When I came across the Incomplete Method fur die Holzblasinstrumente by William von Schmutzig in my mother's library, written pseudonymously in 1951 by Arthur E. Goldstein, I immediately co-opted it as my own, carrying it around with me wherever I went, until it became downright schmutzig, as you can see above. Don't forget to make note of the inscription of my name in my finest italic 14-year-old hand (I had been a dedicated Osmiroid user since the third grade) in the upper right hand corner.
To add miracle to wonder, my mother actually knew Arthur E. Goldstein when she was a student at Tanglewood. He later became a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's horn section.
I had forgotten where my beloved Schumtzig method had gone, and yesterday, when I unearthed it from a box that was buried under a portable bookshelf (an old wine crate), I knew that I had to share some of it with the larger world. The advice on reed making and audition decorum is still current. The volume is even still in print and can be had for a mere five bucks! Here are a few samples that you can click on to see in more detail.
5 comments:
I have a copy of that! I almost certainly bought it at Patelson's sometime between 1972 and 1975.
Elaine, this is great! I LOVE old books, especially beloved ones from childhood/adolescence.
I hope you won't mind my sharing the "reed" part on my site with other double reed folks, with link back to you.
Of course not, T. I put it there for you!
Thank you! It really kept a smile on my face all day. I'm going to have to get me a copy of the good professor's incomplete method book!! :)
I had that, *countless* years ago. The part I loved, was the Wind Quintet excerpt, pretty much impossible to play by every member of the Quintet!
Thanks for reminding me about it!
Kenneth Parker
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