OT: RIP Abe Torchinsky

Jesse Rosenburg · #1 08-19-2009, 10:38 AM

Didn't quite know where to put this, but many of you are orchestral players and are probably familiar with the great tuba player Abe Torchinsky. My good tuba archivist friend let me know he passed away this morning.

I became familiar with Abe's work when I was a young musician. The tuba players hung out with us. Abe was a tuba god! He gave so much to music with the NBC Orchestra, his real home with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and then with the University of Michigan.

He was active and witty and told my archivist friend so many great stories! He was quite the character.

He'll be missed, even though he had a great life.

RIP

Bass Barrister · #2 08-19-2009, 12:46 PM

The passing of a real giant in the world of tuba and of music.

From "TubeNet" the Tuba/Euphonium forum:

http://forums.chisham.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=34965

Jesse Rosenburg · #3 08-19-2009, 12:59 PM

Nice photo. My friend says not his favorite tuba

Jesse Rosenburg · #4 08-19-2009, 01:37 PM

Very sorry moderators. I saw where this should go in misc. Please move it. I'm new, I'll probably make a few more mistakes.

Ike Harris · #5 08-19-2009, 02:11 PM

Yes, one of the tuba gods. I really enjoyed his sound on the Gabrielli album with the 3 orchestra brass sections. A must have for brass players.

Ike

boylebass · #6 08-20-2009, 11:42 AM

My first degree is in tuba... he's one of those old school players that really helped to establish the modern American School of Tuba playing. I've still got his excerpt books somewhere...

I played Shostakovich #13 ('Babi Yar') in my school orchestra. We were only the 2nd orchestra in the US to play this monster work. The rental part had some helpful pencil markings left from the previous player. They were AT's markings. Thanks.

I once owned one of those tubas. IIRC it's a Meinl-Weston 32, with the funky convertible 5th valve.

Jesse Rosenburg · #7 08-20-2009, 03:24 PM

My friend the Archivist has put up a memorial for those folks she's interviewed for oral history accounts. Some great photos too.

Abe Torchinsky and Paul Tripp at Robin Hood Dell, in Fairmont Park ( Philadelphia). Paul Tripp was the narrator of Tubby the Tuba

Abe and Jonathan Dorn

Abe Torchinsky! (no, that is not Dan Perantoni) in costume in the truly dreadful 1947 film "Carnegie Hall" and is part of an Italian Street Band hired to serenade Marsha Hunt, the Irish charwoman who rises through the ranks and becomes the plant manager of the Hall (yes, it is fiction). Marsha's abusive pianist husband falls down the stairs and dies so he stops beating her. Their son "plays jazz" at Carnegie Hall--his own composition! Thin plot aside, the stage portion features many soloists from the Met opera--and Harry James.