Klarinet Archive - Posting 000117.txt from 2002/05
From: "Jeroen T. Salm" <jtsalm@-----.nl>
Subj: Re: [kl] sabine meyer
Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 13:06:03 -0400
This is the text in the book Clarinet Viruosi of Today by Pamela Weston
(Egon Publishers 1989) ISDN 0-095858-46-8 page 218:
Sabine Meyer:
(...)
"When headline appeared in daily newspapers all over the world saying
´Karajan engages young lady clarinet player for Berlin Philharmonic,
Orchestra up in arms´, Sabine Meyer´s name was already known to many as a
soloist who was worth listening to. When she was paired with the great Karl
Leister as solo clarinet in the prestigious Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
it made hot news indeed and tongues began to wad. The scandal hinted at was
perfidious; the orchestra´s wrath was at Karajan´s decision to engage
against their judgement and had nothing to do with the fact that she was a
women. (At that time of her first audition the Orchestra was an all-male
stronghold, but by the time she was herself a member, one lady violinist had
entered their ranks).
Sabine was in the Junge Philharmonic when in 1981 Karajan´s orchestra asked
that the Philarmonie´s principal clarinet come and audition. They did not
know that person was a girl. Sabine played only at the second of two
auditions, was the one selected and then asked to stand trial by playing
with the Orchestra. The Orchestra works democratically whereby they
themselves choose the intrumentalists engaged to play. Their conductor is
not given the chance to choose nor does he have the right to change this
rule, though he can veto the decision. Karajan, the Orchestra´s ´conductor
for life´ since 1955, was not at Sabine´s audition but on learning the
result said: `a lady for first clarinet? I want to hear her.´ She was now in
the Munich orchestra and had to fly to Berlin to play at a Philharmonic
rehearsal. In the mid-rehearsel break Karajan had her perform for him. `I
want to have her´, he said. `Oh we have not yet decided,´ said the
orchestral committee, and the the trouble began. They tried her out on a
tour of the USA and gave a negative opinion but still Karajan pressed to
have her. The sensitive situation continued for nearly two years while they
tested her again and again before finally offering her a one-year contract
in 1983. There were many who felt it was wrong to have invited her and wrong
for her to accept, but Hans Deinzer [her teacher. JTS] advised that she
should go. If was a gruelling time for her. Some members of the Orchestra
simply did not speak to her at all. In June 1984 she resigned, thus
terminating the wary battle that had raged all the while she worked for
them. (...).
Yours,
Jeroen T. Salm
(The Netherlands)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary Van Cott" <gary@-----.com>
Subject: Re: [kl] sabine meyer
There has been at least one article on Sabine Meyer in The Clarinet
magazine in the past few years. I believe there is also a chapter on her
in Pamela Weston's book Clarinet Virtuosi of Today. Unfortunately, it is
out of print and I didn't keep a copy for myself. ;-(
Gary
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Gary Van Cott - Van Cott Information Services, Inc.
+ Clarinet, Saxophone, Flute, Double Reed Books and More
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
At 02:57 AM 5/4/02, you wrote:
>Dear Lola,
>
>I don´t think Sabine Meyer thought about it (as you mentioned) as "her
>triumph" ...
>
>For your information: in the book "The Karajan Dossier" by Klaus Lang
(Faber
>& Faber 1992) (ISDN 0-571-16408-0) there is a whole chapter about Sabine
>Meyer and the BPO/Karajan history... Maybe you can find this book in a
>library...
>
>BTW: on 1st september 1983 the violinist Madeleine Caruzzo became the BPO´s
>first women member; in that year Sabine Meyer began her probationary (!)
>year (she never became a BPO-member).
>
>
>Yours,
>
>Jeroen T. Salm
>(The Netherlands)
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <LClarinetB143@-----.com>
>To: <klarinet@-----.org>
>Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2002 12:25 AM
>Subject: [kl] sabine meyer
>
>
> > Dear fellow clarinetists,
> > I'm a clarinetist doing a research paper on Sabine Meyer, and I
>need
> > as much information as possible. I especially need the story of her
>triumph
> > with the Berlin Philharmonic (since she was the first woman). If anyone
> > knows a significant amount of information, please share. Thanks.
> >
>Lola
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
>
>
> > Dear fellow clarinetists,
> > I'm a clarinetist doing a research paper on Sabine Meyer, and I
>need
> > as much information as possible. I especially need the story of her
>triumph
> > with the Berlin Philharmonic (since she was the first woman). If anyone
> > knows a significant amount of information, please share. Thanks.
> >
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