Klarinet Archive - Posting 000227.txt from 2002/02

From: "Don Yungkurth" <clarinet@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Review of Eastman Wind Ensemble Concert - Fennell
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2002 17:16:16 -0500

While I live in the Rochester area and mentioned the 50th anniversary of the
Eastman Wind Ensemble on Klarinet, I was out of town and missed all the
concerts! One review that appeared in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
might be of interest to some of you. I will excerpt it, since it doesn't
seem to be available on line. The following is from a review of a concert
in the Eastman Theatre on Friday, February 9, 2002.

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For a few moments on Friday at the Eastman Theatre, Rochester music history
repeated itself.

Shortly after 8:00 p.m., conductor Donald Hunsberger walked on stage, faced
a fresh and youthful assortment of wind and brass players, and gave the
downbeat for Mozart's "Serenade in B-flat Major". Exactly 50 years ago to
the day, Frederick Fennell, the group's legendary founder, opened the first
Eastman Wind Ensemble concert with the very same piece.

(Cut)

Fennell was originally scheduled to conduct the Mozart himself, but he fell
ill early Friday and spent much of the day in the hospital. He was released
two hours before the concert and was clearly in no shape to conduct a
performance.

And so the frail, 87-year-old musician seated himself in a large, cushioned
chair on stage to listen to Hunsberger conduct the players. Clearly
inspired, the young musicians delivered a rendition that was immediate and
deeply felt; the only defects seemed to be a certain stiffness in phrasing
and a general lack of thrust in the tempo.

(Cut)

***************************************
I noticed the reviewer mentions "wind and brass" players. I assume that
this means they did not use a string bass, but then Fennell didn't on his
recording of the Serenade.

Don Yungkurth (clarinet@-----.net)

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