Looking for Ron Bishop stories/anecdotes

[barry grrr-ero]

We all know so many anecdotes about Jake, Bobo, Cooley, Tommy Johnson, Warren Deck, Alan Baer, etc., but I don't know very much about Ron Bishop. I know that just going by the numerous recordings he made with Szell, Boulez, Dohnanyi, Ashkenazy and god knows who else, he was obviously a very great player. His students always struck me as being well rounded players with solid fundamentals. Please, I'd like to hear more. I guess Cleveland isn't everyone's 'first destination', but I've always regretted not going out there to study with Bishop for a while.

Barry Guerrero

[eupher61]

What was the name of the bar right across the street from the Hall where Ron and a lot of the other players hung out?

[Karl H.]

Well, this is not much of a story or anecdote, but it is an indelible memory (although the details might be sketchy). In 1984 I was an undergrad at UNT (North Texas State University in those days) and a couple of us decided to go to the Second International Brass Congress, held at Indiana University. The adventures we had traveling in a VW bus, camping out along the highway are legendary, but I won't digress ...

The entire Cleveland Orchestra brass section was in attendance, combining to do a big concert. Ron Bishop, who I had envied ever since I'd first heard the epic 3-orchestra Gabrieli recording, was playing and acting as concert narrator/emcee. The fact that he and I both played (and I assume, loved) Alexander tubas made the concert even more special. As is not unusual, he had two horns to cover the wide range of repertoire on the program.

After too-hurredly standing his instrument on its bell he turned to the microphone and began introducing the next piece. Imagine all of our horror when his beautiful Alex started wobbling (he was facing the crowd: his back was to his horn). It took only a second or two, and the entire audience's collective gasp could not forestall the inevitable; the instrument crashed to the floor.

I cannot recall ever experiencing a more visceral reaction as a member of an audience or as a performer. We all died a little inside. To Mr. Bishop's credit, he carried on and finished the concert, although I believe he had to play everything on the second horn: the damage to the Alex was too great.

Hopefully some other old geezers who were there can fill in the blanks to this story. Any mistakes/errors in factual content is the result of my own ignorance and 30 year's distance.

Karl "older but not necessarily wiser" H.

PS Because of this disaster, I NEVER leave my Alex tubas standing on their bells without a stout wall to support them, and I think twice even then. Mostly I leave them laid down ...

[Cthuba]

Talk to:

J.C. Sherman

William S Ciabattari

Both great tubists and studied with Ron Bishop

[Wes Krygsman]

I have an indirect quote, and a story of a brief meeting.

The quote was about musicality and blowing through some 8th & 16th notes in a phrase. I was taking a lesson from a well known player who studied with him. He said if Ron heard me, he would have said, "Little notes are like little children. They need more attention."

I was lucky enough to meet him in 2010 at the ITEC in Tucson, Arizona. I thanked him for his great playing on all those recordings and he was very humble. He was wearing a "YouTuba" shirt with the youtube logo and he showed that off a bit to me, and was very proud that a student gave it to him. I was lucky to be in the presence of such musical greatness, and even though the conversation lasted less than 5 minutes, it will stick around as important in my memories forever.

[Gator]

There is the notorious Edinburgh/Usher Hall incident of 2000.

[barry grrr-ero]

Well, I found a local review of the concert at Usher Hall in 2000. There's no mention of anything disastrous happening.

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2000 ... sfeatures5" target="_blank

[doublebuzzing]

Well, this is not much of a story or anecdote, but it is an indelible memory (although the details might be sketchy). In 1984 I was an undergrad at UNT (North Texas State University in those days) and a couple of us decided to go to the Second International Brass Congress, held at Indiana University. The adventures we had traveling in a VW bus, camping out along the highway are legendary, but I won't digress ...

