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Sorry to have to be the bearer of bad tidings everyone.
John Jenkins has passed away after a short illness.
John had been principal tuba of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London for 37 years, from 1969-2006, and a huge source of inspiration to many,many brass players around the world.
He was also a member of the Equale Brass Quintet, made many fine recordings with the PJBE ( with John Fletcher ) and was tuba professor at the Royal College of Music in London where he taught many fine tubists, including Owen Slade, Oren Marshall and Kevin Morgan. John's unique sound and personality will be hugely missed.

I am so sorry to hear this bad news! John Jenkins was one of the big influences on my tuba playing. At one time I used to go and hear him at the Royal Festival Hall in London most weeks. Usually I would have a chat with him - what a lovely man as well as a great tuba player.

It was nice to see him at Tuba Christmas in London last December. How sad he should pass away so young.

I am also very sorry to hear this. I met John a few times when the Philharmonia toured Australia many years ago - he was very easy to talk to and a wonderful player. I think they played Mahler 5 or something similar, which I could never have considered playing on a EEb tuba, and he made a wonderful sound that balanced very well.

Sad news, especially so young.

Will let you know as soon as I hear anything about the funeral.
Have been listening to a few of John's old recordings with the Philharmonia. His sound was just wonderful - a real tuba sound.
The Sinopoli/ Mahler symphonies are great , as are the Ashkenazy /Sibelius , Jarvi/Prokofiev , Muti/Tchaikovsky Symphonies to name but a few. There is a fantastic recording of Ivan the Terrible with Muti as well. The PJBE recordings where John was playing 2nd to Fletch are legendary too ( Pictures, Carnival of the Animals - check out the Elephant !! ) Has anyone got any other favourites ?

John's funeral service will be at 1.30 on Friday 7th November.
It will be held near his home at St Peters, Bushey Heath.
If anyone needs any more details please contact me directly.

I have just been to a Vaughan Williams concert by the Philharmonia which was thoughtfully dedicated to John Jenkins. Enclosed with the concert programme were the tributes below which I thought Tubeneters would like to see.

Thanks for posting the tributes Neptune. That was good of the Philharmonia to dedicate that concert to John. What a programme too - VW 6 & 9. Would have loved to hear JJ play those !!

Having been an ex RPO member, I can confirm that John was never in the RPO. George Wall took over from Jim Powell in the RPO and Patrick Harrild took over from George - who took over from John ( at the Royal Opera !! ) All clear ...... ??!! John joined the Philharmonia in 1969, I believe .
He was 61 when he died.

The Deep End wrote:Having been an ex RPO member, I can confirm that John was never in the RPO. George Wall took over from Jim Powell in the RPO and Patrick Harrild took over from George - who took over from John ( at the Royal Opera !! ) All clear ...... ??!! John joined the Philharmonia in 1969, I believe .
He was 61 when he died.

There was a Richard Wall playing bass trombone last night at Her Majesty's Theatre in the West End for the Phantom of the Opera show. Any relation to George Wall?

The concert on Sunday was a wonderful tribute to Mr. Jenkins. Beautifully played. No, sublimely played. The opening of the Tallis Fantasia was magical, following as it did the singing from an off-stage choir of the original Tallis hymn (as recorded in the English Hymnal by RVW). The sound appeared from nowhere, with richness even at pianissimo sent chills down my spine. The strings of that orchestra have a beautifully lush sound. The second string orchestra played muted and senza vibrato--and perfectly in tune. The brass had work to catch up to this magic, but they did. For example, there are two chords in the finale of the 5th Symphony where the trombones pass a resolving chord to the horns. The dynamic is fortissimo (at least), and it is the intense climax to the entire symphony. In addition to its technical perfection, I've never heard such a sound in person. It made my hair stand on end.

The tribute to Mr. Jenkins made the concert rather an emotional one, as if the music, and my travel to London just to hear it, had not already done so. Tonight we hear Dona Nobis Pacem and the 3rd and 4th Symphonies--peaceful, calm and then turbulent. I'm taking Kleenex.

The British are known for subduing their emotions, but when they do allow them to come out, they come out in force. Mr. Jenkins must have lived a full and satisfying life to be a part of such performances. He obviously leaves behind many and devoted admirers.

