MSND Nocturne

From a live performance by The NY Phil and Dr. B.W. Schlesinger 1948.

The horn soloist is James Chambers. I have been touting, my idol and my teacher's teacher in this newsgroup and I want to give all of you the chance to hear him in his prime. He was 27 at this concert. It is from a M & A cd. The sound is adequate, probably off AM.

Chambers is an alternative to Dennis Brain. Brain played a Bb horn. Chambers a double F/Bb Conn-8D nickel silver. Chambers a #1(.228' bore mouthpiece and Brain a # 15(.180). His mellooooooowwwww sound is achieved through that drastic equipment and his amazing embouchure and diaphragm. His students and clones did not achieve his sound. A bastardization of his sound evolved. Unfortunately, I think his legend and influence is on the wane. Chambers is to orchestral music what Dennis Brain is to solo playing. He is considered to be the greatest orchestral horn player by many including me, Gil Cohen(2nd trombone NY Phil 1963-80s and George Szell, and probably Stokowski and Bernstein.

A brief time-line

1920 Dec-Born in Trenton New Jersey 1938-Enters Curtis and studies with Anton Horner 1940-41-2nd Horn All America Orchestra Under Stokowski 1941-42 Third Horn Pittsburgh Sym under Reiner-Fired for professional incompetence 1942-1946 Principal Horn Philadelphia Orchestra-he was too ill to be drafted 1946-1968 Principal Horn NY Phil 1968- Lost nerve to play on stage age 47 1968-69 Associate Principal Horn NY Phil-Switched chairs with Joseph Singer 1969 Retired and became personnel manager NY Phil Middle 80's Dies

He was a noted teacher and editor of Horn music and author of a series of Orchestral Horn excerpt books

Comments are accepted and requested

You can also hear him play this Nocturne with Szell conducting the NYP on a 1951 recording that is included in Volume 42 of my Locked in the Vault Reissues series. Email me for details.

Cheers, Lani Spahr Locked in the Vault Reissues

[snip - fascinating career timeline]

Another showcase for Chambers is the 1960 Mahler 5 under Mitropoulos. The audience even applauded after the Scherzo. When the Philharmonic issued this performance on LP, Chambers also contributed the excellent album notes.

Mark K.

I have that on CD. I must listen to that again. Other extant Mahler 5 with James Chambers:

1) 1947 Bruno Walter-Studio 2) 1955 Mitopolous-Live 3) 196? Bernstein-Studio

What is the 'MSND Nocturne'? (MicroSoft North Dakota? Of course not!)

How does one go from being fired from 3rd chair, to becoming principal in a better ensemble? That must be some story.

'What fools these mortals be!' Does that give you a clue? ;

When your teacher is Anton Horner and the one firing you is Reiner, it is quite possible!!!

Abbedd

Ah yes! Of course!