The Great Flutists

Frederick II was a King of Prussia (1740–1786) from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was Frederick IV (Friedrich IV) of Brandenburg. He became known as Frederick the Great (Friedrich der Große) and was nicknamed der alte Fritz ("Old Fritz").

Frederick was a gifted musician who played the transverse flute. He composed 100 sonatas for the flute as well as four symphonies. The Hohenfriedberger Marsch, a military march, was supposedly written by Frederick to commemorate his victory in the Battle of Hohenfriedberg during the Second Silesian War. His court musicians included C. P. E. Bach, Johann Joachim Quantz, and Franz Benda. A meeting with Johann Sebastian Bach in 1747 in Potsdam led to Bach writing The Musical Offering.

Theobald Böhm (or Boehm) (April 9, 1794 – November 27, 1881) was a German inventor and musician, who perfected the modern Western concert flute and its improved fingering system. In addition, he was a virtuoso flautist and was a Bavarian Court Musician as well as a celebrated composer for the flute.[1]

Born in Munich in Bavaria, Boehm learned his father's trade of goldsmithing. After making his own flute, he quickly became proficient enough to play in an orchestra at the age of eighteen and at twenty-one he was first flautist in the Royal Bavarian Orchestra.[2] Meanwhile, he experimented with constructing flutes out of many different materials such as tropical hardwoods (usually Grenadilla wood), silver, gold, nickel and copper as well as experimenting with changing the positions of the flute's tone holes. After studying acoustics at the University of Munich, he began experimenting on improving the flute in 1832, first patenting his new fingering system in 1847.[2] He published Über den Flötenbau ("On the construction of flutes"), also in 1847.[1] His new flute was first displayed in 1851 at the London Exhibition.[3] In 1871 Boehm published Die Flöte und das Flötenspiel ("The Flute and Flute-Playing"), a treatise on the acoustical, technical and artistic characteristics of the Boehm system flute.[1] Many people admire his work, and some of the flutes he made still function. His fingering system has also been adapted to other instruments, such as the oboe and the clarinet.[2]

References
1.^ a b c Böhm, Theobald; Dayton Clarence Miller (1964). The flute and flute-playing in acoustical, technical, and artistic aspects. Dover Publications.
2.^ a b c Philip Bate/Ludwig Böhm, Boehm, Theobald in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians edited by Stanley Sadie, volume 3, pages 777 - 778
3.^ Welch, Christopher (1883). History of the Boehm flute. Rudall, Carte & Co.

Claude-Paul Taffanel (September 16, 1844-November 22, 1908) was a French flautist, conductor and instructor regarded as the founder of the French Flute School that dominated much of flute composition and performance during the mid-20th century.

Taffanel came at a crucial moment in the flute's history, after Theobald Boehm had completely remodeled the instrument. He proved the flute fully capable of elegance and extreme expressivness. At the same time, the credo later advocated by the French Flute School that tone quality was more important than loudness did not always hold true for him. His low register was often described as "powerful and brassy", "ample" or "full." This may have been due in part to Parisian audiences of the period. They expected the flute, along with all the woodwinds, to play with assertiveness. When Hans von Bülow conducted the Berlin Philharmonic in Paris, critics and audiences alike criticized the tone of the wind instruments as being too small.
Barrère recalled in 1921 that quality and quantity of tone, as well as fine technique, were not all that set Taffanel's playing apart. Fleury added,
Elegance, flexibility, and sensitivity were the hallmarks of Taffanel's artistry, and his phenomenal virtuosity was made as inconspicuous as possible. He hated affectation, believing that the text of the music should be respected absolutely, and beneath the supple fluency of his playing there was a rigorous adherence to accuracy of pulse and rhythm. [4]

"Rigorous adherence" is a relative term here. By the standards of his time, Taffanel's pulse and rhythm were free from exaggeration. As rhythmic interpretation became more literal in 20th century practice, recordings of Taffanel's contemporaries came to sound relatively free and loose.

Another aspect of flute playing which Taffanel changed was the use of vibrato. Again, his playing contradicts how the French Flute School's later practiced. The Taffanel-Gaubert Méthode discouraged vibrato, especially in playing early music. Taffanel himself, however, employed "a light, almost inperceptible vibrato", according to Fleury. [5] Another pupil, Adolphe Hennebains, goes into more detail:

When he spoke to us of notes with vibrato or expression, he told us which a mysterious air that these notes, forte or piano, seemed to come from within himself. One had the impression that they came directly from the heart or soul.[6]

Works dedicated to Taffanel
Gabriel Fauré dedicated his Fantasie to him, Charles-Marie Widor dedicated his Suite, Opus 34 to him, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky intended to write him a flute concerto shortly before his death. Also the Romanian composer George Enescu dedicated his Cantabile and Presto to Taffanel.

