Damn, I had missed this (April 15, 2013). In my opinion, the best trumpet player to ever live. A huge musical influence on me even though I was a percussionist/timpanist (my twin brother was a very good trumpet player, with the Northbrook Sym. for a number of years).

 

I met him probably around 1980 or so when he was guest artist with the regional symphony orchestra I played with when I was in school. Since my brother was 2nd trumpet in the orchestra, I was also invited to the reception/party afterwards hosted by the brass faculty.

 

He indelibly impressed me with his graciousness and humility. I can't remember what he played, maybe the Hummel, but when I congratulated him on what a nice job he did, he seemed genuinely embarrassed. Quite the contrast to some of the divas, etc. that were guest artists at times!

 

In talking to him, since I was/am a big Mahler fan bois, I asked him what his favorite Mahler symphony to play was. He replied "The 5th". I asked him why, thinking the 2nd or 3rd (with the posthorn solo), or maybe even the 8th might be. He simply said "Because I get to start it".

 

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-04-15/entertainment/chi-famed-cso-trumpeter-adolph-herseth-dead-at-91-20130414_1_adolph-herseth-cso-brass-choir-famed-cso

 

One of my favorite quotes about him was from his son, who remarked that he always considered his dad a failure because he had the same job for 50 some years and never got a promotion...  He had auditioned for 4th chair fresh from a Navy band in WWII, and was hired as principal, with everyone else being moved down a chair.

 

RIP Mr. Herseth

Edited May 3, 201313 yr by Pars

Nice remembrance, Chris.  RIP, Bud.