I don’t as a rule consider news about the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as interesting to the NU Sports List gang, but the recent announcement that Jay Friedman is retiring as the principal trombonist for the CSO seems a reasonable exception, even though he has scant ties to Northwestern. Friedman has been the CSO’s principal trombonist since 1965, making him one of the longest tenured principal musicians in the world. He was originally hired by the CSO in 1962, by Fritz Reiner!
There can’t be many musicians still active who have a direct tie to the master of baton throwing.
I was a trombone major undergrad at NU in the late 70s. Frank Crisafulli was my trombone professor, and I’d taken lessons from him since 7th grade. He was like a father to many us, and at that time, we felt he deserved to be first chair again. Reiner had replaced Crisafulli with Friedman when Crisafulli had problems with his chops. But by that time, Mr. C was playing better than ever, and people flew I. From all over the world to take lessons from him.
Crisafulli, Friedman, Herseth, Cichowitz, Clevinger et Al just might have been the best symphonic brass section in history, and it was an honor to have studies under Mr. C.
On another note, I just bought tickets for a “Lakeside Stadium” game!
Tubist Arnold Jacobs also belongs on the list of CSO brass virtuosos.
I could never pick a favorite trumpet player between Herseth and Tarr, though I think I like Herseth’s recordings better, but maybe that’s due to the selection of recordings.
I played trumpet until 7th grade when I had an extended throat illness, taking out my tonsils and adenoids helped some. To put it in perspective, Friedman was already in the CSO when I had to give up the trumpet. But I was never going to be as good as my older brother who won top honors at state twice on trumpet and once on voice. I was a techie at heart even then.
I haven’t been to a game in Evanston in nearly 25 years, but it would be really interesting to attend one in the lakeside stadium and then another in New Ryan Field in a couple of years. If you just didn’t have to go through the Chicago area to do it.
