George Humphrey (BSO viola, 1934-1975) oral history interview: Humphrey, G. Lee, interviewee (Side A); Martin Hoherman (BSO cello, 1953-1982, became ass't principal cello) oral history interview: Hoherman, Martin, interviewee (Side B), May 29, 1993; July 10, 1993, 2023-07-06T00:00:00+00:00

Cassette 38: Oral history conducted by Robert Ripley on May 29, 1993, G. Lee Humphrey is the son of George Humphrey (Side A); Oral history conducted by Robert Ripley on July 10, 1993 (Side B).

PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT

Tape 38, Side A

Interviewer: Bob Ripley Interviewee: Lee Humphrey Subject: George Humphrey Date: May 29, 1993

0:10 INTERVIEW BEGINS

0:37-4:28 early life, born in 1904 in Ohio; came from a working class background and a difficult neighborhood;

4:28-7:57 applied to New England Conservatory and entered with scholarship; struggled to find work and considered dropping music; applied unsuccessfully for the BSO several times; studied at Curtis for a year, then the Minneapolis Symphony, and returned to Boston to do some chamber music work

7:57-10:00 tried to audition for the BSO several times, finally auditioned while in Philadelphia; auditioned again in Boston and KOUSSEVITZKY told the administration to make a place for him, though there were already many violinists

10:00-10:54 was a competitive typist outside of the orchestra

11:00-12:58 met his wife while working on the railroad at age 18 or 19; financial struggles during the depression as they looked for work and tried to make ends meet

12:58-16:14 father made instruments; story of an instrument being broken and his repairing it very carefully and lovingly

16:14-18:28 father was also a photographer, was part of the Harvard Musical Association, friendship with Malcolm HOLMES; connection with TAPLEY and ZEISE

18:28-23:07 experience of home life while HUMPHREY was in the orchestra; would practice at home frequently; parents' support for his position in the BSO; George's personal life and siblings

23:17-26:47 first impressions of the orchestra and KOUSSEVITZKY

26:47-29:06 memories of the orchestra; friendship with and stories of Karl ZEISE

29:06-30:28 memory of the Lake Placid Club, playing in front of a Lake, and suddenly hearing unexpected applause from across the water

30:28-32:30 instruments he made are now with Eric CHAPMAN; father had a large fiddle collection, and repaired instruments; collection included about 40, made 8 or 9 of these

32:30-33:30 some teaching experience

33:30-38:39 exchange program, did not travel abroad with his father; original idea for the exchange program was from George HUMPHREY though ZAZOFSKY helped initiate it; positive impressions of the Japanese string players while they were in Boston

38:39-42:40 George's friendship with Bill SHIRER; golfing; stories of small quartet with SHIRER at Max HOBART's house

42:20-45:33 personal reflections and family life; devotion to his music; very principled in his beliefs;

45:33-49:51 retirement life; began writing books, first a biography, and then about instruments and music; continued attendance at music performances; encouraged young players; served as the official photographer for the BSO

49:51 INTERVIEW CONCLUDES

Tape 38, Side B

Interviewer: Bob Ripley Interviewee: Martin Hoherman Location: Berkshires (Tanglewood), MA Date: June 10, 1993

0:07 INTERVIEW BEGINS

0:35-2:00 early life, born in Warsaw, Poland in 1912; family was musical, especially his father; started music lessons as a child

2:00-6:02 early musical training; training with WAGHALTER, a cellist who took part in a quartet; father created an instrument for him out of a cigar box for him to begin to learn; studied with WAGHALTER through school until attending conservatory at age 12; Eli KOCHANSKY was his next teacher at the conservatory; studied saxophone, accordion, trumpet, tuba, piano; developed as a well-rounded musician

6:02-8:33 played with Warsaw Orchestra before World War II; played for silent movies; George FITELBERG conducted a radio orchestra that he participated in

8:33-9:51 feelings of the war beginning to break out, Hitler's early interest in Poland;

9:51-11:05 Maria pursued Martin; she was not a musician; married in 1935, and traveled with him when they went to Paris for a vacation expecting to be able to return to Poland

11:05-17:23 were in Paris as the troops began to mobilize; could not return to Warsaw as it had been bombed; went to Hungary, then Yugoslavia; ended up in Bulgaria; Maria participated in the underground; ended up moving through Turkey, then reported to British authorities and was conscripted to the British army while Maria continued to work for the underground; played saxophone for the British army; discharged in London in 1945

17:23-20:28 story with Josef KRIPS, conductor of London Philharmonic; asked to audition for KRIPS, but KRIPS would not hear him, told him that he believed he was talented and wrote a letter of recommendation for Martin

20:30-23:22 went back to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) next as musical controller of Radio Ceylon, and played in hotel nearby; reconnected with Maria in Ceylon

23:22-25:02 returned again to London, then finally to Canada; met an official who helped them get a visa to Canada; played in Radio Winnipeg, conducted too; knew Bill WATERHOUSE and played music with his father

25:02-28:53 Auditioned for MUNCH; Rosario MAZZEO wrote to invite him to a transcontinental tour before officially joining the BSO

28:53-31:11 after LANGENDOEN retired, Martin auditioned for and moved up to third chair; after ZIGHERA's retirement, he moved up again to be assistant principal; always amazed by Sammy MAYES

31:11-32:38 sad decision to leave the orchestra; needed to travel to Florida for Maria's health

32:38-33:38 memories of MUNCH were very positive, though he changed his conducting style frequently; LEINSDORF was a good conductor but better for opera

33:38-35:19 life outside the orchestra; taught at Boston University and Tanglewood; played chamber music with DEPASQUALE trio and a quartet; Zimbler symphoneta, but did not go to South America

35:38-37:36 played many instruments, including unusual ones in China; joined the ancient instruments group with HUMPHREY

37:36-39:17 some medical knowledge; learned to repair watches and jewelry when trying to find a visa out of Sri Lanka

39:27-41:15 retirement life; teaching 3-6 pupils at a time; does some chamber music with other retired musicians in the "Boca Pops" though feels it does not compare to Boston musical world

41:15-42:00 returns to Tanglewood frequently when he is able to leave Florida

[MARIA: 42:00-42:32 experience traveling around and impressions of her husband]

42:41 INTERVIEW CONCLUDES