Louis Berger (BSO cello, 1953-1963) oral history interview: Berger, Louis, interviewee (Side A); George Humphrey (BSO viola, 1934-1977) oral history interview: Humphrey, Mildred, interviewee (Side B), November 10, 1993; December 10, 1993, 2023-07-19T00:00:00+00:00

Cassette 51: Oral history conducted by Robert Ripley on November 10, 1993 (Side A); Oral history conducted by Robert Ripley on December 30, 1993, Mildred Humphrey is the wife of George Humphrey (Side B).

PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT

Tape 51, Side A

Interviewer: Bob Ripley Interviewee: Louis Berger Date: November 10, 1993

0:07 INTERVIEW BEGINS

0:25-4:27 early life, born in 1927 in Prague; parents were musical, amateur pianists; social expectation for children to learn music; studied cello in Prague; came over to Long Island as a teenager with family; attended college in New Jersey; had studied some English in Prague, then in children's home in England, but needed to learn quickly once in the US; discussion of departure from Europe in a "van"; took next size cello to learn on once he arrived in the US

4:27-5:44 began studying cello in New York, studied with VARGA

5:44-8:01 family life: sister did not continue to take music lessons; father and brother died in concentration camps; stepfather was a Czech lawyer but it did not transfer well to US

8:01-10:27 cello study, first with VARGA, then SCHULTZ; then attended Princeton for an engineering degree; was serious about music, taught cello in summer camps

10:27-11:55 life after BSO, has pursued psychology and now has a clinical practice; felt his musical interest was "not defensible" and followed it because it was not engineering

11:55-13:58 went to Eastman, studied with SILVA on recommendation from SCHULTZ

13:58-17:35 played in New York, Kansas City, Austin, Texas; heard of opening in BSO from an uncle; came up unexpectedly and the acceptance was even more unexpected

17:35-22:10 felt that the position was uncertain, which added to feelings about musical career; had to audition to keep his chair position in 1955; story from MAYES discussing audition in 1955; MUNCH wanted to keep Berger but made him audition regardless; discussion of MUNCH's dislike for Berger

22:10-22:56 felt he had a good experience in the section; friendship with MAYES

22:56-25:31 did work outside of the BSO in science; worked for company AFCO in the labs; was in psychoanalytic therapy at the time; planned to use work in engineering to build experience in clinical psychology

25:31-27:12 knew LEINSDORF while he was at Eastman; story of trying out cellos in the Eastman cellos

27:12-30:40 reflections on close relationships with MOYER, GHITALLA, MAYES; closeness developed through trips abroad, though Louis did not go to Japan and China trip; impression of personal and social environment, felt that there was a "paternalistic" approach to new players

30:40-34:09 memories of KOUSSEVITZKY; impressions of MUNCH; the orchestra's adapatation to his rehearsal and conducting style

34:09-42:07 decision to leave the orchestra; waited the ten years necessary to get pension; received job in San Francisco for physics and engineering; is now a staff psychologist with indvidual patients, does some lectures; writes books on substance abuse now; fels much more fulfilled in this life path

42:07-43:40 left music behind after leaving the orchestra; earned a doctorate at the University of Tennessee

44:13 INTERVIEW CONCLUDES

Tape 51, Side B

Interviewer: Bob Ripley Interviewee: Mildred Humphrey Subject: George Humphrey Date: December 30, 1993

0:09 INTERVIEW BEGINS

0:28-3:08 early life, born in 1904 in Bel Air, Ohio; introduced to music via a record of HEIFITZ;

3:08-4:17 worked on the railroad as a clerk; saved enough money to pay tuition to New England Conservatory; studied under VAN BRUGGEN (sp?)

4:17-6:21 personal life, met Mildred while she was a secretary; went to Minneapolis with him as he was accepted to orchestra when he graduated; played viola, studied under George FOUREL; switched from violin to viola early in Conservatory;

6:21-10:06 left Minneapolis after not getting a promised raise; returned to the east to live in Philadelphia; attended Curtis for one year, studied under Louis BAYEE (sp); felt discouraged by experience at Curtis

10:06-12:50 married in 1939; Mildred could not find work; stayed with his parents for some time; played in a string quartet to stay in music scene; spent only a year playing in Ohio and Pittsburgh; learned that the BSO would be coming to Pittsburgh and decided to try to see KOUSSEVITZKY

12:50-16:24 played for KOUSSEVITZKY, was invited to join BSO in 1934 and remained until 1977; there was not space for him, but KOUSSEVITZKY made room; lived in Somerville, then Medford, Arlington

16:24-18:17 wrote an unpublished manuscript about the conductors he worked under

18:17-19:15 HUMPHREY's work and skills outside the BSO; was an expert typist;

19:15-25:14 spent summers with the Lake Placid Symphoneta, where he formed a friendship with HEINL, who encouraged him to make instruments; created viola and sent it to Holland, received first prize in international instrument making competetition, then made six more during his life;

25:14-27:12 was a skilled photographer; served as official photographer for the orchestra

27:12-31:52 Tanglewood quartet was Rolland TAPLEY, ZEISE, and Bob BRINK; had engagements throughout Boston; got the name when they had played for KOUSSEVITZKY; traveled to Iceland through state department to perform;

31:52-34:47 George HUMPHREY initiated the Japanese exchange program; discussion of experience abroad, Japanese players currently in orchestra

34:23-42:09 general notes: graduated NE Conservatory 1929; BSO in 1934; Tanglewood quartet; reflections on Humphrey's personality and life, interest in swimming; death in 1980; research at MIT on the effect that music has on the brain; friendship with Joe COYLE, an artist who painted a portrait of George

42:09-45:42 personal reflections on George, very honest; glad to have fifty years of life with him; always there when she needed him

46:19 INTERVIEW CONCLUDES