Gerald Drucker
Encyclopedia
Gerald Drucker was a British classical
double bass
player
, photographer and double bass teacher. Principal Double Bass at the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra
, BBC Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonia Orchestra, and finally the Philharmonia Orchestra
of London. He formed the London Double Bass Ensemble
in the 1980s.
at the age of 20. He learned the violin as a child and switched to the double bass at 16. In 1953 came to London to lead the section in the BBC Symphony Orchestra
under Sir Malcolm Sargent
. He was appointed Principal Double Bass of the New Philharmonia Orchestra (later the Philharmonia Orchestra
) in 1964, under Otto Klemperer
, and subsequently with Lorin Maazel
who held the post of associate principal conductor. Riccardo Muti
was principal conductor from 1973 to 1982. Giuseppe Sinopoli succeeded Muti. After he left the Philharmonia, Gerald continued in music as artist director promoting amongst others Vanessa Mae and later of Min Jin (Violin) and Min Jung (Piano).
He started his career as a violinist with the Boyd Neel
String Orchestra at the age of 16, and was soon also playing with the Jacques Orchestra which was founded by Reginald Jacques
five years previously. At the Guildhall School of Music he studied violin
, viola
, French horn (with Dennis Brain
) and tuba
in addition to the double bass. He has appeared as soloist in concerto performances, including performances of work by Bottesini and Virgilio Mortari
(including in “Bottesini’s Grand Duo for violin and Double Bass and Mortari’s double bass concerto
) with the Philharmonia under Riccardo Muti
at the Royal Festival Hall
on 16 February 1978. Drucker was solo bass player in the Anton Chekhov
film ‘Romance with a Double Bass
’ released in 1974 with John Cleese
as the main character. In 1980 he formed a unique group, the London Double Bass Ensemble
, comprising a nucleus of four double basses, to perform original works in concert with other instruments. Drucker commissioned a new piece of work by the English composer Robert Simpson
in 1981, Quintet for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and String Trio (Simpson)
which was performed by the London Double Bass Ensemble at Wigmore Hall
that year. Gerald was succeeded by Neil Tarlton as Principal Bass at the Philharmonia Orchestra.
In the 1990s he taught Double Bass at the National Centre for Orchestral Studies Goldsmiths' College. After 50 years as a concert artist he retired in 1990 as Principal Bass and Principal Photographer of the Philharmonia Orchestra
of London, to the suburbs of London.
Also Gerald has two grandsons and one grand daughter and 2 daughters and 1 son
, Riccardo Muti
, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Ansel Adams
and Lilian Gish. He collaborated with Pamela Weston to provide the photography in the book Clarinet virtuosi of today.
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
player
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, photographer and double bass teacher. Principal Double Bass at the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra
Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra
The Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra was an orchestra based in Leeds. It was active from its establishment in 1947 until its demise in 1955, and was based in the Leeds Town Hall. Maurice Miles was the orchestra's Principal Conductor, followed by Nicolai Malko....
, BBC Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonia Orchestra, and finally the Philharmonia Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
of London. He formed the London Double Bass Ensemble
London Double Bass Ensemble
The London Double Bass Ensemble was established by members of the Philharmonia Orchestra of London in 1981. The ensemble has performed on television and radio and at venues including the South Bank and Wigmore Hall, giving many first performances of double-bass repertoire, including Quintet for...
in the 1980s.
Biography
Drucker was offered the position of principal double bass with the Yorkshire Symphony OrchestraYorkshire Symphony Orchestra
The Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra was an orchestra based in Leeds. It was active from its establishment in 1947 until its demise in 1955, and was based in the Leeds Town Hall. Maurice Miles was the orchestra's Principal Conductor, followed by Nicolai Malko....
at the age of 20. He learned the violin as a child and switched to the double bass at 16. In 1953 came to London to lead the section in the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
under Sir Malcolm Sargent
Malcolm Sargent
Sir Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent was an English conductor, organist and composer widely regarded as Britain's leading conductor of choral works...
. He was appointed Principal Double Bass of the New Philharmonia Orchestra (later the Philharmonia Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
) in 1964, under Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer was a German conductor and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century.-Biography:Otto Klemperer was born in Breslau, Silesia Province, then in Germany...
, and subsequently with Lorin Maazel
Lorin Maazel
Lorin Varencove Maazel is an American conductor, violinist and composer.- Early life :Maazel was born to Jewish-American parents in Neuilly-sur-Seine in France and brought up in the United States, primarily at his parents' home in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. His father, Lincoln Maazel , was...
who held the post of associate principal conductor. Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.-Childhood and education:...
was principal conductor from 1973 to 1982. Giuseppe Sinopoli succeeded Muti. After he left the Philharmonia, Gerald continued in music as artist director promoting amongst others Vanessa Mae and later of Min Jin (Violin) and Min Jung (Piano).
He started his career as a violinist with the Boyd Neel
Boyd Neel
Louis Boyd Neel was an English conductor and academic. He is perhaps best known for revitalizing the genre of the chamber orchestra.-Early years:...
