Zimmerman

GroovyJazz · #1 12-17-2001, 02:25 PM

Im getting private classical lessons from his son Bob Zimmerman. Great Teacher, just thought ide brag.

Christopher · #2 12-17-2001, 06:52 PM

How much are you paying for how many minutes?

GroovyJazz · #3 12-17-2001, 06:58 PM

>How much are you paying for how many minutes?

20 bucks a half hour but he always gives me more time. Hes a good guy too, he gave me a set of better strings for free and put them on with me, he hooked me up with free front seat tickets to see the RPO, right in front of the bass players (including him). Im going to his house next week to check out some of his basses and get a lesson. Hes cool. He always tells me about his dad and how he was world famous and when he grew up his mom kept telling him he would be a failure.....anyways yeah its real cool, im glad i have the opprotunity to study with him.

Leco · #4 10-11-2002, 11:53 AM

Really?
You have classes in NY?
Is he a good teacher?
How can I get in contact with him?
Thanks

dhosek · #5 10-14-2002, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GroovyJazz
>How much are you paying for how many minutes?

20 bucks a half hour

He's undercharging you at that rate. That's what I charge for plank lessons (I don't do URB lessons: I feel that's properly the domain of those better trained than me).

-dh

ARTSchitect · #6 03-13-2008, 06:58 PM

Might you be talking about Frederick Zimmerman?

JayR · #7 03-14-2008, 02:25 AM

I think he means Oscar Zimmerman's son. If I recall his son is named Robert. I think. Regardless, Oscar Zimmerman was totally The Man. If you guys have never read his autobiography, it's quite a fun read.

McGryff · #8 03-17-2008, 07:44 AM

Robert Zimmerman is the principal bassist of the Rochester (NY) Philharmonic. I think he's Oscar Zimmerman's son or grandson. His bio says that his father was a principal bassist (but doesn't mention the symphony's name). He's a great player to be sure, and our friend is fortunate to be able to work with him, especially at those rates!

Work hard & learn lots!

salcott · #9 03-17-2008, 12:55 PM

Bob is Oscar's son. You'll get some very valuable knowledge from him, passed down from several generations of the heavyweights of the bass world.

Illfavor · #10 03-21-2008, 09:34 AM

If only you guys could hear what Sankey had to say about Zimmerman. I promise, it is not complimentary.

salcott · #11 03-21-2008, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illfavor

If only you guys could hear what Sankey had to say about Zimmerman. I promise, it is not complimentary.

Is this relevant/necessary? Is this a gossip forum?

I don't know the exact number, but a lot of Oscar's students got orchestra jobs through the years.

Illfavor · #12 03-21-2008, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salcott

Is this relevant/necessary? Is this a gossip forum?

I don't know the exact number, but a lot of Oscar's students got orchestra jobs through the years.

Just making a joke, man. Down boy! Sheesh...I wasn't aware the TB forums had gotten so uptight!

salcott · #13 03-21-2008, 05:11 PM

I assume you heard Sankey say whatever it was he said. I never heard Oscar say a bad thing about any of his peers.

KSB - Ken Smith · #14 03-24-2008, 10:15 AM

Sankey re-edited the Simandl that FRED Zimmerman worked on. He I believe played in the NY Phil, no?

Oscar was Principal of the Rochester Phil. and Bass prof. at the Eastman School there. Bob who is Oscar's son took over the Principal chair at some point. Oscar also did all those excerpt books. Bob just now re-did a lot of them on a CD which is great by the way.

I don't know about any feuds between Sankey and any of the Zimmerman's but maybe it had to do with his idea about Simandl. Just about everyone went back to the F. Zimmerman version of Simandl until now.

With the Pivot style now in place for extended positions as well as other methods, it seems like Sankey was just a bit before his time.

Is the Sankey/Simandl still available anywhere?

I studied with a student of Sankey and a student of F.Zimmerman back to back (1969-1970). Basics are basics and didn't see much of a difference in my personal training. Both teachers I had then were great. Then I studied with a student of John Schaeffer (NY Phil. Princ.), Bill Blossom before he played in the Orchestra till he left town in '72. After that I studied with Lew Norton (NY Phil.) who was a previous pupil of Keith Robinson, Hal's Robinson's dad.

I had 4 great teachers from different styles of playing yet it was like climbing a ladder, not jumping stairs.

On Bob Zimmerman, I recently spoke on the phone with him. Great guy. I called about a Bass I have that he owned back in the 70s. He told me a few stories and also informed me about the new Excerpt CD of which I now own copy #1. Also, Bill Blossom was here recently and he told me a few stories about when he was at Eastman and studied with Oscar.

Small world huh?

