Your Great Grand-Teacher!

Sol Schoenbach [1915-1999] was one of the legends of modern bassoon playing.

When Schoenbach joiined the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1939 it was considered the greatest orchestra in North America. He was part of a legendary wind section, which included oboist Marcel Tabuteau and flutist William Kincaid.  These three were stalwarts at the Curtis Institute where for decades they nurtured an astounding number of successful flutists, oboists and bassoonists. It is all but certain that your own Canadian teachers fall into the category of students or ‘grand-students’ or even ‘great-grand-students’ of these master teachers.

Here are two wonderful links to the Philadelphians.  The first is a video recorded by Nadina Mackie at Domaine Forget in 1995, featuring Schoenbach [aged 80] reminiscing about his youth.  The full transcript of this talk is published in the IDRS Double Reed, Volume 19, P. 13-20.

The second video is one of several vintage films featuring Schoenbach and his colleagues performing Samuel Barber’s Summer Music, with a fascinating discussion with the composer.