Jerome Lipson (BSO viola, 1946-1991) oral history interview: Lipson, Jerome, interviewee, 1991-12-06T00:00:00+00:00, 2023-06-14T00:00:00+00:00

Cassette 3: Oral history conducted by Robert Ripley on December 6, 1991.

PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT

Tape 03, Side A

0:10 INTERVIEW BEGINS

Friday, December 6, 1991 Waban, MA Jerome "Jerry" Lipson Born: 1916 Retired: 1991

0:56-2:46 early life, interest in violin, expensive during great depression era ($2 violin lessons), immediately connected with violin 3:36-4:48 first studied under Eula BURNELL who had studied under SEVCIC(sp), first real lessons from Frank McDonald (4:25)

4:53 turn towards viola

6:12-?? memories of classmate Leonard BERNSTEIN and the Curtis Institute, auditioned with Louis Bayee(sp)

8:00-8:30 Curtis Institute (1936-1940)

9:10-12:35 first audition between 1936=1940 - Bayee told him to go and meet KOUSSEVITZKY went and insisted on playing for him; Kusvitsky told him to finish school and return

12:55-14:25 at Tanglewood when it started, Koussevitzky describes it as a school for young musicians to go and learn

14:35 formal audition for the BSo

15:28-20:22 Military service, work as an air traffic controller, then began to perform with Air Force Show (17:25); assigned to Army Air Force Symphony Orchestra (18:43) conducted by Leonard Slatken(sp)

20:30-22:13 successful audition for orchestra; Richard BUREN(sp) concertmaster gave him the news of his success

23:35 first impressions

25:00- KOUSSEVITZKY - everyone was afraid of him but Jerry wasn't, he played favorites, a "rosy picture" of working with him "for me" though there were clashes, and "it always ended up the same way: they found themselves seated at the very rear of the section they were in."

26:58-29:24 story with Rachmaninov playing his own concerto, disagreement between KOUSSEVITZKY and Rachmaninov; Sanroma as peacemaker

29:40 trained at Tanglewood under KOUSSEVITZKY, Kouss came by his limousine

Tape 03, Side B

0:11 INTERVIEW BEGINS

0:11-0:41 relationship with KOUSSEVITZKY

1:40 Memories of being seated with Siegfried GERHARDT, George HUMPHREY, Louie ARTIERES

2:50-4:30 Memories of MUNCH "He was colorful. If I had to use one word, it would be colorful. He was also sociable..."

4:40-5:18 Memories of LEINSDORF

5:45-7:20 the relationship between the conductor and the players, more disc. of KOUSSEVITZKY

7:50-8:54 KOUSSEVITZKY after the union

9:00-11:00 hobbies outside the orchestra (golf, woodworking)

11:03-12:30 advocate in Players Club, trying to do better for colleagues

12:35-13:40 conversations with Henry CABOT (president of the Trustees)

14:00-15:55 salaries for pops vs. BSO

16:18 INTERVIEW ENDS