Notes
1.^ Ironically, news of Taffanel's appointment was printed in the same issue of Le Ménstruel that carried Tchaikovsky's obituary notice.
2.^ Fleury, Louis, "The Flute and its Power of Expression", 385 and note. As quoted in Powell, Ardal, The Flute (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2002), 250.
3.^ Blakeman, page 59.
4.^ Encyclopédie de la musique et dictionnaire du Conservatoire, Blakeman's translation. As quoted in Powell, 219.
5.^ Encyclopédie de la musique et dictionnaire du Conservatoire, 180. As quoted in Powell, 220.
6.^ Quoted in Moyce, Marcel, "The Unsolvable Problem: Considerations on Flute Vibrato", Woodwind Magazine 2:7 (1950), 4, quoted in Toff, Flute Book, 111. As quoted in Powell, 220.

Further reading
Blakeman, Edward, Taffanel: Genius of the Flute (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005). ISBN 978-0-19-517099-3; ISBN 0-19-517099-7.
Powell, Ardal, The Flute (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2002). ISBN 0-300-09341-1.

Above is a bust of George Barrere who brought the "French School" of flute playing technique to America. He taught many of the early great flute players of the 20th century. His students then conveyed the "French School" to all orchestral and solo flute players of the 20th century. He can be considered the grandfather or great grandfather of all orchestral and solo American flute players.
This bust of Mr. Barrere is in the entrance way of the Haynes Flute Company, Boston, MA. Mr. Barrere was a friend of William S.  Haynes and an advocate of the Boehm flute (modern concert flute, debuted by Theobold Boehm in 1851, with the modern system of  mechanical keys).

Jean-Pierre Rampal 1922-2000

Personal Story of Mr. Rampal
Jean-Pierre Rampal was one of the very best flute virtuosos of the 20th century and played only Haynes flutes. I have a Haynes flute. Below is a written comment about the Haynes flute by Mr. Rampal.
In 1968, I was studying flute with Carl Bergner of the Hartt School and the Hartford Symphony. Mr. Rampal was scheduled to be in Hartford and a reception was scheduled at Trinity College. I was chosen to be the sole entertainment (play flute) by Mr. Bergner for Mr. Rampal at the reception. I was scared to death, but I did it and Mr. Rampal was very complimentary and generous. A big event in my young life.


A TRIBUTE TO Jean-Pierre Rampal
by Jeffrey Khaner

Flutist Jeffrey Khaner was in Paris the day Jean-Pierre Rampal died. In his own words he now pays personal tribute to the memory of his idol.
I first heard of the death of Jean-Pierre Rampal as I walked into the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on the very day of that sad event. The Philadelphia Orchestra was on tour and this was our only day in the City of Lights.

Maestro Wolfgang Sawallisch immediately decided to dedicate the concert to the memory of Monsieur Rampal, and the announcement from the stage elicited a gasp from the audience that was clearly audible backstage. Every culture euphemizes death but the French, not surprisingly, are particularly poetic. The news that Monsieur Rampal had "disappeared" that day was evidently not yet widely known despite the modern media machine which was hard at work and a eulogy by the French President Chirac. I immediately joined in the communication frenzy, e-mailing friends around the world, my messages miraculously escaping collision in mid cyber-space with the same messages on their way to my laptop. Everywhere radio stations mourned the loss of a national icon, broadcasting hour after hour of Rampal recordings, never coming close to exhausting the vast catalogue that includes all the major repertoire for the instrument, and much of the less well known. He was in large part responsible for the fact that no nation has produced as much music for the flute as France.

My first personal memory of Rampal is as a high school student of thirteen years, going to a centuries old church in Montreal to hear the six Vivaldi concerti. Being left dumbstruck by the phenomenal finger and tongue technique, as well as the tremendous character he gave each piece, I was moved to tears by the encore, the sarabande from the JS Bach solo partita. I thought I had never heard anything so exquisite. After more years than I care to remember, I still get a chill remembering the spell cast over the audience that evening.

I became an avid fan, going to all concerts I could get to, listening to recordings till they became too worn. How much I learned by trying to emulate the great man!

