 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2017-03-21 05:58
I tuned in an ancient Metropolitan Opera tape of Simon Boccanegra from the early 1950s with Richard Tucker and Leonard Warren. It had the most magnificent bass clarinet playing I've ever heard. Does anyone know who played B.C. at the Met during that period?
Ken Shaw
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2017-03-21 16:50
Thanks, Ken. I had forgotten about the Stokowski site, which is mentioned in my Historical Principals posting that's hidden away in the Keepers section.
Unfortunately, the site discusses only principal players and, at least for the Met, doesn't list B.C. players.
Leonard Schaller was the NY Philharmonic B.C. player during this period, but I doubt that he could have held down both positions.
If anyone has a contact with Steve Freeman, the retired NY Phil. B.C. player, he might know -- or perhaps Stanley Drucker will remember.
Ken Shaw
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2017-03-21 18:19
The Stokowski site not only fails to list bass clarinetists; it doesn't list the man who played principal clarinet at the Met for perhaps the longest time (something like 30 years?)--Herb Blayman. Nor does it list the associate principal for much of Blayman's tenure. That player might have been Roger Hillyer (mispelled?). When I first started listening to the Met, around 1959, those were the two main clarinetists.
If Blayman is still alive he might know who the bass clarinetist was on that recording.
Post Edited (2017-03-21 22:29)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2017-03-21 20:34
Herb Blayman passed away in 2005.
The second player was Roger Hiller.
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2017-03-21 22:28
Thanks, Ed, for the correction. Someone just sent me some Blayman mouthpieces, and I forgot he had passed. Herb Blayman and Roger Hiller (correct spelling) were the Met players when I was first learning classical clarinet. My Italian barber used to listen to the Met on the radio while he was cutting my hair, and he raved about the clarinetists there.
Post Edited (2017-03-22 20:09)
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2017-03-22 16:52
Steve Freeman has also passed away several years ago.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: genekeyes ★2017
Date: 2017-03-27 03:59
Roger Hiller was the associate principal during most of Herb Blayman's tenure with the Met. Ben Armato and Sydney Kyle played second and Sydney covered the Bass Clarinet Chair
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2017-03-27 17:54
Gene, I thought Armato played bass clarinet for a while beginning in the mid 60s. Was he already playing second in the 50s when we were in High school?
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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