 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2004-05-21 01:41
Hi,
I was listening to some of the terrific Eastman Wind Ensemble recording made by Fennell in the late 1950s today. The sound was exceptional as was a hallmark for the Mercury recordings of the day. The playing was flawless and as fresh today as it was when it astounded the concert band crowd at the time. However, who were the clarinet players in that ensemble?
I know Larry Combs and Gene Zoro were at Eastman at about that time but does anyone know who some of the actual players were and where they ended up? If Combs and Zoro, their successes are well doumented.
HRL
Post Edited (2004-05-21 01:50)
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Author: Shawn
Date: 2004-05-21 02:02
At one time Larry Combs, Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, Gene Zoro, Charlie Bay, and Dan Johnston were all at Eastman. I know there was a year that Elsa and Larry were stand partners, and Fred Hemke was in the sax section. I'm sorry I don't know the exact years, but it was during the time Eastman made those recordings.
Hope this helps.
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Author: kchan ★2017
Date: 2004-05-21 02:09
My teacher was at Eastman at the time and the impression that I got from him was the players on the recordings varied based on the seating of that year. Peter Hadcock, Charles Bay, James Pyne, etc. were all there about that time. I'm pretty sure Elsa Ludewig is playing solo clarinet on the Pineapple Poll disc. He mentioned that the live concert sounded even better than what got recorded. I may be passing a "Paul Bunyan" tale but I remember him saying that she sight read the solo clarinet part up tempo without flubs (or our Hawaiian term papayas).
Kenwrick
Post Edited (2004-05-21 02:11)
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2004-05-21 02:17
Shawn and KC,
Wonderful answers in record time. Boy, some real heavy weights in the clarinet sections (the recordings were 1958-59ish).
Yikes, sight-read the PP at tempo with no "papayas."
HRL
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-05-21 12:48
Will have to dig out my old PP vinyl and give it a relisten. As I recall the Mercury discs of that era all had superior fidelity
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-05-21 13:31
Many years back, I studied with John Summerall, who told me that he was the Eb player on the Mercury LP that had Grainger's Lincolnshire Posey and the Strauss Serenade. He didn't say, or I didn't remember, who the others were.
The early Mercury LPs can be worth a lot of money, but only if they were made with the first generation of stampers. Value also depends on how many disks were pressed and how long the record remained in print. I don't think the EWO records have ever been out of print, so the value wouldn't be enormous.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: William
Date: 2004-05-21 14:33
Please add my University of Wisconsin clarinet teacher, Dr. Glenn Bowen, to the list of clarinetists of the "early years" of the Fennell Eastman Wind Ensemble. He said that he was on many of those old recordings although I do not know dpecifically which ones nor what part he played. Fred Fennell also had UW ties and was a frequent guest to our campus during the 60s throught the 80s.
Glenn Bowen was (is) a good clarinetist who, in his prime, could "keep up with" the likes of Charles Niedich, but was not in the "same league" as Larry or Elsa. He now is retired and lives in Arizona but returns to Wisconsin every summer where we play together in Madison's Capitol City Band (conducted by James Latimer, former tympanist with the BSO and retired UW Professor of percussion).
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Author: LeOpus1190s
Date: 2004-05-21 22:18
I just sent Mr. Combs an email telling about this thread.. maybe he will reply.
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Author: Jneilsmith
Date: 2004-05-22 03:49
Hello,
You will find all the names of players in all recordings made by the Eastman Wind Ensemble in a book by Roger E. Rickson: FFortissimo (A Bio-Discography of Frederick Fennell- the First Forty Years, 1958-1998). This is published by Ludwig Music Publishing Co.
If you do not have this publication, I would be pleased to list the players for you if you know the name of the recording, the date and/or the particular work which was recorded.
I was in the clarinet section in 1960-61; Larry Combs was my stand partner...Elsa Ludewig, Charlie Bay, etc. were in the section at that time for those recordings.
Jerry Neil Smith
Musician, educator, performer (clarinet and sax), composer & arranger
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2004-05-22 11:08
JNS,
Thanks for the terrific information. I'll try to get the book on inter-library loan. That's a terrific find for anyone interested in this series of recordings. You must have played a real bunch to be in that section. Belated congratulations.
HRL
PS Finding such arcane information very quickly is one of the greatest attributes of this BB. Mark, when can I send in my donation for next year!!!!
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Author: Jneilsmith
Date: 2004-05-22 14:25
Hank,
You are very welcome.
The book in question is a very useful one since it even contains not only the programs of the wind ensembles, bands, etc. which Fennell conducted, but seating diagrams, photos and personal commentary by Fennell.
The clarinet section was escellent when I was in it, as always. Having Stan Hasty as a "friend" of the organization did much toward consistency.
The clarinet section members when I was in it (1960-61, during PhD work) were:
Mary Jane Lang (E-flat)
Elsa Ludewig
Charles Bay
Larry Combs
Henry Miyamura
Jonathan Levine
Dan Johnston
Robert Mader
Michael Smith (alto..bassett horn)
Dan Sandidge (bass)
William Anderson (contrabass)
And, yes, Fred Hemke Was 1st alto. I took his place occasionally when he did clinics for Selmer...he had just won the Premiere Prix in Paris. That section was excellent, also.