It was as a student at the Juilliard School in New York that I finally met Jean-Pierre Rampal. He was in the habit of coming to visit my teacher, Julius Baker when his schedule brought him to town, and sometimes the two of them would put on massive flute celebrations at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center. They would invite current and former students to participate, and all manner of flute chamber music was performed. I played fifth flute (one of five flutists playing just that part) in a Boismortier quintet at one of these concerts. What a thrill to share the stage with these two legends of the flute!

As principal flutist of the Mostly Mozart Festival, and subsequently the Cleveland Orchestra, I regularly saw Jean-Pierre, as he had become known to me, when he came to solo with those orchestras. He was a very large man, in height and girth (the flute looked like a toy in his hands), and had a prodigious appetite. Just before a Cleveland Orchestra concert at Tanglewood, he moaned that his breath support might be somewhat lacking in the concert. He confided, with what I believe was a touch of pride, that he had just consumed an eighteen pound lobster in Boston and feared the beast would exact some form of revenge. Needless to say, the Mozart concerto sounded effortless. He seemed able to transport himself as well as the audience, and their appreciation was prolonged. On another occasion he invited me to join him in a double flute concerto as a sort of programmed encore after his solo. I remember so well the giddy glee I felt - two flutes merrily chasing each other around the stage. His joy and enthusiasm was infectious - it was impossible to not enjoy a Rampal performance. Some years later, after I had moved to the Philadelphia Orchestra, I was called upon to substitute for an ailing Rampal in Milwaukee. He had been scheduled to play three concertos on one program, a feat I as a very young man found taxing, but that he, as a man of seventy, was apparently able to do with ease.

I've asked colleagues in the orchestra about their memories of Rampal. The recurring word is generosity. He was always available to talk and advise, to invite and to accept invitations. Always up for a celebration after a concert, always ready to warmly greet old friends and graciously meet new fans. He gave unstintingly of himself, doing interviews and writing articles for the benefit of young flutists and his myriad other fans. Although I never actually studied with Rampal, he has been a tremendous influence on me. He had a way of putting succinctly into words concepts of flute playing and musicianship that have had profound meaning to me and to hundreds if not thousands more.

With the rapidly evolving recording technology, we have the good fortune to re-acquaint ourselves with the Rampal legacy. I have been able to replace my well-worn LP's of the sonatas of Poulenc and Prokofiev, the variations of Schubert and Chopin, the concerti of Mozart and Ibert, the fantasies of Telemann, and the chamber music for diverse instruments with new CD's that promise to last forever.

Indeed, the great Jean-Pierre Rampal will never "disappear". We will always have him with us, to move and inspire us, to encourage us to play better than we thought we could.

CLICK ON PHOTO FOR ENLARGEMENT

some photos of Mr. Rampal

his praise of the Haynes flute

from his book cover

with John Steele Ritter, his longtime accompanist

The loss of a great artist: Jean-Pierre Louis Rampal, 1922-2000.

Frances Blaisdell (c. 1911 – March 11, 2009) [1] was a pathbreaking flautist.

She began her advanced flute studies with George Barrère at what is now the Juilliard School of Music. Later she studied with Marcel Moyse and William Kincaid.

In the 1930s she was first flute of the National Orchestral Association, the New Opera Company, and the New Friends of Music.

One of the first women to play in the woodwind section of the New York Philharmonic, her first appearance with the orchestra was in 1932, when she soloed in a children's concert. After being refused an audition in 1937 because of her sex, she played with the orchestra in 1962 in a piece that required extra flutes.

In 1941 she took over Barrère's chair in the Barrère Trio after her former teacher suffered a stroke.

While in New York she taught at the Manhattan School of Music and accompanied soprano Lily Pons. In 1973, she moved to California to teach at Stanford University, where she taught for 35 years.

References
1.^ Martin, Douglas (March 31, 2009). "Frances Blaisdell, 'Girl Flutist' Who Opened Doors, Dies at 97". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/arts/music/31blaisdell.html. Retrieved March 31, 2009. 

