Klarinet Archive - Posting 000136.txt from 1996/04

From: thehat@-----.ORG
Subj: From this week's DOS Orch
Date: Sat, 6 Apr 1996 00:01:36 -0500

from Bernard J. Dobroski, Dean of the School of Music at
Northwestern University:

Robert Marcellus died at 4:00 a.m. March 31, in Sister Bay,
Wisconsin, following a long illness.

The music world at large mourns the passing of one of its
legendary clarinet virtuosos, principal with the Cleveland
Orchestra, treasured performer in major international chamber
music festivals, soloist on numerous recordings, and music
director and conductor of several important orchestras. We
grieve for a cherished teacher whose students perform in the
orchestras of the world, a conductor who made major improvements
in our own symphony orchestra, and a courageous human being who
throughout his time with us did not let his serious illness
interfere with his concern for imparting knowledge and
transmitting a distinguished performance tradition.

Born June 1, 1928, Prof. Marcellus's talent was made evident
early. At 17, he was named the youngest member of the National
Symphony Orchestra. For 20 years, beginning in 1954, he was
principal clarinetist of the Cleveland Orchestra. As everyone
who attended his master classes and lessons knew, this close
experience with George Szell was a major formative influence. By
1959 he was playing with Pablo Casals at his Festival in Puerto
Rico. His performing career and reputation as a teacher grew.
His recording of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with Szell and the
Cleveland is still in print.

Robert joined us as a conductor as well as teacher in 1974, when
his health precluded orchestral performance. In addition to the
NU Symphony Orchestra, he directed the Peninsula Music Festival
Orchestra in Door County, Wisconsin, the Interlochen (Michigan)
Arts Academy Orchestra and the Scotia Chamber Players at the
Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1984, he lost his sight
completely but remained on the faculty as a teacher until
recently.

Private funeral services will be held in Sister Bay. The
University is planning a major memorial and invitational concert
next fall.

-> Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:04Feb96
Origin: Hat's Nut House

   
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