 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Cass Tech
Date: 2007-11-20 21:06
Greetings and salutations to the clarinet community! As this is my debut on Clarinet BBoard, allow me to introduce myself. Having returned to the clarinet after a twenty-year hiatus, I am struggling to regain my skills. So I'm pleased to have discovered this website and wish to thank Mark Charette. Let me share a few of my musical memories with you all.
As a kid I attended the National Music Camp at Interlocken for a few summers, and during one of them the following young clarinetists were in attendance: Franklin Cohen, David Schiffrin, Lorin Levee, Alain Damiens and a personal friend who never became a professional but was the best of the lot, Norman Letvin. Arguably the five greatest young players on the planet. Talk about competition!
As a teenager, my parents took my brother and I to L.A. for a vacation; at the time I was studying Stravinsky's Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet. So imagine my excitement when - as we rode the elevator down to the lobby - I suddenly notice this elderly octogenarian troll seated in a wheelchair beside me: it was Igor Stravinsky, himself! If I hadn't been awestruck I would have announced what an honor it was to ride the elevator with one of the centuries finest composers. That was surely the closest I've ever been to greatness.
I once heard a concert in which Robert Marcellus played the Debussy Premiere Rhapsody, Raphael Druian played the Berg Concerto and these - together with Stravinsky's Le Sacre - were all played by the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by (to my mind) the greatest conductor of modern music, Pierre Boulez. That was a concert!
But my greatest musical experiences were while playing with Detroit's Cass Tech Symphonic Band. Harold Arnoldi was our conductor - a fine conductor, music educator and a man of enormous warmth and energy. One year we were invited to the National Music Educator's Conference, where we world-premiered a brand new saxophone concerto with the legendary Sigurd Rascher. Our first clarinetist was Norman Letvin, who, although he never became a professional, is now one of the world's leading scientists battling the worldwide AIDS pandemic. Our first-chair oboist, Ted Baskin, later became principal with the Quebec Symphony. Our first horn became principal with the Lousiville Symphony, etc., etc. It was an honor to play with such musicians under so inspiring a conductor.
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Author: Ryan K
Date: 2007-11-20 22:12
I've actually had an experience similar to this. One of my favorite modern composers is David Holsinger. I was fortunate enough to have him as a guest conductor for an honors band event. Needless to say, it was an awe inspiring experience, and his brilliant conducting turned our district level band into an ensemble that rivaled the state band in terms of musicality and musicianship.
Ryan Karr
Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2007-11-21 01:37
Back around 1984-85, my dad took me to Carnegie Hall where Richard Stoltzman was giving a clarinet recital. He played a lot of new music (read: hard to listen to) and it all just wasn't terribly interesting to my ears. But at the end of the concert, he started thanking people, and he said "And that includes you, Benny...," and proceeded to motion to the audience behind me. I turned around, and a few rows back, there sat Benny Goodman! Definitely the highlight of the night.
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2007-11-21 03:45
Once my family went to the Blossom music center outside of Cleveland for a summer jazz concert with Dizzy Gillespie. I must have been in 9th or 10th grade. My sister had begun playing trumpet in school and she brought along her beginning band book to try to get Dizzy's autograph. She and my dad went around to the edge of the stage and to the back stage door. They left the book with the guy there and when they returned a while later he had it for them with both Dizzy's and Gerry Mulligan's autographs.
When the big names had finished playing my folks began dragging us outta there so we wouldn't get stuck in the traffic too badly (plus we lived about 90 minutes away). I turned around, and there was Dizzy, about 10 feet behind us! I pointed him out to my mom and she dragged my sister over to thank him for the autograph. He was very sweet and kind and very encouraging.
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Author: davyd
Date: 2007-11-21 04:26
I met klezmer clarinetist extraordinaire Giora Feidman in a Big Apple repair shop & got his autograph. (His basset horn, an instrument I'd never seen before, needed some minor adjustment.)
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Author: Cass Tech
Date: 2007-11-21 14:11
David:
No. It was a silent trip. But if you read some of Robert Craft's books about Stravinsky, you can get some idea of his mind, tastes, sense of humor, etc.
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Author: Mark G Simon
Date: 2007-11-21 15:07
Robert Craft reported that on one such occasion, he overheard a young long-haired guy shout out "Hey! That cat in the wheelchair is IGOR STRAVINSKY!!"
I take it that wasn't you.
Clarinetist, composer, arranger of music for clarinet ensemble
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Author: Cass Tech
Date: 2007-11-21 17:15
Mark:
Nope, I had short hair in those days. But, while we're on the subject of Stravinsky, I'm currently studying the Three Pieces (having last played them on a recital - would you believe it - 40 years ago!) and am puzzled about the final middle b-flat to over the octave b-flat grace note. Can it be played without tonguing it? Is there an alternative fingering? Wise professionals please enlighten this struggling middle-aged amateur.