Personal Story of  MS. BLAISDELL
I MET MS. BLAISDELL WHEN I AUDITIONED FOR THE MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC IN 1970. SHE WAS VERY GENTLE AND KIND TO THIS YOUNG FLUTIST. I JUST LEARNED OF HER DEATH IN MARCH OF 2010. SHE WAS A GREAT LADY AND I AM PROUD I MET HER.    D. F. MACHELL

Patricia Harper, Professor of Flute at Connecticut College paid Frances Blaisdell this tribute:

Frances Blaisdell was the best teacher in the world. She inspired me to work hard and instilled my self-discipline. Because she was active in the New York musical scene, she knew what the standards were, and she gave me the very best and most thorough flute instruction a child could ever wish to have. She drilled me on technique and insisted that everything be memorized. She took me to concerts, had me sit in the pit while she played at the City Center Ballet, introduced me to "greats" like Kincaid and Toscanini, and arranged many performing opportunities for me. My mother was my permanent accompanist. At the time, I took all of this musical nurturing for granted, but, of course, I now realize how fortunate my formative circumstances were. By the tenth grade I was First Chair in both the New Jersey All-State Orchestra and the New Jersey All-State Band. My nickname was "Fingers".

++compiled by John Wion

American Symphony (founded 1962 by Leopold Stokowski). William Watson 1962-1963, Jayn Rosenfelt 1963-66, Sophie Sollberger 1966-1968, Harold Jones 1969-72, Paul Dunkel 1972-86, Nadine Asin 1986 -1996, Laura Conwesser 1996-

Atlanta Symphony (founded 1945) (courtesy Nick Jones Program Editor and Annotator ASO) Charles Bradley 1946-49, Warren Little 1949-1990, Linda Toote 1990-1991 (to Milwaukee), Christina Smith 1991

Austin Symphony Karl Kraber, Rebecca Powell Garfield 2005--

Baltimore Symphony (founded 1916) (researched by Betsy Garry) - John C. Bohl 1916 - (no personnel lists on programs until 1940), Robert Iula 1940, (1942 orchestra inactive), Rene Le Roy 1943, Victor Just 1943-1944, Harry Hirsch 1944-1945, Britton Johnson 1945-1978, Timothy Day 1978-1987, Mark Sparks 1987-1988, Emily Skala 1988-

Boston Symphony (from Flutists of the BSO by Arthur Ephross - Emerson Flute Forum 1991, and Bridget Carr, Archivist of the BSO) - Edward Heindl 1881-1887, Charles Molé, 1887-1895 (to St Louis?), Léon Jacquet 1896-1898 (death), Andre Maquarre 1898-1918 (to Philadelphia), George Laurent 1918-1952, Doriot Dwyer 1952-1990, Jacques Zoon 1997-2002, Elizabeth Rowe 2004-

Buffalo Philharmonic (founded 1935) (information from BPO Archives, courtesy of Don Symer) Edward Hall 1935-37, Jose Acosta 1937-38, Louis Cheskin 1938-39, Paige Brook 1940-42, Carolyn Grant 1942-44, Norma Lester 1944-45, Eric Evans 1945-52, Donald Macdonald 1952-56, Robert Dietrich 1956-61, George Hambrecht 1961-62 (to Cincinnati), Jacob Berg 1962-69 (to St. Louis), John Burgess 1969-94, Cheryl Gobbetti Hoffman 1994-95, Christine Bailey 1995-

Chicago Symphony (courtesy Andrea Cawelti, Rosenthal Archives) Vigo Andersen 1891 - 1/29/1895 (death), Edwin Timmons 1895, A. Buchheim 1895-1896, Alfred Quensel 1896 - 1926, Theodore Yeschke 1926 - 1928, Ernest Liegl 1928 - 1944, Harvey Noack 1944 - 1946, René Rateau 1946 - 1951, Julius Baker 1951 - 1953, Ernest Liegl 1953 - 1957, Donald Peck 1957 - 1999, Mathieu Dufour 1999-

Cincinnati Symphony - (founded 1895 ) - Frank Badollet 1905-1907, closed 1907-09, Emil Medicus 1909-1910 (Flute Talk Apr.2003), Frank Badollet1909-1911 (Badollet courtesy Susan Nelson and Norman Schweikert, from orchestral rosters or programs), Nicholas Kouloukis 1914- 1918 (to NYP), George Soeller 1918-1923, Ary van Leeuwen 1924-1938, Alfred Fenboque 1938-1959, Robert Willoughby 1959-1960, Jacob Berg 1960-1962 (to Buffalo), George Hambrecht 1962-1990, Randolph Bowman 1990-

Cleveland Orchestra - (founded 1918 - Courtesy Carol Jacobs, Archivist) Costa Clappe 1918-1919, Joseph Fiore 1919, Weyert Moor 1919-1931, Maurice Sharp 1931-1945, Bernard Goldberg 1945-1946 (to Pittsburgh), Martin Heylman 1946-1947, Maurice Sharp 1946-1982, Jeff Khaner 1982-1990 (to Philadelphia), Joshua Smith 1990 -