Rick "wishing safe travels to Jonathon, with appreciation for the good company Sunday night" Denney

Rick Denney wrote:Rick "wishing safe travels to Jonathon, with appreciation for the good company Sunday night" Denney

Rick, It was great to meet up with you Sunday! Pleased you are enjoying your time in England

Jonathan "now writing from Bahrain where me and my tuba have arrived safely"

One things hasn’t changed in my life: I still don’t like when people born the same years as me die. We still are too young for that.

it was moving to read John Jenkins’ colleagues write about him. Also about his good humour which also comes through in his drawings.

I wanted to read more about him, and one of the first things I found was an interview from 2001:

http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/thephilha ... hnjenkins/" target="_blank

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

PS: Neptune, your scans had to be low resolution to fit within the file size limit. I could read them via a photo viewer. However the drawings are rather dim. Would it be possible for you to scan the drawings into each their own file at a higher resolution & more contrast and then present them here?

A page on the tuba, where John Jenkins tells and plays:

http://www.mti.dmu.ac.uk/~ahugill/manua ... index.html" target="_blank

Klaus

Just to say that I've now returned from London after John's funeral service on Friday. It was a great occasion that really did John proud, I think. Andrew, his son delivered a moving tribute and read the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling. There was an absolutely spectacular performance of Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man (heroically played by the brass section of the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by former Philharmonia bass trombone Bob Hughes ) - truly wonderful playing. I think John would have enjoyed the brass accompaniment of the hymns too, with some stratospheric trumpet work !! There were some hilarious photographs of John and colleagues at work & play on display in the pub across the road and many great stories were swapped ! All in all - a great send off for a great guy.

Anyone got any more favourite recordings featuring John..... ??
The Prokofiev stuff the Philharmonia did with Jarvi is pretty spectacular all round too !!

The Deep End wrote:Anyone got any more favourite recordings featuring John..... ??
The Prokofiev stuff the Philharmonia did with Jarvi is pretty spectacular all round too !!

I'll second that. I especially like the October XXth Cantata, and Ivan the Terrible (Concert Scenario). Also the War and Peace suite, and Russian Overture. As well as the unbelievable Vaughan Williams Symphony No.4 with Adrian Boult. Not to mention the VW Symphony cycle with Slatkin. WOW. He also sounds amazing on Ligeti's Le Grande Macabre with Esa Pekka Salonen.

The Deep End wrote:Anyone got any more favourite recordings featuring John..... ??
The Prokofiev stuff the Philharmonia did with Jarvi is pretty spectacular all round too !!

I suppose the Prokofiev recordings were played on his old Cerveny Kaiser BBb? I used to enjoy hearing him playing that for Prokofiev, Shostakovich and Mahler 2.

My own choice recording is something unusual - the Jarvi 1990 recording on Chandos (CHAN8953) of Taneyev Symphony No.4. John sounds fantastic on that and what a great piece too!

Neptune wrote:

The Deep End wrote:Anyone got any more favourite recordings featuring John..... ??
The Prokofiev stuff the Philharmonia did with Jarvi is pretty spectacular all round too !!

My own choice recording is something unusual - the Jarvi 1990 recording on Chandos (CHAN8953) of Taneyev Symphony No.4. John sounds fantastic on that and what a great piece too!

I'll have to look that piece up. Since it is from 1990, I can only assume it was he and Bob Hughes on the bottom of the section. Those two are one of the all time great teams to ever be recorded.

I'll second the Taneyev 4 recording. Pretty sure that is Bob Hughes on bass bone. The earlier recordings with Ray Premru were amazing too, like the Tchaikovsky Symphonies with Muti and that Ivan the Terrible !! I must find that Boult VW 4 - was JJ definitely on that one ? Which year was that recorded ?

The Deep End wrote:I'll second the Taneyev 4 recording. Pretty sure that is Bob Hughes on bass bone. The earlier recordings with Ray Premru were amazing too, like the Tchaikovsky Symphonies with Muti and that Ivan the Terrible !! I must find that Boult VW 4 - was JJ definitely on that one ? Which year was that recorded ?

I don't have it handy, but I thought the Boult recording of the Vaughan Williams 4th was early 70's--might be a bit of time before Mr. Jenkins took over.

Rick "still at the office" Denney

John took over in 1969 so if it was early 70s that would fit the bill. Must try to find that one ! Thanks.