String Orchestra at the age of 16, and was soon also playing with the Jacques Orchestra which was founded by Reginald Jacques
Reginald Jacques
Thomas Reginald Jacques was an English choral and orchestral conductor. His legacy includes various choral music arrangements, but he is not primarily remembered as a composer....
five years previously. At the Guildhall School of Music he studied violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, French horn (with Dennis Brain
Dennis Brain
Dennis Brain was a British virtuoso horn player and was largely credited for popularizing the horn as a solo classical instrument with the post-war British public...
) and tuba
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
in addition to the double bass. He has appeared as soloist in concerto performances, including performances of work by Bottesini and Virgilio Mortari
Virgilio Mortari
Virgilio Mortari was an Italian composer and teacher.-Biography:Mortari was born in Passirana di Lainate, near Milan in 1902. He studied at the Milan Conservatory with Costante Adolfo Bossi and Ildebrando Pizzetti. He graduated from the Parma Conservatory in 1928, having studied piano and...
(including in “Bottesini’s Grand Duo for violin and Double Bass and Mortari’s double bass concerto
Double bass concerto
A double bass concerto is a piece of music for solo double bass with an orchestra. The first concerti for solo bass were written in the late classical period by Domenico Dragonetti and Johannes Matthias Sperger. Several concerti were also written by Johann Baptist Vanhal, Carl Ditters von...
) with the Philharmonia under Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.-Childhood and education:...
at the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
on 16 February 1978. Drucker was solo bass player in the Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
film ‘Romance with a Double Bass
Romance with a Double Bass
Romance with a Double Bass is a 1974 short film from the United Kingdom. It was written by John Cleese, Connie Booth, and Bill Owen, and based on the short story of the same name by Anton Chekhov.-Plot:...
’ released in 1974 with John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
as the main character. In 1980 he formed a unique group, the London Double Bass Ensemble
London Double Bass Ensemble
The London Double Bass Ensemble was established by members of the Philharmonia Orchestra of London in 1981. The ensemble has performed on television and radio and at venues including the South Bank and Wigmore Hall, giving many first performances of double-bass repertoire, including Quintet for...
, comprising a nucleus of four double basses, to perform original works in concert with other instruments. Drucker commissioned a new piece of work by the English composer Robert Simpson
Robert Simpson (composer)
Robert Simpson was an English composer and long-serving BBC producer and broadcaster.He is best known for his orchestral and chamber music , and for his writings on the music of Beethoven, Bruckner, Nielsen and Sibelius. He studied composition under Herbert Howells...
in 1981, Quintet for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and String Trio (Simpson)
Quintet for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and String Trio (Simpson)
The Quintet for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and String Trio by Robert Simpson was completed in 1981 and commissioned by Gerald Drucker principal double bass at the Philharmonia Orchestra of London...
which was performed by the London Double Bass Ensemble at Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall is a leading international recital venue that specialises in hosting performances of chamber music and is best known for classical recitals of piano, song and instrumental music. It is located at 36 Wigmore Street, London, UK and was built to provide London with a venue that was both...
that year. Gerald was succeeded by Neil Tarlton as Principal Bass at the Philharmonia Orchestra.
In the 1990s he taught Double Bass at the National Centre for Orchestral Studies Goldsmiths' College. After 50 years as a concert artist he retired in 1990 as Principal Bass and Principal Photographer of the Philharmonia Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
of London, to the suburbs of London.
Also Gerald has two grandsons and one grand daughter and 2 daughters and 1 son
Photography
He specialised in photographing orchestras and classical musicians from the early 1960s, being honoured with the unique title of 'Principal Photographer' whilst at the Philharmonia Orchestra. Photographs have been printed all round the world, in newspapers, journals, magazines and books. Notable photographs include those of Otto KlempererOtto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer was a German conductor and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century.-Biography:Otto Klemperer was born in Breslau, Silesia Province, then in Germany...
, Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.-Childhood and education:...
, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Ansel Adams
Ansel Adams
Ansel Easton Adams was an American photographer and environmentalist, best known for his black-and-white photographs of the American West, especially in Yosemite National Park....
and Lilian Gish. He collaborated with Pamela Weston to provide the photography in the book Clarinet virtuosi of today.
See also
- Giovanni BottesiniGiovanni BottesiniGiovanni Bottesini was an Italian Romantic composer, conductor, and a double bass virtuoso.-Biography:Born in Crema, Lombardy, he was taught the rudiments of music by his father, an accomplished clarinetist and composer, at a young age and had played timpani in Crema with the Teatro Sociale before...
- Domenico DragonettiDomenico DragonettiDomenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti was an Italian double bass virtuoso and composer. He stayed for thirty years in his hometown of Venice, Italy and worked at the Opera Buffa, at the Chapel of San Marco and at the Grand Opera in Vicenza...
- Philharmonia Orchestra of London
- Riccardo MutiRiccardo MutiRiccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.-Childhood and education:...