Dallas Symphony - (founded 1900 - courtesy Eric Brahinsky) H. Schloemann 1900-01, J. Frisque 1911-12, B. E. Ludwig 1928-29, J. R. Blackwell 1930-31, Sellars Berry 1930-39, Justus Gelfius 1938-39, Lois Risley 1939-1941, Alexander Fielder 1945-71, Jean Weger Larson 1971-

Detroit Symphony (founded 1919) - Charles North 1919-1920, Anton Fayer 1920-1921, Theodore Yeschke 1921-1922, Justus Gelfius 1922-23 (courtesy Susan Nelson and Norman Schweikert, from orchestral rosters or programs), Albert Harzer 1923-1925 (see Berlin), John Wummer 1925 - 1937 (to NBC), Carmine Coppola 1937-1941 (to NBC), Sebastian Caratelli 1947-1949, Roger Stevens, Otto Krueger -1952, James Pellerite 1952-1956 (Premiere of Barber Summer Music), Albert Tipton 1956-1968, Ervin Monroe 1968-2008, Sharon Wood Sparrow 2008-

Hartford Symphony (founded 1940) Carl Bergner 1950- 1993, Mary Ellen Jacobs - 1993, Lee Ann Edwards 1993-1996, Greig Shearer 1996-

Honolulu Symphony (founded 1900) Jean Harling 1960-90, Susan McGinn 1990-

Houston Symphony - (founded 1913 - courtesy Terry Brown, Volunteer Archivist) s George N. Evans 1913-18, (suspended operations 1918-1931) Dr. Raymond E. Selders 1931-33, Cliff Drescher 1933-34, Vincent DeMilita 1934-35, E.E. Schmit 1935-36, Paul Rubinstein Kepner 1937-1948, Elaine Shaffer 1948-1953, Byron Hester 1953-1990, Aralee Dorough 1990-

Indianapolis Symphony - (founded 1930) Arthur Deming 1930-1937, James Hosmer 1937-1942, John Meiszner 1943-1944, John Amans 1944-1945, Allen Jensen 1945-1946, Harriet Peacock 1946-1949, James Pellerite 1949-1951 (to Detroit), Byron Hester 1951-1953 (to Houston), Albert Saurini 1953-1989, Karen Moratz 1989-

Kansas City Philharmonic (founded 1934) - David Van Vactor 1943-1946, Claude Monteux 1946-1948, Kenneth Scutt -1955, Donald Peck 1955-1957 (to Chicago), Jacob Berg 1958-1960 (to Cincinnati), Gary Sigurdsen 1960-1964, Patricia Mann 1964-1965, James Hamilton 1965-1970, Doris Sellards 1971-82

Kansas City Symphony (founded 1982 after the dissolution of the Kansas City Philharmonic). Doris Sellards 1982-2005, Nestor Herszbaum 2005-.

Los Angeles Philharmonic (courtesy Steve Lacoste, LAP Archives) Jay Plowe 1919-1921, Leonardo De Lorenzo 1921-1922 (to Rochester), Andre Maquarre 1922-1929, Julius Furman 1929-34, Anthony Linden 1934-44, Archie Wade 1944-1945, Leonard Posella 1945-1947, George Drexler 1947-1971, Roger Stevens 1971-1976, Anne Diener 1971 - , James Walker 1977-1984, Janet Ferguson 1985-

Metropolitan Opera (founded 1883. The archive (Robert Tuggle Archivist) holds annual contracts from 1910, with 1915-22 currently missing. The New York Symphony was the house orchestra 1884-91. The orchestra had one principal until 1956 when James Politis was listed as Associate Principal. From 1944 Hendrick de Vries' status was raised to Assistant Principal, which title was also given Politis when he replaced DeVries from the 1951-52 season)
The program for the opening season lists Signor Roberti and Signor Calvera as the flutists. Hugo Wittgenstein (see DeLorenzo)?, Marino Capelli?, Carl Wehner 1885-87 (to NYP) c1903-, Otto Stoekert active 1909-1913, Giuseppe Brugnoli 1913-1919, Nicola Laucella 1918-1935, Ewald Haun 1935-1938, Arthur Lora 1937-1944, Harold Bennett 1944-1965, James Politis 1956-1976 (death), Victor Just 1965-1976, Trudy Kane 1977-2008, Michael Parloff 1977-2008, Stefan Höskuldsson 2008-, Denis Bouriakov 2008-

