Chicago School - UK

andyhume · Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2002 2:40 pm Post subject:

Hi guys.

Good luck to the new moderators here.

I have a question/discussion.

Many of the philosophies and ideas presented by this forum are extremely similar to techniques used here in the UK - particularly for teaching.

Do players such as Earnest Hall, John Wilbraham, Philip Jones and the like share these 'chicago' ideas through a common source with that of Bud Herseth, etc? Or has one influenced the other?

I am lucky enough to have worked with, and indeed had lessons with some wonderful players such as Maurice Murphy, Paul Beniston, Malcolm Smith, and Rod Franks - and I believe they all share a very similar philosophy to the ideas that I read about in this forum.

I think this is interesting as there can be a wide difference in style between some American and English performers.

Are there other important schools of teaching in America that differ greatly from the Chicago School?

I await responses with interest,

Cheers.

Andy

_Don Herman · Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2002 9:33 pm Post subject:

Great question! And, less than a week into this job, already I don't know the answer!

Is there a common root, and is it of US or European (or some other) origin? Or, do all symphonies strive for basically the same sound, and what they need to create that sound drives them all the same direction? Chicken or egg? I'm very curious to hear what's said in response...

As to schools of teaching in the US, there's about as many as teachers. But, I tend to think they fall generally into those which emphasize the physical, and those which emphasize sound -- to the student, anyway. The end goal is the same -- to make great music! Jacobs and many of the "song and wind" teachers were very knowledgeable about the physical, they just choose to tackle the problem from a different angle. Similarly, chop doctors invariably inform the student of the physical requirements, then throw them into making music with their new knowledge.

Arnold Jacobs could describe the embouchure and anatomical requirements of playing in excruciating detail. Mr. Callet loads his students with an incredible array of music, from etudes to Arbans -- all the way to the end! I'm betting there's a similar range of teachers no matter where you live.

Awaiting knowledge, input please

- Don
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

big brian · Veteran Member Joined: 06 Nov 2001 Posts: 440

Andy, just out of curiosity, how did you manage to get maurice murphy for some lessons, and howwas he?

Brian

andyhume · Posted: Fri May 03, 2002 3:34 am Post subject:

Hi.

Brian -
Just lucky enough to have known him a little since I was very young. Also - I studied at the Guildhall School for four years which has close affiliations with the LSO and some of their principal players.

Best

Andy

dannystone10 · Veteran Member Joined: 14 Mar 2002 Posts: 222

Hi there,

Yeah, I had two lessons with Maurice through GSMD - wow, what a player! And also a few with Rod - and he was also amazing.

I have to say that I feel the so-called 'Chicago' school of playing is basically how we play over here, and I feel a great deal of affinity to stuff that is written in this forum.

I also feel that we do not have the different 'schools' of playing over here to the extent that you do in the USA - maybe we should call it the 'UK school' Forum!!!

_________________
Best Regards to all...

DANNY STONE

[ This Message was edited by: dannystone10 on 2002-09-09 12:29 ]

Atomlinson · Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2002 1:20 pm Post subject:

What do you think of this quote from Howard Snell's book on The Trumpet pages 97-98:

The Ideal Method for the Placement of Sound

The musician must imagine (auralise) the most beautiful sound before playing starts. This should happen during the brief instant before playing. For master players it becomes simultaneous with the production of the note.

If the student player imagines, in musical terms, both the tone and the type of articulation to be produced before playing then musical quality quickly and consistently develops. By this means the mind prepares the body quite naturally to undertake the actions necessary to play. This approach requires boldness. Boldness creates technique.

The priority for most players is blemish-free pitching. This very limited approach is mistaken and contrary to the development of sound and personality in playing, and is an important reason why most players fail to develop their potential fully.

The first part sounds like pure Jacobs/Herseth to me.

Did Howard Snell learn this from his teacher George Eskdale (princ tpt L.S.O.) or from American pedagogy.

Andrew Tomlinson

[ This Message was edited by: Atomlinson on 2002-09-11 16:21 ]

big brian · Veteran Member Joined: 06 Nov 2001 Posts: 440

Atomlinson · Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2002 1:53 am Post subject:

Hi again Big Brian

I've got that CD - it's pretty impressive. Lots of modern stuff. They swap around quite a bit so lead trumpet is taken by Herseth, Plog, Nilsson, and Agnas.

Andrew Tomlinson

Atomlinson · Posted: Tue May 06, 2003 1:02 pm Post subject:

John Miller (ex-Philharmonia Orch) won some awards and studied for a while with Vincent Cichowicz in Chicago and with William Vacchiano in New York.

Andrew Tomlinson

trumpetfox1234 · Regular Member Joined: 24 Jan 2004 Posts: 61

I was a student of Arnold's from 1994 until the end. I wrote a book about how Bud, Jake and William Scarlett think when they play.

Bud, Scarlett, and Arnold Jacobs' son love my new book that talks about how they play. Bud and Scarlett reviewed the book favorably and Dallas Jacobs, Arnold's son, gave it his blessing. Bud told me on my porch that "he learned a few things from it.", and Will Scarlett said that "your book continues Arnold Jacobs' work."

If you want to check it out, the website is: http://www.trumpetworkspress.com

The book's title is:

Stage Fright in Music Performance and Its Relationship to the Unconscious, 2nd ed.

I will also be talking about the book on the BBC show "Music Review" on Febraury 24th on the BBC World Service.

I wrote it to pay tribute to these great men who are my teachers and to help people with stage fright problems and to also reassure those who don't have any!
_________________
Michael I. Goode
Author
Stage Fright in Music Performance and Its Relationship to the Unconscious, 2nd ed.
Assistant Principal/Third Trumpet
Ravinia Festival Orchestra
www.trumpetworkspress.com