Posted on 12/12/2004 7:36:49 PM PST by Born Conservative
Frederick Fennell, the master band conductor who founded the famed Eastman Wind Ensemble and raised band performance to an art form, died early Tuesday at his home in Siesta Key, Fla. He was 90.
Mr. Fennell died in his sleep, his daughter, Cathy Fennell Martensen, said in an e-mail message circulated to friends and colleagues.
Through the pioneering Eastman ensemble, started in 1952, and a slew of recordings in the 1950's and 1960's, Mr. Fennell set a new standard of wind ensemble performance, often assigning just one player to each part and infusing band music with a new level of expressivity.
"He was arguably the most famous band conductor since John Philip Sousa," said Jerry F. Junkin, a professor of music at the University of Texas at Austin and artistic director of the Dallas Wind Symphony, where Mr. Fennell was principal guest conductor.
Before Mr. Fennell, band music was often considered lowbrow entertainment with an assembly-line feel.
"He was the first person to really record so much of the band repertoire," Mr. Junkin said. "He was really the first conductor to do interpretive readings of some of that repertoire, insightful, interpretive, passionate readings."
Mr. Fennell also taught for more than 50 years at the music camp at Interlochen, Mich. He took his meals with the students in the cafeteria and was often seen in a sweater from his colorful collection. Although he was just over five feet tall, his conducting style was equally flamboyant, and his almost shoulder-length white hair attracted attention. He expressed a wish to have his ashes scattered in the woods at Interlochen, his daughter said.
Mr. Fennell studied conducting at Tanglewood with Serge Koussevitzky at the same time as Leonard Bernstein and conducted many full orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra and the London and St. Louis symphonies. He also founded the Kosei Wind Orchestra of Tokyo. A concert hall in Kofu, Japan, was named after him, among countless academic and civic honors he received.
His lasting influence on wind ensemble performance included conducting dozens of bands around the country as a guest. He was a luminary in band associations, wrote books and essays on woodwind performance and did many contemporary editions of period band scores. He was also known for making pioneering records for the Telarc label in the early days of digital recording in the 1970's.
Mr. Fennell was born on July 2, 1914, in Cleveland and attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, where he studied percussion.
In her e-mail message, Ms. Martensen recounted that on his deathbed Mr. Fennell said, "I cannot die without a drummer." She added that his last words were: "I hear him. I'm O.K. now."
He is also survived by his wife, Elizabeth.
From: Cathy Fennell Martensen Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2004 10:37 AM Subject: Fred Fennell
I've managed to reach some of you by phone, others not, and I did not want to leave this as a voice message.
I want you, and the greater music community to know that my father died peacefully in his sleep early this morning, Tuesday, December 7, 2004. Elizabeth and I were by his side. I had promised him that I would do all I could to get him back to Siesta Key so he could watch the sun set over the ocean. With the help of Hospice, he arrived home in time to see the brilliant orange and pinks in the western skies last evening. A bit before Midnight, dad told me he was "frustrated and disappointed." When I asked him, "Why?" he replied, "There's no drummer here yet. I can't die without a drummer!" I told him that I loved him, and that "Heaven's best drummer was on the way." Moments later he said, "I hear him! I hear him! I'm OK now."
This was my final conversation with my dad.
I was blessed to be able to dress my father in his finest set of tails after he died, complete with the usual struggle with his tie.
Elizabeth asked if he could be "dressed up" and I could think of nothing finer for a lasting memory. Dad asked to be cremated and that I scatter his ashes in the woods at Interlochen, Michigan this summer. This, of course, I will do.
Elizabeth is OK at this point. We are closely watching her, monitoring her blood sugar levels and seeing that she gets the diet and rest she needs after such a life transition.
There will be a small Memorial Service at a church in Siesta Key. No date or time has been set yet. As knowledge of my father's death is communicated, please keep both Elizabeth and me in your prayers.
Fondly
Cathy Fennell Martensen
Feel free to forward this email.
Elizabeth and Cathy, Dad is giving his best concert ever, before God.
Today, in Rockefeller Center, in New York City, was the 31st annual Tuba Christmas performance. Harvey Phillips and conductor Chris Wilhelm spoke of Dr. Fennell's passing and his greatness, and the 450+ massed ensemble of tubas and euphoniums played Bach's 'Come Sweet Death' followed by Silent Night in express tribute to Dr. Fennell.
About a year ago my daughter was fortunate to spend a week under Dr. Fennell's direction when he conducted a workshop and festival at St. Olaf College. She said he was an amazing conductor, commanding awe and inspiring all of the musicians.
Thanks for posting. Grew up listening to his recordings.
As a tuba player myself, I had the great honor of being conducted by Dr. Fennell in Chicago, IL at a Tuba Christmas performance outside the Wrigley building in 1983 (at least I think it was 1983). He was joined by Tuba Christmas founder Harvey Phillips. What a joyous experience that was for me, for all of us, collegiate tubists at the time.
May perpetual light shine on him. May he rest in peace.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who remembers "Frederick Fennell's Points for Performance" ;)
Another Tuba and euphonium player here. I also participated in a couple 'Tuba Christmas' gatherings in Chicago.
While in the 74th Army band at Ft Benjamin Harrison in, I got a chance to meet and talk to The Great Bill Bell at Indiana University.
I play in section in a community band with a fellow who studied with Bill Bell, and have plaed in section over the years with a number of Bell students. Amazing man. I love his LP and which Golden Crest's copyright owner would let them do a CD.
Yes!! I got the CD within days of it being released, having heard a friend's copy of the original LP many years ago. I think the release was announced on the Tubanet bulletin board, which I used to frequent. IIRC, the tuba players on that recording were Arnold Jacobs, Abe Torchinsky (who was a Bell student), and Ron Bishop.
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