Milwaukee Symphony Harriet Peacock, Gerald Carey 1961-1964, John Burgess 1964-1969 (to Buffalo), David Shostac 1969-1973, Janet Millard 1973-1990, Linda Toote 1991-1996, Jeani Foster 1996-

Minnesota Symphony (founded 1903)- courtesy of Eric Sjostrom, Orchestra Librarian - William Nelson 1903-05, Max Guetter 1905-09, Carl Woempner 1909-1915 (death), Leonardo De Lorenzo 1915 - 1919, Henry Woempner 1919-1934 (to San Francisco) , Emil Opava 1935-1944, Emil Niosi 1944-45, Rene Rateau 1945-1946 (to Chicago), Emil Opava 1946-1951, Burnett Atkinson 1951-1952, Samuel Baron 1952-53, Emil Opava 1953-69, Sidney Zeitlin 1969-1990, Adam Kuenzel 1990 -

Nashville Symphony (founded 1945) Rufus Long -1968, Charles Wyatt 1968-70, Gary Sigurdsen 1970-75, Charles Wyatt 1975-96, Erik Gratton 1997-

NBC Symphony (1937-1954)- John Wummer 1937-1942 (to NYP), Carmine Coppola 1942-1948, Arthur Lora 1948-1952 (1948 telecast Beethoven 9th-Toscanini), Paul Renzi 1952-1954 (to San Francisco)

National Symphony - courtesy Dave Bragunier, Archivist, "in 1930-31 the NSO played a series of concerts with different conductors so that a music director was not yet in place, hence, when Hans Kindler was selected, 31-32 became the official first season of the NSO and all of our anniversary celebrations have been done accordingly." Dominico Iascone 1930-1934, Joseph Mariano, 1934-1935 (to Rochester), Harold Bennett 1935-1937 (to Pittsburgh), Albert Tipton 1937-1939, Britton Johnson 1940 - 1945 (to Baltimore), Wallace Mann 1945-1978, Toshiko Kohno 1978-

New Mexico Symphony - courtesy Serena Ward. "The New Mexico Symphony began as the Albuquerque Civic Orchestra in 1932. In 1957, for the first time, every player received some pay for their work. In 1966 the group was renamed the Albuquerque Symphony Orchestra. In 1976, the group became the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra." William Kunkel 1932-1941 (at this point Kunkel became the conductor of the group), Dick Clark1941-1942 , John Marion Trimbur 1942-1943, Mildred Nordeen 1943-1945 , William Kunkel 1945-1952 , Jean Berkstresser 1952-1955, Barbara Stubbs 1955-1962, Richard Van Dongen 1962-1963 , Marilyn Shotola 1963-1965 , Celestino Romero 1965-1966 , Elizabeth McGraw 1966-1967, Frank Bowen 1967-1969 , Gwen Powell 1969-1971, Billy Watt 1971-1972 , Lynne Anderson 1972-1986 , Robert Bush 1986-1992, Valerie Potter 1993-

New York City Ballet (founded 1946)- Fred Wilkins 1947-1951, Frances Blaisdell 1951-1960, Murray Panitz 1960-1961 (to Philadelphia), Andrew Lolya 1961 - 1999 (death), Paul Dunkel 1999-

New York City Opera (founded 1945)- Rene le Roy 1946-47, Harry Moskovitz 1947-c1950 , Fred Wilkins c1950-1957, Lois Schaefer 1957-1965, John Wion 1965-2002, Bart Feller 2003-

New York Philharmonic (Courtesy of Richard Wandel Associate Archivist - founded 1842 - absorbed New York Symphony in 1928 ) - John Kyle 1842-1850, Frederick Rietzel 1850-1883, Otto Oesterle 1884-1886, Carl Wehner 1886-1891, Otto Oesterle 1891-1892, Carl Wehner 1892 (1st Carnegie Hall season)-1900, Charles Kurth 1900-1908, Paul Henneberg 1908-1909, Nicola Laucella 1909-1911, Anton Fayer 1911-1920 (to Detroit), Nicholas Kouloukis 1920-1923, John Amans 1923-1942 (to Indianapolis), John Wummer 1942-1965, Julius Baker 1965-1983, Jeanne Baxtresser 1984-1998, Robert Langevin 2000-

