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I played under his baton fo 2 years (early 70's) He is the one of the reasons I stopped playing, altogether. I found him to be perched in his ivory tower and looking down with distain at any and everyone that felt he was a good band director. He was not friendly in the least to the students under his charge; preferring to go through the individual instructors (of coursse, this meant tuba), with whatever suggestions or absolute iron handed rulings - and occasional faint praise - was VERY rare.

What are some of the other players' words about him?

I would love to hear how YOU have evolved from the experience by starting with 5 positive things that came out for your experience. We have all had experiences of this type, I played under a well known opera conductor who was hell on wheels to EACH and EVERY PLAYER in the orchestra (who actually knew the tuba part to some very famous operas as well as I did, down to the particular sound on a particular valve combination). Rather than being SEDUCED BY THE WORDS, I decided to listen to the message. I count those performances as the pinnacle of my musical career. That being said, look beyond your hurt (were we ever so young) and try to approach your thoughts objectively as the adult you are now. I daresay that your introspection on this matter will temper your public criticism. There is good in every turn in life, but it is, ultimately,up to us to find it

Besides, IMHO, speaking ill of the dead by making personal attributions to people he MAY have influenced is questionable on all parties parts.

Chuck

First time I played in a clinic band under Revelli it was something like that. I was 17 and thought I owned the world. I didn't know William Revelli from from Adam's housecat. After the first rehearsal, all I knew was that he was an extraordinarily demanding old man. ("Revelli time"? Reseating whole sections based on one phrase? Are you kidding me?) I complained a bit in my band director's hearing. He explained (!) the situation to me. Excellent learning experience that year and the next.

Jim, I'm afraid even now I'm not familiar with your former teacher. Sorry it was a bad experience. (Why did this come up today?)

I have a trombone-playing friend who claims Al Wright was the reason he put his trombone down in 1966 and didn't think about playing again until 2000.

As a 14 year-old, I attended Dr. Sperry's music camp at USF in 1965. I had come down from Gainesville and was one of the younger campers and also one of the small number who stayed in the dorms rather than at home. As such, Dr Sperry was quite solicitous of my well-being, even providing tickets for a production of The Fantasticks. Although no great judge of character, my impression was that he was tightly wound, but a man of great integrity. The light had a way of glinting on his rimless glasses that made one think of a twinkle. In spite of this and a perpetual half smile, I did not really think that he was a genial man. He did treat me well.

Later he served as a judge in a band festival in which my band played and wrote that the tubas were "very sharp" on the "high" F in Chance's Invocation and Dance. This was embarrassing to me, but I'm sure he was right. At least he noticed the tubas.

In 1968-70 I was a classmate at FSU of his very attractive daughter (Carol?). Besides being a fine clarinet player, she was hot, hot, hot and led a rather wild life. Likely she caused her father some distress. I wonder what she, her children and grandchildren are up to these days?

Chuck Jackson wrote:I would love to hear how YOU have evolved from the experience by starting with 5 positive things that came out for your experience. We have all had experiences of this type, I played under a well known opera conductor who was hell on wheels to EACH and EVERY PLAYER in the orchestra (who actually knew the tuba part to some very famous operas as well as I did, down to the particular sound on a particular valve combination). Rather than being SEDUCED BY THE WORDS, I decided to listen to the message. I count those performances as the pinnacle of my musical career. That being said, look beyond your hurt (were we ever so young) and try to approach your thoughts objectively as the adult you are now. I daresay that your introspection on this matter will temper your public criticism. There is good in every turn in life, but it is, ultimately,up to us to find it

Besides, IMHO, speaking ill of the dead by making personal attributions to people he MAY have influenced is questionable on all parties parts.

Chuck

+1. I've been chewed out, cussed out, told I was worthless, etc., etc., etc., and some of the teachers/leaders/directors who I thought at the time were the biggest horse's asses and I really hated, in retrospect, gave me exactly what I needed, and I can now appreciate what they did for me, and, in fact, I have gone back and thanked some of them for what they did...

LJV wrote: From http://karlking.us/kkband_a5fc.htm



"Pictured from left in the back row: John Paynter (Northwestern University), Gale Sperry (University of Minnesota), Don McGinnis (Ohio State University), Ron Gregory (University of Indiana), Fred Ebbs (University of Iowa).  Pictured in the front row: Ray Dvorak (University of Wisconsin), Al Wright (Purdue University), Karl King, Mark Hindsley (University of Illinois), Leonard Falcone (Michigan State University).  William Revelli of the University of Michigan was not pictured."

FC Ebbs in the hizzouse!

The thing I came away with proved to be a downfall, with other groups. He INSISTED that entrances by absolutely on the EXACT downpoint. This, along with my dimishimg hearing problems, just exarcerbated by my leaving the music program at USF and included my complete break with the University . I went on to Valdosta State and Georgia state, where I treated as more of a musician; than pain in the butt. My only consoloation was I read that he had passed...not enjoyment, just imagining the savings of thousands of others from Der Feuher.

He was a superb conductor and could seemingly pull out ANY mistake made by ANY individual performer. For this and this alone, I have a grudging respect fior him. I really did not mean to be disrespectful of the dead; but he is clapping (enthusiastically) that I dropped music, immediately at the end of that quarter and have never set foot at USF in 40 years.