Joseph DePasquale (BSO principal viola, 1947-1963) oral history interview: DePasquale, Joseph, interviewee (Side A); Armando Ghitalla (BSO trumpet, 1951-1979, principal 1965-1979) oral history interview: Ghitalla, Armando, interviewee (Side B), August 19, 1993; October 5, 1993, 2023-07-12T00:00:00+00:00

Cassette 44: Oral history conducted by Robert Ripley on October 5, 1993 (Side A); Oral history conducted by Robert Ripley on August 19, 1993 (Side B).

PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT

Tape 44, Side A

Interviewer: Bob Ripley Interviewee: Joseph De Pasquale Date: August 15, 1993

0:06 INTERVIEW BEGINS

0:28-1:30 born in 1919 in Philadelphia; came from a musical family, father was violinist and encouraged Joseph and his brothers to learn violin

1:30-5:30 auditioned for Curtis Institute with violin, but was encouraged instead to switch to a viola; decided to switch to viola after several years; ARONOFF, BAYEE (SP?), and PRIMROSE were his teachers at Curtis; continued musical education; Orlando COLE's father was his next teacher; went to Curtis after training with Cole

5:30-7:40 story of REINER as conductor

7:40-8:30 experience post-graduation; in 1940, went on tour with American Youth Orchestra to South America; had played in operas in Philadelphia; after tour went into the service

8:30-10:40 joined the marine band; played low trumpet for the band; was stationed in Washington; spent almost four years in the marines; spent time with the ABC Orchestra in New York

10:40-14:00 audition for BSO; auditioned for KOUSSEVITZKY and BURGIN, BEDETTI; Kousse asked him to play something classical, which he had not prepared; waited for word from MAZZEO; was hired day-of

14:00-17:25 first impressions of the BSO felt very international; adjusting to KOUSSEVITZKY's conducting style; summoned to KOUSSEVITZKY after making a mistake

17:25-18:46 chamber music with KRIPPS, BURGIN, BEDETTI, ZIGHERA; joined other trios and small groups;

18:46-19:23 went on European trip in 1952

19:23-19:47 impressions of Tanglewood; was a viola coach from the beginning

19:47-21:23 KOUSSEVITZKY's departure from the orchestra; memories of MUNCH canceling second rehearsals, insistence that they should not rehearse too much; LEINSDORF was entirely different, brought more discipline

21:23-22:44 left to go to Philadelphia; was offered a teaching position at Curtis in 1963; played in a quartet with brothers

22:44-26:03 played a concerto written for him by PISTON; another by Joseph CASTALDO;

26:03-28:26 Played for ORMANDY in Philadelphia, and for STOKOWSKY as guest conductor; memories of STOKOWSKY as kind but strict with youth orchestra; continued training with PRIMROSE

28:26-31:24 family life; married with children; met wife through KOUSSEVITZKY in Boston, saw her during rehearsals with the BSO and was curious to meet her, discovered she was KOUSSEVITZKY's neice; was married in 1949, celebrated at Serenac and Tanglewood; Fritz KREISLER attended Joseph's wedding

31:24-36:32 Bill JUDD passed along invitation from HEIFETZ for a quartet with HEIFETZ, PIATIGORSKY, and Izzy BAKER for a quartet performance at Carnegie Hall; completed recordings together

36:32-36:37 family life; children were two boys and two girls; one son is in stained glass business, the other is a cellist and a music teacher in Pennsylvania; has eight grandchildren

36:37-39:30 reflections on career, 17 years in Boston and 27 years at the Philadelphia Orchestra; still teaches at Curtis;

39:30-41:27 many pupils have entered Philadelphia Orchestra: FAWCETT, GEIST, Don MARYON, KLAUSER (spelling uncertain)

41:27-42:23 impressions of MUTI in Philadelphia; energetic and flamboyant; SAWALLISCH is calmer as a conductor

42:23-44:02 discussion of performance plans in the coming year

44:20-45:09 impressions of BSO; only left because of ORMANDY and the Curtis Institute

45:11 INTERVIEW CONCLUDES

Tape 44, Side B

Interviewer: Bob Ripley Interviewee: Armando "MUNDY" Ghitalla Date: August 19, 1993

0:10 INTERVIEW BEGINS

0:37-3:30 early life, born in Illinois; grew up on a farm; learned sense of musicality from his father, who played accordion; traveling music teacher first introduced him

3:30-4:17 first music classes were at Interlochen; entry was paid for by a Latin teacher at his high school;

4:17-5:27 first time hearing the BSO while stationed not far from Boston in the navy; distinct memory of performance with VOISIN and KOUSSEVITZKY

5:27-6:40 navy experience; played coronet for the service, which stopped him from going abroad; went to Julliard on the GI bill

6:40-9:52 experience at Julliard; auditioned successfully for William VACCHIANO; was one of 96 trumpet players at Julliard;

9:52-12:15 had to catch up when he entered an orchestra, did not know how to transpose

12:15-14:04 graduated from Julliard; went to Houston and played in the Symphony there;

14:04-15:45 aside about missing being in Symphony to get to experience new conductors;

15:45-19:04 auditioned for Boston, called VACCHIANO, who was not in orchestra but had contacts; auditioned for third trumpet chair; auditioned in 1951 for MUNCH and the trumpet section among 25 other auditioners;

19:04-19:50 accepted position at BSO; did not make as much money in BSO as he had in Houston, but after a year negotiated for better pay

19:50-22:21 first impressions; learned a lot of the repertoire on stage; played first chair in the Pops which helped him prepare for first chair with the BSO

22:21-25:25 first impression of the Pops and Arthur FIEDLER; took on many community concert jobs with FIEDLER;

25:25-29:32 took on first chair, switched places with Roger VOISIN; arranged with support from LEINSDORF; memories of STAGLIANO

29:32-31:10 was offered teaching position at Ann Arbor, Michigan and took it; had taught in Boston at the Conservatory before; was a good choice because he had a heart attack two years later; ultimately settled back at home in Stockbridge, MA

31:15-36:44 retirement life; solo and chamber music work in Ann Arbor; teaching experience gave him technical training he had never had; had 18-21 students per week, was often working with students who had less prior experience; many students who may not want to become performers; students placed in Detroit Symphony, in smaller orchestras in Chicago, Michigan, and Texas

36:50-41:20 brief impressions of conductors, MUNCH, LEINSDORF, STEINBERG, and OZAWA; MUNCH's conducting technique; took LEINSDORF time to adjust after MUNCH especially about timing and when the orchestra should come in; positive impression of STEINBERG despite his age and indiscernible hand gestures; impression of OZAWA was that he was willing to adjust to Boston tastes

42:25 INTERVIEW CONCLUDES