New York Symphony (1877-1928 - Records are limited. There seems to have been interchange amongst the NY orchestras, perhaps depending on what was being offered in a particular season. The New York Symphony was the house orchestra for the Met Opera 1884-91. There was no NY season 1898-1903. The following list of people who served as principal at some time is from the archives of NYP. As can be seen from those listed during Barrère's tenure, for example, there must have been considerable substitution) - Carl Wehner 1877-1892 (total service), Eugene Weiner 1880-1884 (total service), Charles Kurth 1888-1903 (total service), (to Pittsburgh), William Schade 1890-99 (total service), Paul Henneberg 1897-98, [Eugene Rose 1902-1903,] Charles Molé 1903-1905 (death January 8), Anton Fayer 1905, Georges Barrère 1905 - 1918, Daniel Maquarre 1918-1919, Georges Barrère 1919-1928, William Kincaid 1914-1919 (total service), August Rodemann 1919-1926 (total service), George Possell 1915-1928 (total service)]

Pacific Symphony Orchestra (founded 1978 - courtesy Lise Slack) Louise DiTullio 1986-2004, Heather Clark 2005-

The Philadelphia Orchestra - (Courtesy JoAnne Barry, Archivist) Charles F. Schoenthal 1900-01, Ary van Leeuwen 1901-02 (to Vienna) , August H. Rodemann 1902 - March 1907 (did not complete season), Clemente Barone 1907-10, Daniel Maquarre 1910-18, Andre Maquarre 1918-21 (to Los Angeles), William Kincaid 1921-60, James Pellerite 1960-61, Murray Panitz 1961-April 1989 (death), Jeffrey Khaner 1990-

Pittsburgh Symphony - Frank Badollet 1896-98*, Paul Henneberg1898-1904*, Frank Badollet* 1904-1905 (*courtesy Susan Nelson and Norman Schweikert, from orchestral rosters or programs)Anton Fayer 1906-1911 (to NYP), Harold Bennett 1938-1940 (to Met), Julius Baker 1941-43 (to CBS), Sebastian Caratelli 1943-1947 (to Detroit), Bernard Goldberg 1947-1993, Jeffrey Khaner 1981-82 (to Cleveland), Paul Fried 1982-86, Emily Skala 1986-1988 (to Baltimore), Thomas Robertello 1990-1997, Robert Langevin 1993-2000 (to NYP), Damian Bursill-Hall 1997- Timothy Hutchins 2003-2004 (to Montreal)

Rochester Philharmonic (founded 1923) courtesy of Josephine Whang
Special Projects Coordinator Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra- Leonardo De Lorenzo 1923 - 1935, Joseph Mariano 1935-1968, Nancy Webster 1968-1971, Bonita Boyd 1971-1984, Richard Sherman 1984-1993, Joanna Bassett (Acting Principal) 1993-1996, Rebecca Gilbert 1996-

San Antonio Symphony (with help from Eric Brahinsky) Donald MacDonald 1946-1951 (to Buffalo), John Hicks 1951-1967, Torkil Bye 1967-1970, Eric Hoover 1970-1974, Janet Ferguson -1984 (to Los Angeles), Mark Sparks 1985-1987 (to Baltimore), Adam Kuenzel 1988-1990 (to Minnesota), John Thorne 1991-1992 (to Houston), G. Philip Dikeman 1992 (to Detroit), Tallon Perkes 1993-

San Diego Symphony (founded 1913) Frederick Baker, Damian Bursill-Hall -1997 (to Pittsburgh), Sarah Tuck 1998- , Demarre McGill 2004-

San Francisco Symphony - (founded 1911) Emilio Puyans -1920, Anthony Linden 1920-1934 (to Los Angeles), Henry Woempner 1935 - 1945, Paul Renzi 1944-48 (to NBC), Murray Graitzer 1948-1957, Paul Renzi 1957-2004, Tim Day 2007-

