 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jim sclater
Date: 2025-08-14 01:51
Can anyone tell us whether Alan Hacker's book, My Life with Clarinets, has ever been published? He dictated the book to his wife Margaret; it was completed in January, 2012. Alan passed in April 2012. I saw a PDF copy of it once; it contains some very interesting material.
jsclater@comcast.net
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Author: ruben
Date: 2025-08-19 23:23
Jim: I was a great friend of Tony Coe, Alan's musical partner and close friend. Unfortunately, he too passed away a couple of years ago. I will ask his widow if she knows anything about that manuscript. It would make a great read.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: ruben
Date: 2025-08-20 12:45
PS: What a lesson in courage, Alan's life was. Wheelchair-bound most of his life, with the terrible problems that involved. Yet he went on playing, conducting, teaching, playing and leading a full, purposeful life.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: donald
Date: 2025-08-22 01:51
I met him when he came to NZ in 1989 or 1990 - had several lessons and masterclasses with him and actually performed with him. I was playing Linoi by Birtwhistle - which uses basset notes - and I performed this with Mr Hacker adding the basset notes at the appropriate moments.
The tour had NOT been well organised and most of his accommodation was lacking wheelchair access/bathroom facilities etc. However Mr Hacker was only grumpy to the appropriate people, and really went beyond the call of duty helping and encouraging us students. I found him to be an inspiring player and personality, and quite liked his playing. I was certainly defensive when a few years later in the US I heard students mocking his tone.
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Author: jim sclater
Date: 2025-08-22 06:51
Donald,
I was in the UK ca. 28 years ago doing research on a series of articles on Reginald Kell. Mr. Hacker kindly offered to meet with me to discuss his views on Kell. I was traveling to York to meet him when the train was stopped due to an IRA bomb scare at the next station. Unfortunately I never go to meet him, one of the big disappointments of my trip. I'm sure he would have had many valuable insights on the subject. Sadly, I never got to hear Mr. Hacker play.
jsclater@comcast.net
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Author: ruben
Date: 2025-08-22 09:29
Jim: Alan Hacker was always ready to help: always made himself available in spite of his handicap and busy schedule.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: ruben
Date: 2025-08-22 09:50
Jim Sclater: Did Alan Hacker play any of your compositions? He played one of mine, even though it was far from the avant-garde music that was his core repertoire (he didn't play it in public, though).
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: jim sclater
Date: 2025-08-22 15:36
Ruben,
If Mr. Hacker played any of my music, I was not aware of it. While in the UK, I gave some pieces to Michael Collins, but I'm not sure if he ever played any of them. I did see where Ms. Hashimoto had one in her rep list
jsclater@comcast.net
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