malaprop'...Just before the birth of his first child...I said 'dont do what I did...we waited so long to go the the hospital that the baby was almost born on the way'. 'Oh', he said, if the baby comes, all you goda to do is cut the biblical cord!'" 60 de Pasquale taught at the Curtis Institute for more than 20 years 100, succeeding his teacher and mentor William Primrose. The list of his successful students in US symphony orchestras is long, his legacy to orchestra music making.
Burton Fine was born in Philadelphia August 7, 1930. In Philadelphia, Burton Fine studied at both the Curtis Institute and at the University of Pennsylvania. Burton Fine studied violin with Ivan Galamian (1903-1981) for 5 years at the Curtis. Burton Fine also studied chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania and received a Ph.D. in chemistry from Illinois Tech. Fine worked for 8 years as a research chemist. Burton Fine auditioned for the Boston Symphony, and joined the second violin under Erich Leinsdorf in the 1963-1964 season. The next season, upon the departure of Joseph de Pasquale, Burton Fine was advanced to Principal Viola. In 1964, Boston Symphony Principal musicians organized the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, of which Burton Fine was a founding member. Burton Fine taught a number of famous students at the New England Conservatory, including Roberto Diaz, now Principal viola of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Burton Fine’s wife Susan Miron is a harp soloist and critic 98. Harry Ellis Dickinson observed that Burton Fine was one of the "absent minded musicians". Dickinson wrote about Fine: "...[he] is so preoccupied that he hardly ever greets anyone. He recently came to me before a rehearsal and asked if I had seen him come in. When I answered in the affirmative, he asked 'Was I carrying my viola case?' 'I think so' I said. 'Well, then' he said 'it must be here somewhere' 61 In the 1996-1997 season, Burton Fine gave up the Principal viola chair to Steven Ansell. Burton Fine retired from the Boston Symphony in December, 2004. You can also see him with the Boston Symphony Chamber Players in the 1964 photo, above.
Steven Ansell was born in Seattle, Washington on February 5, 1954. At the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, Steven Ansell studied viola with Michael Tree and Karen Tuttle. He graduated from the Curtis Institute in 1975 94. In 1975, Steven Ansell went to the University of Houston to teach, where he remained two years. In the 1977-1978 season, Steven Ansell was appointed Assistant Principal viola of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under André Previn. In 1979, Steven Ansell founded the Muir String Quartet featuring fellow Curtis Institute graduates: Lucy Chapman Stoltzman first (later Peter Zazofsky first), Bayla Keyes second (later Lucia Lin second), Steven Ansell viola and Michael Reynolds cello), who all met at the Curtis Institute 97 and with whom Ansell is still active 95. The Muir String Quartet, after more than thirty seasons of performing still is actively touring, including on the East coast while the BSO season is active, demonstrating Steven Ansell's love of chamber music. Steven Ansell also teaches music at Boston University 96.
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Wilhelm Gericke studio portrait circa 1898; Boston Symphony Archives
Arthur Nikisch studio portrait Paris circa 1910; Boston Symphony Archives
Koussevitzky in 1943
Steinberg hearing problem ? (just joking)
A Boston Pops concert 1905
Franz Kneisel in 1909
Timothée Adamowski
Strube in 1913
Zach in 1910
Otto Urack as Principal cello in 1914 (detail of photo in Boston Symphony
Archives)
Famous joke picture of Arbós Quartet (Arbós on left) in 1887
Willy Hess while in Manchester at the Hallé Orchestra circa 1891
Richard Burgin in 1923
Malcolm Lowe with his second favorite instrument (he is a top golfer)
Julius Klengel whose students included Piatigorsky,
Feuermann, and his colleague Alwin Schroeder
Joseph Malkin in 1909
Jean Bedetti circa 1924
Samuel Houston Mayes at Tanglewood in 1949
Emile Férir in 1913
Georges Fourel in 1923
Concerts-Touche hall in about 1920