McGryff · #15 03-24-2008, 10:19 AM

Ken,

Where did you get the excerpts & CDs that Bob Zimmerman made? I know his arrangements of the Bordogni vocalises (I'm familiar with those from my trombone days), but I didn't know about his other books. His stuff isn't as widely available as others', it would seem.

KSB - Ken Smith · #16 03-24-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McGryff

Ken,

Where did you get the excerpts & CDs that Bob Zimmerman made? I know his arrangements of the Bordogni vocalises (I'm familiar with those from my trombone days), but I didn't know about his other books. His stuff isn't as widely available as others', it would seem.

www.cherry-classics.com

By the way, Bob did the Bowing for his dad on the other stuff. When his set Mom sold the rights to Lemur, he was out of the picture. He bought all new and different music and made his own CD. Also, I think I need a new copy as he may have added some stuff since day one.

#17 03-24-2008, 11:35 AM

FYI Fred Zimmermann's name has two n's while Oscar Zimmerman has one.

I have no idea if there was any problem between Sankey and Fred Zimmermann, but it should be mentioned that Sankey was a student of Fred Zimmermann and served on the faculty at Juilliard together in the 1950's, so I doubt it. I will say though that Zimmermann was more adamant about the way his students played compared to Sankey and his editions are so much more consistent. From what I've heard Sankey let talented students get away with things, which might explain how Gary Karr and Edgar Meyer both studied with Sankey but play completely differently.

It would make more sense that Sankey had a problem with how Oscar Zimmerman played given that O.Zimmerman studied with Torello and played in the Philadelphia style which resulted from Ormandy's conducting. Ormandy had an obsession with legato and a lack of articulation and the traditional style of playing in Philadelphia from Torello and Roger Scott reflects those aesthetics with their on the string playing which contrasted with the off the string playing that was going on in New York whose aesthetics were molded by Toscanini and Bruno Walter.

salcott · #18 03-24-2008, 01:45 PM

"It would make more sense that Sankey had a problem with how Oscar Zimmerman played given that O.Zimmerman studied with Torello and played in the Philadelphia style which resulted from Ormandy's conducting. Ormandy had an obsession with legato and a lack of articulation and the traditional style of playing in Philadelphia from Torello and Roger Scott reflects those aesthetics with their on the string playing which contrasted with the off the string playing that was going on in New York whose aesthetics were molded by Toscanini and Bruno Walter."[/quote]

Oscar played in the NBC Orchestra under Toscanini, who, unless I'm greatly mistaken, was fairly particular regarding articulation.

KSB - Ken Smith · #19 03-24-2008, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p.nemeth

FYI Fred Zimmermann's name has two n's while Oscar Zimmerman has one.

I have no idea if there was any problem between Sankey and Fred Zimmermann, but it should be mentioned that Sankey was a student of Fred Zimmermann and served on the faculty at Juilliard together in the 1950's, so I doubt it. I will say though that Zimmermann was more adamant about the way his students played compared to Sankey and his editions are so much more consistent. From what I've heard Sankey let talented students get away with things, which might explain how Gary Karr and Edgar Meyer both studied with Sankey but play completely differently.

It would make more sense that Sankey had a problem with how Oscar Zimmerman played given that O.Zimmerman studied with Torello and played in the Philadelphia style which resulted from Ormandy's conducting. Ormandy had an obsession with legato and a lack of articulation and the traditional style of playing in Philadelphia from Torello and Roger Scott reflects those aesthetics with their on the string playing which contrasted with the off the string playing that was going on in New York whose aesthetics were molded by Toscanini and Bruno Walter.

Well, no wonder why I get all those strange looks here in the Philly Burbs in the sections I play in..lol

I think I'm playing normal and they think I'm overdoing it. NY, NY, NY... lol

Anyway, I think with the newer breed here like with Hal Robinson around, that will change if it hasn't already. I was just joking back there about the looks.. or.. was I?

G-force · #20 03-24-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p.nemeth

It would make more sense that Sankey had a problem with how Oscar Zimmerman played given that O.Zimmerman studied with Torello and played in the Philadelphia style which resulted from Ormandy's conducting. Ormandy had an obsession with legato and a lack of articulation and the traditional style of playing in Philadelphia from Torello and Roger Scott reflects those aesthetics with their on the string playing which contrasted with the off the string playing that was going on in New York whose aesthetics were molded by Toscanini and Bruno Walter.

As a former Roger Scott student I must respond to this. There was NO lack of articulation in the style of Roger Scott. This is not to mean that there was no legato in his playing or in the style he emulated. Fat sound maybe. Full hair maybe. as a mater of fact I remember him telling me about Oscar Zimmerman and some fact of him playing on the string. This was something he ( Scott) did NOT advocate.
As an aside I also studied with Homer Mensch. A real New York bassist. His style was very similar to Rogers. Big fat sound, good articulation, great dynamic range and musicality.