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2007-11-21 22:55
Hi Cass Tech & All:
I also attended The Interlochen Music Camp (1956-60), where Joseph Maddy, the Camp's founder was our conductor. Howard Hanson, the composer of Interlochen's theme song, also conducted us in his "Romantic Symphony".
Years later at the University of Michigan, I played under the "Toscanini of Band Conductors", the famed William D. Revelli. We toured all over the U.S. and made numerous Band recordings, including the famous "Sousa on Parade".
In San Francisco, I played under Edo De'vaart, and in St. Louis with Leonard Slatkin & Walter Suskin. In St. Louis, we accompanied Arturo Rubinstein in one of his last publc appearances.
At The Aspen Music Festival, I played for Darius Milhaud, Luciano Berio, Ravi Shankar, Frank Zappa, and many other great composers & conductors.
In NYC, I've played for, and worked closely with: Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Aaron Copeland, Roger Sessions, Phil Glass, Steve Reich, John Zorn, Zubin Mehta, James Levine, and even Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber, to name just a few.
My classmates at Juilliard included: Dennis Russell Davies, James Levine, Leonard Slatkin, James Conlin, John DeMaine, Jorge Mester, Itzak Perlman, Pinkus Zuckermann, and many of todays principle orchestral woodwind players.
Did I have fun hearing and playing with all of these illustrious performers?
You bet I did...! It's been a great ride playing the clarinet for 55 years. You should all have a great time with your own music careers.
Happy Holidays...l
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2007-11-21 23:16
John J. Moses wrote:
> At The Aspen Music Festival, I played for Darius Milhaud,
> Luciano Berio, Ravi Shankar, Frank Zappa, and many other great
> composers & conductors.
Having spent a few days with Frank Zappa way back when, I'm not surprised at his inclusion in your list, John. Outstanding musician and composer. A Renaissance man for sure.
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Author: William
Date: 2007-11-22 02:19
Cass Tech--I was at that 1965 Mid-West in Chicago where Norman Letvin played the "Polacca" from Webers Second Concerto and am happy to have the official recording of that Cass Technical School Band concert which I still occassionally enjoy listening to. I can verify that he was an astounding young clarinetist that no doubt would have had most successful career at the professional level. I'm happy to hear that he is doing well in his choosen medical career, but hope that he has retained his clarinetting skills and still plays when he can. How lucky you were to be a member of such a fine musical ensemble--I'm envious!! But nevertheless, welcome to our BB. Nice to hear from you.
Post Edited (2007-11-22 18:23)
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Author: DaveF
Date: 2007-11-22 04:13
I played in college at U. of Illinois under Harry Begian (1970's). He often talked of being the band director at Cass Tech in his earlier years, and perhaps he was legend there for building that program, true?
Dave F.
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2007-11-23 04:27
Sorry Katrina, I am that old. I knew them all quite well. It was a thrill.
The young guys down at WICKED on Broadway,
(currently on a sympathy strike) often call me "older than dirt".
We have FIVE generations of great players in our pit at the Gershwin Theater.
Players in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and one in his 70s...! Great vibes.
Keep the faith, play your best, always.
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: Cass Tech
Date: 2007-11-23 14:32
Thanks for your warm welcome, clarinet sisters and brothers!
John J. Moses - wow, what a life of music-making! I spent two years at U of M during 70 and 71, and began one semester in the band under Dr.Revellli - unfortunately, I had to drop out to help build the Movement Against the War in Vietnam. I'm sorry to have missed that opportunity.
William, I'm told by his brother David that Dr. Letvin is still playing and recently - at a national AIDS conference - performed the Brahms' Quintet with the university faculty quartet at which the conference was held.
Dave F., during my first semester at Cass I played under Dr. Begian, and he certainly was a great band-builder,conductor and music educator.
My fellow clarinetists at Cass, Norman Letvin and Phil Bashor once dubbed me "leatherlip", because I could go on playing for hours at a time. These days my lip gives out at about an hour at most.
Your friend,
Leatherlip
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Author: 2E
Date: 2007-11-25 00:50
I've been a huge fan of James Morrison for a long time and got to meet him when he came to my Conservatorium. He was putting together a small ensemble to premier his concerto for jazz double bass. He needed ONE clarinet and I was first in line :p not only did he conduct us but also pulled out some jazz trumpet of his own in a fantastic concert. I managed to get him to sign his autobiography "blowing my own trumpet" felt pretty awesome haha. 2E.
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Author: William
Date: 2007-11-25 15:39
Cass Tech--thanks for the update regarding Dr Norman Letvin. It is good to hear that clarinetting is still a part of his life.
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