St Louis Symphony (Ernst C. Krohn's book, Missouri Music, (reprint, Da Capo
Press, New York, 1971) states that in the fall of 1881, Dabney Carr, an amateur flutist, along with August Waldauer, director of the Beethoven Conservatory, organized an orchestra called the St. Louis Musical Union, which at 54 members "was the largest St. Louis orchestra assembled up to that time" (Krohn, p. 170).At the close of the 1889-1890 season the St. Louis Choral Society "absorbed the St.Louis Musical Union, purchasing its library and other properties. The Choral Society underwent a reorganization which definitely made it an orchestral as well as a choral body bearing the significant title 'St. Louis Choral-Symphony Society'" (Krohn, p. 172). The Choral-Symphony Society became St Louis Symphony in 1907. - with the assistance of Elsbeth Brugger, Librarian SLSO (records from 1904) and Dina Young, Assoc. Archivist Missouri Historical Society) Leopold Broeckaert 1895 listed as soloist, Charles Molé 1896?, Wm. Baumgaertel 1897-1902 ("courtesy Imperial Theatre"), Leopold Broeckaert 1902-04, John Kiburz 1904-1906, Leopold Broeckaert 1906-1910, Albert P. Amerina 1910-1911, Gustave Adolph Schmitt1911-1912, John Kiburz 1912-1931, Laurent Torno 1932-1946, Albert Tipton 1946 - 1956 (to Detroit), Carl W. Lutes 1956-1957, Israel Borouchoff 1958-1965, Felix Skowronek 1966-1968, David Shostac 1968-1969 (to Milwaukee), Jacob Berg 1969-1999, Mark Sparks 2000-

Seattle Symphony (founded 1903) (courtesy of Rebecca Smith and Greg Dziekonski) - William Grüber 1903, Brooks Parker 1908 (member from 1905 but not definitely principal)-1912, Amedeo Biancone 1912-1915, J. Keho 1915-1917, Glauco Meriggioli 1917-1918, A. Walker 1918, Frank Horsfall 1919, Joseph De Lorenzo 1919-20, Joseph Jean Gilbert 1920-21, no orchestra 1921-26, Glauco Meriggioli 1926-1936, Frank Horsfall 1936-1954, Albert Marshall 1954-1956, Felix Skowronek 1956-1957, Albert Marshall 1957-1958, Robert Patrick 1958-1959, Felix Skowronek 1959-60, Sidney Zeitlin 1960-1969 (to Minnesota), Scott Goff 1969-

Utah Symphony (Courtesy Erich Graf) - (founded 1940) - Roland Warner 1940-1945, Arthur Hoberman 1946, Allen Jensen 1947, Sam Pratt 1948-1951, Eugene Foster 1952-1971, Henry Hoffman 1972-1975, Erich Graf 1976-

Waynesboro Symphony (Courtesy Rick Pennington) - (founded 1996) - Debbi Stephenson 1996-
List created by John Wion, on his website

click on image to enlarge

Ransom Wilson,flute virtuoso and teacher

John Wummer, my teacher and friend

Arthur Lora, NBC Orchestra, Principal Flute

GARY SCHOCKER, a very impressive flute virtuoso.

Gary Schocker, great virtuoso

Gary Schocker, great virtuoso

Gary Schocker, great virtuoso, teaching

GEOFFREY GILBERT

Geoffrey Gilbert

GEOFFREY GILBERT

PAULA ROBISON

PAULA ROBISON

PAULA ROBISON

PAULA ROBISON

GEOFFREY GILBERT AND JULIUS BAKER

William Bennett

MATT MOLLOY, THE CHIEFTAINS, flute

TOMMY MAKEM, tin whistle

PADDY MOLONEY, THE CHIEFTAINS, tin whistle, ulliann pipes

R. CARLOS NAKAI, great native american flutist.

Michala Petri, recorder virtuoso

Jeanne Baxtresser, 1st flutist NY Philharmonic after Baker.

JEAN-PIERRE RAMPAL, the most recorded musician in history. Put the solo flute on the map before Galway.

RAMPAL COMMENTS ON HAYNES FLUTE. I own a Haynes.

DORIOT ANTHONY DWYER, 1st flutist Boston Symphony, women pioneer.

SIR JAMES GALWAY, popular flute soloist and vastly recorded.

FRANCES BLAISDELL, one of the first women pioneers in flute

The Great William Kincaid of the Philadelphia Philharmonic. A great teacher, studied with George Barrere.

JULIUS BAKER, I met him when I auditioned for Julliard, 1st flutist NY Philharmonic.

Frederick Wilkins, great flutist and arranger of "Carnival of Venice."

JOHN WION, great flutist and replacement for my teacher Carl Bergner at Hartt.

CAROL WINCENC, a great flute virtuoso.

SAMUEL BARON, great chamber musician, teacher.

The Great David Machell (haha, couldn't resist!!!!!!!!)

Photos and lists assembled from various websites. My appreciation, displayed for educational purposes only.

These widgets are placed throughout my website to serve as a table of contents, just scroll down to see the listings.

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