William Bell (tuba player)
Encyclopedia
William Bell was the premier player and teacher of the tuba
in America during the first half of the 20th century. In 1921 He joined the band of John Philip Sousa
, and from 1924 to 1937 he served as Principal Tuba with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
. In 1937 General Electric
's David Sarnoff
invited conductor Arturo Toscanini
to select personnel for The NBC Symphony Orchestra
.William Bell was the third musician selected by Toscanini, after his concertmaster
Mischa Mischakoff
and principal oboe Philip Ghignatti. In 1943 he became principal tubist for the New York Philharmonic
. Leopold Stokowski
invited Bell to perform and narrate George Kleinsinger
's "Tubby the Tuba
", and to perform and sing a special arrangement of "When Yuba Plays The Rhumba on the Tuba
". In 1955 Bell performed the American premiere of Ralph Vaughan Williams
' "Concerto for Bass Tuba and Orchestra". He was professor of tuba at the Manhattan School of Music
until 1961, and Indiana University
from 1961 to 1971. Students included Harvey Phillips
, Dennis Parker, Don Harry, and R. Winston Morris
.
Under the auspices of the Harvey Phillips Foundation, thousands of tubists worldwide join together each December at local Tubachristmas
events in honor of not only the season, but of the life and teaching of Bill Bell. Usually played at these events is an arrangement of the Bach
chorale "Komm, süßer Tod
" (Come Sweet Death), Bell's favorite chorale.
Every first Saturday in November, tuba and euphonium
players gather in Perry, Iowa
, the location of Mr. Bell's grave and the town where he died. The musicians perform a free public concert of pieces arranged for four-part low brass in Mr. Bell's memory as a part of a fine arts series in Perry. Then the players gather at the gravesite and play "Come Sweet Death" and "Dona Nobis Pacem" in his memory.
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 America during the first half of the 20th century. In 1921 He joined the band of John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
, and from 1924 to 1937 he served as Principal Tuba with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
As the fifth oldest orchestra in the United States, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has a legacy of fine music making as reflected in its performances in historic Music Hall, recordings, and international tours...
. In 1937 General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
's David Sarnoff
David Sarnoff
David Sarnoff was an American businessman and pioneer of American commercial radio and television. He founded the National Broadcasting Company and throughout most of his career he led the Radio Corporation of America in various capacities from shortly after its founding in 1919 until his...
invited conductor Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor. One of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century, he was renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory...
to select personnel for The NBC Symphony Orchestra
NBC Symphony Orchestra
The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra established by David Sarnoff of the National Broadcasting Company especially for conductor Arturo Toscanini...
.William Bell was the third musician selected by Toscanini, after his concertmaster
Concertmaster
The concertmaster/mistress is the spalla or leader, of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader...
Mischa Mischakoff
Mischa Mischakoff
Mischa Mischakoff was an outstanding violinist and concertmaster for 70 years, from the age of ten until the age of eighty....
and principal oboe Philip Ghignatti. In 1943 he became principal tubist for the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
. Leopold Stokowski
Leopold Stokowski
Leopold Anthony Stokowski was a British-born, naturalised American orchestral conductor, well known for his free-hand performing style that spurned the traditional baton and for obtaining a characteristically sumptuous sound from many of the great orchestras he conducted.In America, Stokowski...
invited Bell to perform and narrate George Kleinsinger
George Kleinsinger
George Kleinsinger was an American composer from San Bernardino, California, best known for his collaboration with Paul Tripp on the 1940s children's song "Tubby the Tuba". He also wrote the music for the phonograph record Archy & Mehitabal and the Broadway musical based on the record, Shinbone...
's "Tubby the Tuba
Tubby the Tuba (song)
"Tubby the Tuba" is the title of a 1945 song, whose lyrics were written by Paul Tripp and music composed by George Kleinsinger. The original recording, released on the Decca label, was sung by Danny Kaye....
", and to perform and sing a special arrangement of "When Yuba Plays The Rhumba on the 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 1955 Bell performed the American premiere of Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM was an English composer of symphonies, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also a collector of English folk music and song: this activity both influenced his editorial approach to the English Hymnal, beginning in 1904, in which he included many...
' "Concerto for Bass Tuba and Orchestra". He was professor of tuba at the Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
until 1961, and Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
from 1961 to 1971. Students included Harvey Phillips
Harvey Phillips
Harvey Phillips was a professor emeritus of the , Indiana University, Bloomington and dedicated advocate for the tuba.-Biography:Phillips was a professional freelance musician from 1950 to 1971, winning his first professional...
, Dennis Parker, Don Harry, and R. Winston Morris
R. Winston Morris
South Carolinian Ralph Winston Morris , known for his signature "soul patch", is the professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tennessee. He is editor of The Tuba Source Book and the Euphonium Source Book...
.
Under the auspices of the Harvey Phillips Foundation, thousands of tubists worldwide join together each December at local Tubachristmas
Tubachristmas
Tubachristmas is a music concert in cities worldwide that celebrates those who play, teach, and compose music for instruments in the tuba family...
events in honor of not only the season, but of the life and teaching of Bill Bell. Usually played at these events is an arrangement of the Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
chorale "Komm, süßer Tod
Komm, süßer Tod, komm selge Ruh
Komm, süßer Tod, komm selge Ruh is a song for solo voice and basso continuo from the 69 Sacred Songs and Arias that Johann Sebastian Bach contributed to Georg Christian Schemelli's Musicalisches Gesangbuch edited by Georg Christian Schemelli in 1736. Bach, by means of melody and harmony,...
" (Come Sweet Death), Bell's favorite chorale.
Every first Saturday in November, tuba and euphonium
Euphonium
The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"...
players gather in Perry, Iowa
Perry, Iowa
Perry is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, United States, along the North Raccoon River. The population was 7,633 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, the location of Mr. Bell's grave and the town where he died. The musicians perform a free public concert of pieces arranged for four-part low brass in Mr. Bell's memory as a part of a fine arts series in Perry. Then the players gather at the gravesite and play "Come Sweet Death" and "Dona Nobis Pacem" in his memory.