 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2018-10-26 09:54
I blame the conductor with this. There have been problems for years, such as with Frank Cohan and several other players. Surely Frank was qualified to play. He had tons of experience coming from the Baltimore Symphony a very fine orchestra that played year round with top musicians, such as Steve Barta who was a student of Marcellus and Harold Wright.
Boy at one time this was one of the greatest orchestras ever put together under George Szell. The hall and the stage is just amazing for sound. I played there this summer. You can hear everything so well. (Severance Hall)
Guess they need to hopefully reorganize some of the upper management. Maybe starting with that mean conductor who has perhaps emotional psych issues with some of the players. He's not stable in my opinion. Drama with orchestra members is wrong.
I'm kind of glad to see this happen and maybe the orchestra will rebound and be great again in the very near future. I really hope the conductor is history.
Who knows what really happened and we probably won't ever hear both sides of the truth. Maybe it's time for a new conductor to bring the orchestra members together as a strong unit of great players. They had it for years so bring it back.
The orchestra was so good under Szell I must have 150 or more recordings. Remastered ones are fine. Pick up some and hear the orchestra with good headphones on. It will blow your mind. If you are wanting great headsets for decent prices check out Grada's. Underrated and just $100 will do the trick. You can spend $3000 for the top model if you are rich, but you surely don't have to.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2018-11-05 10:02)
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Author: donald
Date: 2018-10-26 12:34
Hmmmm
GBK- I'm not sure what "OT" stands for (off topic, or over the top?), or what your comment suggests either. This i such a serious topic it's probably better to be direct.
Bob, I'm fairly sure that Franklin Cohen didn't play in the Baltimore Symphony (he was in the American Symphony before his 2 Cleveland Auditions,) I'm sure that Eddie Palanker can set us straight on that.
What I DO know is that he, and/or the conductor have NOTHING AT ALL to do with the issues described in the article, and in some countries your comments could result in you being sued.
Post Edited (2018-10-26 15:42)
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Author: Steve Hartman
Date: 2018-11-01 18:13
Frank Cohen was Principal Clarinetist of the Baltimore Symphony from 1970 until he joined the Cleveland Orchestra in 1976. He succeeded Ignatius Gennusa in Baltimore and he was succeeded there by Steve Barta, who recently retired.
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Author: donald
Date: 2018-11-02 05:26
Mr Hartman- thanks for clearing that up. I'd spoken with him a couple of times recently, listen to an interview with him and read his online bio but could recall no reference to him playing in Baltimore (he left NZ shortly before he was referenced in this thread, otherwise I could have asked him).
The ugly behaviour described in the article above is sadly not particularly rare, and I personally think it's a good thing that people are being held accountable. It would be best if THIS were the focus of any further contributions to this thread.
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Author: DaphnisetChloe
Date: 2018-11-02 15:16
NYP has also fired two players on harassment grounds and then there's all the big name conductors like Levine and Dutoit... its likely there will be more reveals of dubious behaviour in orchestras and consequent dismissals. This is just the beginning https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/16/arts/music/new-york-philharmonic-liang-wang-matthew-muckey.html
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Author: Gene Chieffo
Date: 2018-11-04 21:36
This was all about the sexual harassment. It’s about time. I wrote a paper/article for a graduate course a couple of years ago for which I interviewed a prominent former member of the orchestra. The concert master was a serial predator for decades and it was well known among the leadership.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2018-11-05 10:55
Way to go Gene!
This is what I know. Well the story about Iggie Gennusa leaving Baltimore had to do with his wife. She was a violinist in the orchestra and I'm not going to get into great details here but she was let go after about 20 something years with the orchestra. Maybe 25 years? So Iggie had to defend her honor and he left too. Iggie was offer the Met job but being loyal to his wife the deal was the Met had to take his wife too. That job fell through. This brought in Frank. Frank was no Iggie as far as sound, but he was/is still a very fine player of course.
I think Frank left Baltimore and replaced Shifrin who left the Cleveland Orchestra under Maazel. I think David may have liked solo work better, but I'm not really sure as our paths didn't cross until the mid 1980's again. He was teaching at USC, plans to replace the retiring Mitchell Lurie, but he went to Yale. He was pretty young then; at Cleveland. 24 years old maybe when he left Cleveland and just getting his feet wet as one of the best in the world. David jumped around for a bit finding his way, performing with the greatest musicians and recording some amazing works, such as the first extended A clarinet for the Mozart Concerto and the Mozart Quintet. Well the first recording that I know of written the way Mozart wrote it.
So it is a shame to see Frank forced out or fired, whatever happened to him, after being with Cleveland for 40 plus years I think. He started with Maazel. The conductor now refused to conduct the orchestra if Frank was playing. This is how nuts things got! This is why I feel the conductor named "MOST," needs to be fired but he has a contract until 2021 I think. These are guesses so the dates could be off a bit. Don't know what the Union rules are about contracts and getting rid of MOST.
This is why I feel the orchestra needs a complete reorganization. Severance Hall is still my favorite hall I've ever played in so lets see the orchestra start recording some great works again.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: A M F
Date: 2021-07-17 05:13
Dear people,
Some (here, there, and everywhere in general, have to be vague you know) may never be held accountable.
To Bob - Applause for some of that; more detective work is always needed for all women and appreciated (here, there, and everywhere in general... uh, of course, certain Institutes could be smarter and at least try for decency, but they need names to bring in the bucks, I guess). Possibly one of your nostrils led you a bit astray, but you have good instincts. Keep on keepin' on...
To Gene - Thank you for your contribution.
P S - I write and compose opera and art songs and music for clarinet and piano -plus other.
Sincerely,
Ann Marie Falcone BM, MM, MFA
Soprano and Clarinetist
https://www.falconecreationsinthemaking.com
Post Edited (2021-07-18 04:10)
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-07-18 21:49
Thank you all for standing up for these women in the orchestras. I've been on the receiving end of that kind of difficult behaviour from powerful figures. It is very tough, especially for young women working their way up, in a poorly paid profession, where approval from senior figures really is critical.
I'm so glad to hear that you are all in favour of this kind of behaviour being rooted out. It's a very positive thing to hear you all say that loud and clear, and I'm grateful that you feel like that, for those younger players coming through.
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