RCEditions

John Williams is a quiet, honorable, polite person, (not to mention a hardworking, productive, genius) who expects the same of others (not genius, but being polite and honorable); and after the BSO members quickly realized it, John received that same from all members of the Boston Pops/Boston Symphony/Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. I knew John saw the saxophone primarily as a jazz instrument (and still does). I was primarily a classical player, and had begun playing with the orchestra as saxophonist-on-call, a few years earlier. But I knew there were no guarantees, so when John came to the orchestra after the death of Arthur Fiedler, I requested an opportunity to play for him. I did, on Symphony Hall stage, and played Ibert's ‘Concertino da Camera,’ and David Amram's ‘Concerto,’ which has a lot of 'jazz' in it. John liked it, and have played for him ever since, mostly the more classical works like, Korngold, and stand-up features like Waxman's 'A Place in the Sun,' and Bernard Hermann's 'Taxi Driver,' Suites, including at Symphony Hall, and at Tanglewood in front of thousands, at 'Film Night,' with the Boston Symphony. I even have a special hand written jazz ending John wrote to 'A Place in the Sun.' John wrote for me. But we later decided, to play it as Waxman wrote it, and have done it many times. The last time we played 'A Place in the Sun,' I was in John's green room backstage after rehearsal, to discuss some things John wanted me to know regarding cues, and while waiting my turn, Steven Spielberg (who was the special guest), and John Williams (as the two had collaborated over 30 years in so many movies), were speaking to each other about the show that night in the nicest most polite way, even though they were working through slight disagreements in narration order and style. I was able to see through a small window why this professional and personal relationship had worked for so long. When I was invited to speak with John, Mr. Spielberg mentioned to me that he liked my 'rendition,' and I also mentioned to Messrs. Spielberg and Williams that Bernard Hermann had recycled the Fugue in 'A Place in the Sun,' in 'Rear Window.' And the although the two of them were not aware of that fact, they were immediately curious, and with the same enthusiasm for their Art, that they must have always had, began hypothesizing on which movie came first. I had introduced to two gentlemen with encyclopedic knowledge something that they didn't already know. And, (still) by my judgment, know everything. But as no one knows all, it was really an inspiration to see how and why they are in the Pantheon to which they clearly belong, as they always want to know and discover more.

Bruce Hangen is one of the great conductors in the world. He embraced the idea of performing the World Premiere of David Amram's Concerto, with an unknown soloist (me), in 1981. We became and remain good friends, performing and recording the piece 25 years later with the Indian Hill Orchestra. He can conduct any piece (I have played more concerti and with more orchestras than anyone or anywhere else) better or as well as anyone I have ever worked with. He understands programming, people, expresses his and composer's feelings clearly, and without pretense, and is loved by audiences and orchestras alike.

John Mauceri
One of the finest conductors and complete musicians with whom I have ever worked, John doesn't take himself as seriously as some 'maestros.' One of the first times I worked with him was on a high visibility Pops program, in which he introduced himself on the Esplanade, in his white dinner jacket, with the opening line (usually attributed to a waiter); 'Hi my name is John and I will be your conductor tonite.' John has great vision. His programs included Pops, Symphonic, and music from the Holocaust to Hollywood. To me John and Bruce Hangen represent the two American conductors most deserving and missed in major US conducting posts. Both have had successful careers, and continue to make a contribution to the Art. John called me to Hollywood to make his the first recording of Franz Waxman's 'A Place in the Sun.' He still doesn't believe that I was sight reading the piece at the first rehearsal we ever had in Boston of the same work, I having been called only an hour earlier by the Boston Pops, when we first did it. But it is true. And occasionally one gets a last minute call for which the answer is YES!

A Salute to (My) Teachers

4. Conductors, Pianists, Composers and other related inspirations (cont.)