Glad to be of help!
Jerry Neil Smith
Musician, educator, performer (clarinet and sax), composer & arranger
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-05-22 15:07
The Mercury disk I have is titled "Curtains Up" and there are string players in the ensemble....still, it's referred to as an Eastman Wind Ensemble...The finale to Pineapple Poll is the only PP selection on it.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2004-05-22 16:02
JNS,
Thanks for the additonal information. I found a copy of the book (out of print), ordered it, I and look forward to reviewing all those great programs and assorted information.
So, subbing for Hemke. Truely a great story from your grandchildren (and the Sneezy band-heads of all ages).
HRL
Ps Draz, I sent you some EWE info on email.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-05-24 13:25
Mary Jane Lang was 1st chair in the Interlochen High School Orchestra in the late 50s and early 60s, after Larry Combs left. She was an excellent player, with, unfortunately, a monster superiority complex.
Does anyone know what happened to her?
Ken Shaw
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Author: William
Date: 2004-05-24 15:04
"unfortunately, a monster superiority complex."
Hmmm...., usually a pesonality trait of concertmasters or oboists, Isn't it??
(unless, of course, it is "clarinetist to clarinetist")
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Author: Jneilsmith
Date: 2004-05-24 17:00
RE: Mary Jane Lang
According to my 1992 Eastman Directory she was a "Free-lance musician/Instr. in Richmond.
HOWEVER, according to my 1996 Eastman Directory, she she was a "VLA., VLN." with an MM from Indiana University, and was Artistic and Business Manager of the Towe Quartet in Richmond, Virginia.
She does not appear in my latest Directory (2002).
If you need her last-known phone number and/or address I will be glad to send it since it is (or was at the time) published information.
Jerry Neil Smith
Musician, educator, performer (clarinet and sax), composer & arranger
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Author: donald
Date: 2004-05-25 08:01
kia ora Jerry!
i hope that you are looking forward to a great Symposium, say hello to everybody in Norman for me! (i assume you still live in OK?)
hey- i remember someone telling me that Larry Combs played Alto Saxophone in the Eastman Wind group. This was obviously not so (at least on a full time basis), but maybe there is a story about him having to do it once because someone was sick etc..... does anyone know about that?
donald
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Author: Jneilsmith
Date: 2004-05-25 13:41
Hi, Donald!
I look forward to seeing you...and I will tell Dave and others "hello" for you.
Yes, I am still in Norman.
Re: Larry Combs and alto sax...he is a terrific jazz alto player, not to mention clarinet. He could have replaced Fred at one time or another but I never knew about it. Since I was only in the Wind Ensemble one year, I am not aware of later personnel shifts for Fred, but it is certainly possible.
You could ask Fred, himself. He is still at Northwestern University in Evanston.
Good to hear from you!
Later,
Jerry
Musician, educator, performer (clarinet and sax), composer & arranger
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2004-06-03 17:12
Hi,
I just received my copy of Ffortissimo: A Bio-Discography of Frederick Fennell. Outstanding reading if you are interested in wind bands. Yes, Zoro, Combs, Ludewig, Bay, and company were all there.
The book is out-of-print so maybe this might be a good collectable for you!
HRL
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Author: larryb
Date: 2004-06-06 01:47
For what it's worth, the clarinet section on EWE's 1958 recording of Mozart's Gran Partita (Serenade #10, K. 361) is:
Clarinets: Robert Gauldin & Elsa Ludewig
Basset Horns: Rolf Legband & Eugene Zoro
Contrabass Clarinet: James Badolato
Fennell used Contrabass Clarinet, Contrabassoon and Contrabass as he felt appropriate in the piece.
The Basset Horns were LeBlancs (ie: wide bore - they sound great). The photo of the basset horn on the cover is either backward, or it's a rare left-handed basset horn (:))
Above info from the liner notes to the CD (Mercury 289 434 399-2), which also contains the Strauss Serenade in Eb and Milhaud Suite Francaise, but performers are not identified for these. The liner notes, in turn, are excerpts from Fennell's book "Time and the Winds," G. Leblanc Co.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2018-12-15 08:15
Well, it’s a bit late to reply to Ken, but the question about Mary Lang.
I’m good friends with her now. She was Principal Clarinetist with the Norfolk Symphony in the mid/late 70’s. That Orchestra is now the Virginia Philharmonic.
Stan Hasty and her did not get along well, it happens. But she is a very nice lady, and was one hell of a good player. She was the Clarinetist that I looked up to as the Symphony Principal when I was just starting Clarinet, and studied with their Eb Clarinetist Patti Carlson.
Now Mary is a fan of mine! (Honored)
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2018-12-18 03:41
Got to play with Frederic Fennell at Interlochen. If I remember correctly he memorized the music. He had a way to bring out the very best with regards to each musician. It was a joy to play one concert under him.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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