Herbert Wekselblatt on Vedi, the cimbasso, and "The Bear"

[EdFirth]

I stopped renewing my membership when they changed it from TUBA so I can't access the interview but did have the pleasure of taking lessons with Mr Wekselblatt while I was with the West Point Band. He was playing on his Sander Bb which he generously let me try one time. I had heard him play quite a lot and was shocked at how out of tune the horn was. You'd never know by hearing him play it though. He never mentioned the cimbasso but did talk about when conductors would ask for the F tuba for this or that. He would bring an Olds(99?). Now this was 1973 and he may have changed equipment later but no F and no cimbasso. He was going to have a pair of Mirafones sent out and pick one ad let me buy the other one but his wife fell ill and passed away and I got out of the Army and tried college. Years later I was with a circus playing Tampa and had to visit the local repair guy who asked if I knew Mr Wekselblatt and went on about spending all kinds of time cutting on a Mirafone for him to get it in tune. He also mentioned that while everyone else was taking with Bill Bell he took with Fred Geib who never used any but the fingerings in the first tuba book. Really nice, down to earth gentleman. Ed

[Paul Scott]

Mr. Wekselblatt is a gentleman indeed. Quite a few years ago I was playing ceremonial music in a brass sextet for a law-school graduation. I waited in the "green room" while they read out the names of the graduates and distributed the diplomas. I heard the name "Wekselblatt" and looked up. "Nah, it couldn't be", I thought to myself.

After we finished up the (very long) recessional a man with a camera around his neck came to the edge of the stage. He introduced himself as Herb Wekselblatt (I believe it was his daughter who was graduating) and we had a brief and very pleasant conversation.

I was amazed that he took the time to do this since those events are very, very crowded and most people just want to meet up with their respective graduates and escape. It meant a lot to a me. A very nice man.