Post #4,471
8/9/01 10:53:17 PM
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Larry Adler, Harmonica virtuoso for all time(s)
died Tuesday at 87. Terry Gross interview today on NPR (from '87 program). Met and played with most of the people we've ever heard of, or our parents have.
Billie Holiday said to him, Man, you don't play that fucking thing, you sing it!. From Bach to anything since; encouraged by Gershwin. Blacklisted by Tailgunner Joe McCarthy (went to France for much of his life after that). Heard Rachmaninoff play at 5 yrs. age. Heifetz, Casals.. Compositions written for him by Milhaud, Vaughan Williams, many others.
When he played Rhapsody in Blue for Gershwin, G. said, God damn thing sounds like I wrote it for you!
A hilarious run-in with Eugene Ormandy (Phila. O.), who began from antipathy towards him? his instrument? .. his wit won.
Just played a Bach chaconne ('87 = age 73) on the interview; JS would have loved it..
His lifetime distilled wisdom re every actor (via Jack Benny) or performer: don't press!
Probably he met Everyone. Maybe there's an mp3 out there, for those who have no idea what sounds a chromatic harmonica can produce in the hands of a genius.
Yet another great one gone. Less signal and more noise left.
Ashton
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Post #4,474
8/9/01 11:29:57 PM
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sad but his work and fever will live on.
Our bureaucracy and our laws have turned the world into a clean, safe work camp. We are raising a nation of slaves.
Chuck Palahniuk
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Post #4,498
8/10/01 8:56:40 AM
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I might have seen him
In the early 90's, I attended a concert featuring a harmonica player who had to be at least in his 70's. Made that thing sound like everything from a piccolo to a train whistle to bagpipes and pretty much anything in between. Had a swing band backing him. Talked about touring Europe for years.
Sounds like the same guy. If not, and if Adler was even better ... that'd be saying something.
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Post #4,499
8/10/01 9:01:23 AM
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Oh, and speaking of virtuosii
Did you also hear the story (also Terry Gross) about the retirement of the Chicago Symphony's principle trumpet? He auditioned for the orchestra at 24(?) and the conductor told him immidiately after they finished, "You are now our principle trumpet." Held the position for 50-some years. Friends constantly ribbed him that he hadn't gotten a promotion in years.
Best story was about a former conductor who liked putting musicians in their place. He would rehearse difficult passages repeatedly until someone finally flubbed it then humiliate them by making them play it solo over and over. He only tried that once with this trumpet player. After about the eighth time through the passage the conductor made the mistake of looking back toward the trumpetist. He said, "Go ahead, I'm here 'til twelve." Never tried that again.
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Post #4,549
8/10/01 4:33:31 PM
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Damn! missed that..
Yeah I'd love to have heard that one. Hmmm mp3s of Terry Gross interviews? Could Google know Everything? Remember ~ dates or anything of the trumpeter's name? Couldn't have been Roger Voisin, could it (he'd be pretty long in the tooth and was NY Phil IIRC) Armando Ghitalla?
There aren't enough good trumpet stories out there! but I can imagine the conductor giving a difficult passage from say, Haydn concerto (or doing a cadenza over & over). Gerard Schwartz could have done that, or Marsalis or the fantastical young Russian guy, Sergei Nakariakov (who has a couple CDs out now). Hard to imagine how these guys can do what they do. Pure magic, to those of us who have tried..
Conductor sounds like the Ormandy in Adler's story (and yes - almost surely it was he in your concert). Don't think he had a peer. Lucky you - I never heard him live.
Ormandy skit:
O. clearly didn't want to do this gig; maybe did not consider it a Worthy instrument (!?) Gave Adler only 10 minutes notice (usually lots more) for initial rehearsal warmup and such -- then objected when he blew an A for tuning. O. asks, "what's this?" A. replies "I cannnot alter the pitch of this instrument". A few other nasties and finally A. says baldfaced to Ormandy (I wrote this down)
Mr. Ormandy, if it embarrasses you to conduct this - I rehearsed it with the orchestra last year - I think we can do it without you..
Cackle.. cackle.. Loved It - great conductor AND pompous ass sometimes.
Cheers,
Ashton
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Post #4,852
8/13/01 10:47:48 AM
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Here's the CSO press release: Adolph "Bud" Herseth
The [link|http://www.cso.org/atc_press_030601budherseth.taf|press release] from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra site. In their [link|http://www.cso.org/roster_section_list.taf?sectionid=trumpet|roster] I found: "The Adolph Herseth Principal Trumpet Chair, endowed by an anonymous benefactor". And: "Adolph Herseth / Principal Emeritus" Seems the guy made a bit of an impression.
And from NPR's site, the program notes from the [link|http://search.npr.org/cf/cmn/cmnpd01fm.cfm?PrgDate=04%2F27%2F2001&PrgID=4|original airing] of the piece.
Can't find a reference to an archived copy of it. Their audio archiver, Audible.com doesn't seem to have it, either.
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Post #4,949
8/13/01 8:03:31 PM
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Many thanks..
Wow! 53 YEARS as Principal - must have been ~17 when appointed, still as conservatory student. Yes, it would 'show' quite early on. Got my first horn at ~10.
(Real loss to all, IMO re the lack of funding, time for most school kids to be introduced to some.. instrument early-on. As in: hmm, shall I go slash some tires with the gang? or try that Arban variation again..?)
Regret my ignorance of Mr. H. Time to look for some recordings..
Cheers,
A.
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