Klarinet Archive - Posting 000206.txt from 2006/01

From: despear2@-----.edu
Subj: Re: [kl] Death of David Weber
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 10:59:20 -0500

[From New York Times]

David Weber, 92, Clarinetist Known for Beauty of Tone, Dies

By DANIEL J. WAKIN
Published: January 26, 2006
David Weber, a clarinetist, who was one of the last remaining links to the
pioneers of American woodwind-playing and went on to become a master teacher,
died on Monday at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan. He was 92.

His son Michael Weber announced the death. He had continued giving lessons until
June. Mr. Weber played for conductors like Toscanini, Stokowski and Leinsdorf.
His students occupy chairs in orchestras around the country, including the
Milwaukee Symphony, the Dallas Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra. Benny
Goodman took lessons (but never paid and took his best reeds, Mr. Weber once
said), and so did the jazz clarinetist Kenny Davern.

But his most profound influence may have been on the sound of the instrument.
Mr. Weber's great gift, and his constant goal for students, was beauty of tone.
His sound was full, rich, resonant and pure. "It had a unique bell-like
quality, that kind of clarity," said Jon Manasse, a soloist and principal
clarinetist of American Ballet Theater. "The resonance of the sound, when it
was correct, was enough to communicate the music without adding special effects
or gimmicks."

As recounted by Mr. Manasse, Stokowski once called Mr. Weber over and said:
"You, sir. Your tone, it's like a dove cooing." Mr. Weber himself, in an
article in The Clarinet, described good tone this way: "Think of colors: it's
got to be gold, silver, blue velvet. You have to reach out and touch it."

Mr. Weber was a dogmatic teacher but deeply devoted to his students, and did not
suffer fools gladly. He had a reputation for being contentious, standing up to
conductors and sometimes alienating colleagues. He once argued with the
conductor Bruno Walter, who tried to make peace by giving an inscribed copy of
his book about Mahler.

"I don't think it succeeded," his son Michael said. "My father never spoke well
of Bruno Walter in my hearing." His survivors also include another son, Robert,
and his wife, Dorothy. David Weber was born on Dec. 18, 1913, in Vilnius,
Lithuania, and moved with his family to Detroit. He took up the clarinet and
studied with a member of the Detroit Symphony. One day he arrived for a lesson
and was sent home; his teacher had committed suicide. The incident was searing,
he told The Clarinet.

He went to New York to study with Simeon Bellison, the Russian principal
clarinet of the New York Philharmonic, who along with Daniel Bonade of France —
another Weber teacher — helped establish modern clarinet-playing in the United
States.

In the late 1930's, he auditioned for Toscanini and was immediately brought into
the NBC Symphony. He also had stints with the New York Philharmonic,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, CBS Symphony and Symphony of the Air, the NBC
Symphony's successor. He was principal clarinet of the New York City Ballet
Orchestra from 1964 until 1986, when he retired from performance, and taught at
the Juilliard School.

Quoting dnleeson <dnleeson@-----.net>:

> I regret to announce that, according to today's NY Times, David
> Weber died. It says nothing about the date or the cause.
>
> The text of the obit reads: "Weber - David. With loving memories
> of an exceptional musician, devoted teacher and friend. You gave
> selflessly of your time, energy, and knowledge to all who came to
> learn from you, and our lives and understanding of music are so
> rich from having passed through your studio. You planted a
> beautiful garden of musicians which continues to grow in the
> country and throught the world. Your life accomplishments,
> mentoring, and love will never be forgotten. Our thoughts and
> love go out to your wife Dorothy and sons Robert and Michael."
> Signed, "Your loving studens"
>
> I was fortunate to have studied with David in New York in
> 1948-1950.
>
> Dan Leeson
> DNLeeson@-----.net
>
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>

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