NBC Symphony Question

Yes many players stayed the entire 17 years. But many principals left, after decently long tenures.

In 1942-43 the following players left a few blocks uptown to the Phil

William Bell-Tuba William Polisi-Bassoon John Wummer-Flute

In 1943 Robert Bloom Oboe left

In 1952: the following left

Mischakoff-Concertmaster-To Detroit? Leonard Sharrow- Bassoon-To Pittsburgh and then Chicago

Why did they leave? I understand that NBC paid higher than others. Certainly it was musically satisfying to play with AT. I never heard of him 'Riding' a player. He wouldn't fire Duques the Clarinetist, who he said played so cold if he was his wife he would not sleep with him. He waited until he left. Yes he made the entire bass section reaudition in 1940. And 4/5s of the horn section was replaced after the first season(AT's doing or not?)

Many players said that they went to school when he conducted. So there must be a reason that players left for greener pastures.

A possible reason- The players only played 20 of their 40 hours with AT (or guest). The other 20 hours were as NBC staff musicians. They played music ranging from Frank Black and the Cities Services to the circus, etc. Maybe this was too much of a hassle for such schooled classical musicians.

Any other theories? Certainly rehearsing and then playing one concert was preferable to playing 4 of the same concert with the Phil.

There were 2 main reasons I understand musicians left. I think you theory about the earlier departures

Abedd wrote

'Leonard Sharrow- Bassoon-To Pittsburgh and then Chicago -'

I believe Sharrow went straight to Chicago from NBC - Kubelik offered him the job

'Why did they leave?'

According to Sharrow - he could see the 'handwriting on the wall' - that is, radio was fading as the #1 medium, TV was in the ascendancy. He figured it was only a matter of time before NBC discontinued the orchestra.

Rodzinski had already contacted Sharrow, julius Baker and Clark Brody about comint to the CSO. Then Rodzinski got fired, but Kubelik picked up the ball, and brought in the 3 of them.

I'm not sure about Robt Bloom - Bloom was a great player but he didn't have much orchestra experience (as oboist) when he got the NBC job (English Horn in Philly nder Stoki). Beautiful sound, and phrasing, but supposedly he didn't really have the orchestral technique down at that point. not confirmed, just different stories... ???

According to Robert Bloom's widow, who I know, Bloom left because he couldn't take doing the other programs that the staff men had to do, i.e.: lighter classical program under such luminaries as H. Leopold Spitalny and Frank Black, as well as doing background music for various other programs. Remember, the 1941-2 & 1950-51 seasons were almost the death bell for orchestra, because of Toscanini resigning as director in 1941, and his health problems in 1950. According to a Man Behind The Legend interview with David Sarser, he joined the orchestra in 1948, as he said, 'Was the first of his annual retirement announcements of not coming back at the end of each season.' Mischakoff left in 1952 because he saw the handwriting on the wall. He may have already been looking after the shortened 1950-51 season occured