The entire Cleveland Orchestra brass section was in attendance, combining to do a big concert. Ron Bishop, who I had envied ever since I'd first heard the epic 3-orchestra Gabrieli recording, was playing and acting as concert narrator/emcee. The fact that he and I both played (and I assume, loved) Alexander tubas made the concert even more special. As is not unusual, he had two horns to cover the wide range of repertoire on the program.

After too-hurredly standing his instrument on its bell he turned to the microphone and began introducing the next piece. Imagine all of our horror when his beautiful Alex started wobbling (he was facing the crowd: his back was to his horn). It took only a second or two, and the entire audience's collective gasp could not forestall the inevitable; the instrument crashed to the floor.

I cannot recall ever experiencing a more visceral reaction as a member of an audience or as a performer. We all died a little inside. To Mr. Bishop's credit, he carried on and finished the concert, although I believe he had to play everything on the second horn: the damage to the Alex was too great.

Hopefully some other old geezers who were there can fill in the blanks to this story. Any mistakes/errors in factual content is the result of my own ignorance and 30 year's distance.

Karl "older but not necessarily wiser" H.

PS Because of this disaster, I NEVER leave my Alex tubas standing on their bells without a stout wall to support them, and I think twice even then. Mostly I leave them laid down ...

That must have been awful.

I don't remember the details but someone mentioned Roger Bobo's rotor-valve brace on his B&S coming undone in a performance and he had to hold it in place for the rest of the performance.

[TubaKen]

Didn't know him, but did get to spend some time chatting with him after a recital he played at San Diego State University. This would have been mid-80's, IIRC. We got to talking about horns, and I asked him what he used for "Bydlo." He said when he got to Cleveland he was told the tradition (as seems to be common in many orchestras) was for one of the trombones to play it on euphonium. Sensing my (very slight) disappointment, he went on to say that he had spoken to Szell about this, saying "maestro, some tuba players consider Bydlo to be the pinnacle of orchestral tuba solos." To which Szell responded "But remember Ron, you vant to be a CONQUERING hero!"
Very charming man.

[eupher61]

With Allen Kofsky, and later Jim DeSano, in the section, I'd be hesitant to take on Bydlo.

[doublebuzzing]

With Allen Kofsky, and later Jim DeSano, in the section, I'd be hesitant to take on Bydlo.

If I was Ron Bishop I wouldn't be

[TubaBob]

I remember Mr. Bishop saying the little notes are like little children to me as well. The little ones need the most attention. When I was at Oberlin he played Vaughn Williams with Cleveland on his huge Rudy. He was a brilliant player and teacher and a real gentleman! He had a great collection of duets. I wonder if he ever published them.

[Festivalofbrass]

.

[tbn.al]

There is the notorious Edinburgh/Usher Hall incident of 2000.

No one likes a tease.

I'm afraid this is a fable. It did not happen - Ron confirmed this with me (although he may have perpetuated the story at times).

He was an incredible musician and teacher. But first, he was an incredible man.

It was reported in Tubanews.com so it must be true!

[happyroman]

Mr. Bishop told several stories about his audition for Szell. In one, he was playing an excerpt and Szell kept asking for him to play it louder. Finally, he really let it rip and thought he had blown the audition because the sound was so ugly at that volume, but Szell was quite happy and of course, Mr. Bishop got the job. After he had been playing in the orchestra for a while, Szell walked past him back stage and said "You are capable of incredible volume, NEVER use it."

Mr. Bishop also pointed out that you must be prepared for anything in an audition. For example, Szell asked him to play a three octave melodic minor scale (in any key). He told us this story in a masterclass and asked us what key we would choose in such a situation. I piped up and said Eb, and Mr. Bishop said that's exactly what he played for Szell.

[sloan]

Talk to:

J.C. Sherman

William S Ciabattari

Both great tubists and studied with Ron Bishop

J.C. will tell you that he studied with "MR. BISHOP".

[barry grrr-ero]

I really enjoy hearing these anecdotes. Thank you guys.