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IN MEMORIAM - DR. FREDERICK FENNELL
On December 7, 2004 Frederick Fennell died at his home in Sonesta
Key, Florida. He was 90 years of age. More than any other
conductor Dr. Fennell created the modern concert band as a vehicle
for serious music. In the 1930's he founded the Eastman Wind
Ensemble and immediately set about creating a serious wind band
repertoire. Besides reviving the neglected wind ensemble scores of
England's Gustav Holst (which give a very different musical
impression of the composer of "The Planets") Fennell
commissioned countless American composers to write original scores
for his group. (Some of these works - like Vittorio Giannini's
Symphony - have become American classics.) His recordings (with the
Eastman Wind Ensemble) in the 1950's and 1960's for the Mercury
label are classics. Later, in the 1970's, Fennell re-recorded some
of this distinctive repertoire in the new digital format for the
Cleveland based Telarc label with the Cleveland Symphonic Winds -
the principal wind players of the great Cleveland Orchestra. These
Cleveland sessions have attained legendary status. Fennell continued
to conduct and record around the globe - right through his final
year. Yet Fennell was not only the greatest wind band conductor of
the 20th century. He was also an eloquent interpreter of the
symphonic repertoire. During his decade as Professor at the
University Of Miami School Of Music, Fennell worked tirelessly to
establish a professional symphony orchestra and advance the cause of
symphonic music in the community. With the old Miami Philharmonic
Orchestra Fennell led a magisterial account of Brahms's 1st
Symphony; a tautly intense, Toscanini-like traversal of the
Beethoven 7th Symphony; and vibrant performances of music by Weber,
Wagner, and Schumann. For his farewell to UM he directed student
forces in an eloquent, moving performance of the Beethoven 9th
("Choral") Symphony. His enthusiasm and passion for music
were irrepressible! Dr. Fennell will be greatly missed. |
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