In 1967, my high school band had the privilege of having Frederick Fennell as the guest conductor at our spring concert. Rehearsing under his direction and then being conducted by him was a privilege and a wonderful experience.
I too had the privilege of working with Maestro Fennell. January of 1983 the college I was attending was having a band festival with the Maestro as the guest clinician for the high school students. We had the honor of working with him the day before the festival, and of course this piece had to be in the program.
Some directors are masters at knowing every note, chord, and nuance in a transcription. Two and a half hours on one piece of music. With some of the best in the world. It shows that we can all get better and be better all the time.
Dr. Fennell has such insight as to how he wants the story told. How amazing he can cue a part two beats before it is to occur; ahh, this is true knowledge of the score. He is such a believer of agogics, of which is forgotten by most conductors. It's so clear how he uses this tool to give the selection it's personality. Love the comments made toward the timpanist and the concept of resonance by not dampening. Notice how he has talked about note length for tone fullness and to bring forth the possibilities of the massed wind band. Not since his passing have we yet to have anyone come forth with this kind of loving passion and substance of knowledge to lead this wonderful musical medium.
Playing this piece was a life changing. Not so much because my part was difficult. Bass trombone part on this isn't all that difficult. But the amazement of the people around me making this amazing piece of music come to life. This guy gets it. I wish I had of watched this before we performed it.
Every aspiring conductor should study this video. Fennel offers a veritable clinic in how to work with gifted musicians to make music at the highest level. Toscanini without the tantrums.
My college wind ensemble conductor Donald E Greene got his MA degree from the ESM and played clarinet in Dr Fennell’s wind ensemble We were very good and while touring or in concert when things were going really well he would get that grin and or smile on his face After watching Dr F conduct this wonderful piece with the Navy Band I now know where he got those facial expressions from Dr F’s attention to detail, vertical balance being sure all the notes of a chord were heard and his comments separate him from we mere mortals Bravo Lincolnshire Posy has never sounded better
I had the privilege of rehearsing sections of this piece under Fennell some 40 years ago at a clinic. An absolute master who brought out every nuance! This video is a treasure. Thank you.
The man is a legend. A legend since I was a little boy. To watch him rehearse is the most amazing privilige. This band is superb. And how wonderful to hear Percy Grainger's music and to know that he is not forgotten. He was a genius.
Fennell was an educator AND a brilliant conductor who tirelessly drove his musicians to play their very best. He truly was a genius in leading wind ensemble/symphonic band music. Lincolnshire Posy leaps to life under his baton. Most grateful for this rehearsal and subsequent performance videos!
Like a lot of the comments here, I've worked with some conductors who have been quite difficult, but Dr. Fennell is a gentleman and a genius, and what a sound he gets from the band. This piece by Percy Grainger is an absolute masterpiece, if you can listen to the original songs that Grainger transcribed and he gets the 'feel' and sound of each singer perfectly. I can watch this over and over. Bravo!!
I grew up with Fred's Mercury LP of this work. He clearly not only understood Percy Grainger's settings but the original folk songs which Gainger collected at the Brigg music festival where Lincolnshire folk gathered to pefrom. Brigg's music festival , in recent years named "Briggstock", kept going up to 2015. So this combination of Fred, Grainger and Brigg folk songs ( I live near Brigg) is magic to me.
"Very nice . . . let's go again." HAR HAR HAR!! I was lucky enough to play under Dr. Fennell once and remember it distinctly nearly 50 years later. When the world starts to go to #%*@, play this piece with Dr. Fennell again for about an hour . . . and things are okay.
Fortunate to have had the chance to perform this piece. Never met Mr. Fennell, unfortunately, but had the chance to watch him rehearse during my long-ago summer at Interlochen. This is wonderful to watch.
Awesome - have always treasured Fennell and the Eastman Wind Ensemble recordings of the British Band Classics. Wonderful to see him at work. But picking out individual instruments for two notes??? Talk about detail! Great video - thank you!
For years and years I worked with tape and then digital recording. What a thrill to see a director and live performers so able to take changes and deliver them perfectly in real time.
Fred wrote on my score in May of 1970 after performing this work on a concert. "Many happy memories with this great score". He and this work remain seared in my memory forever. Thanks so much for posting this rehearsal.
Watching him reminds me of watching Gil Shaham playing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. So much happiness and awe in their faces usually, but when it gets intense, it's like an entirely new performer. So cool!
If you follow Maestro Fennell's instructions and "demands" from the players in order to do justice to the composer's score (including the maestro's "singing," coaxing, wit, wisdom, praises, playfulness, and insight into music making) throughout the rehearsal, you may begin to understand and appreciate what Gustav Mahler meant when he observed that there are no bad orchestras (or symphonic bands in this case) but bad conductors. I hope this is my humble tribute to the memory of this great conductor and educator. "That's very good. . . . One more time, please. . . ."
What a treasure indeed. In 1977, while a member of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, we performed Grainger's "Hill Songs, No. 2" with Fennell as a guest conductor on an Eastman Wind Ensemble performance in Washington DC. To watch the interaction between Fennell and Hunsberger was priceless. They genuinely cared for each other. That concert also was the premier of Schwantner's "..and the mountains rising nowhere". Does anyone know when this recording was made?
I had the pleasure of the Fennell baton for one of my trips to Luther's festival band excursions. This is a heads up to all band members of how a pro works the music in rehearsal.
I was under Dr. Fennell's baton during a concert while stationed with the 2nd Armored Band at Fort Hood, Texas. In the piece that I was playing I was on crash cymbals. It was difficult to find where Dr. Fennell's downbeat was in each measure. DAVID SAELENS (Rock Island, IL. 21 July 2018.
Anyone who plays in a concert or symphony band should appreciate the higher level of rehearsal in this video where the primary focus is on musicality and interpretation rather than having to worry about the musicians playing notes correctly. I've played in some bands where the director is so jaded by past experience with lesser-experienced players (such as typical high school bands or lower) that they become incapable of focusing on the nitty-gritty details of musical interpretation when they are in front of a band with more-experienced and talented players. It takes a very special director to have the vision to bring out those subtle details of the music that most higher-level musicians are capable of doing with the right leadership.
I played under tyrannical conductors (you know who I'm talking about) who terrorized the ensemble, yet the late Fred got better results by being a decent human.
Yet, some of the most celebrated conductors were cruel dictators. Fritz Reiner, Toscanini, William D. Revelli, Georg Solti ("the Screaming Skull"), Benny Goodman.
Fred is the example of proper teaching in human form. Teachers should never use tyrannical methods. There is a time for a strong hand, but not 100% of the time.
I beg to differ regarding Toscanini. He was hardly cruel. My first teacher played for the NBC Symphony under Toscanini and while he was tyrannical from time to time he was never cruel and he LOVED his musicians and did many things for them.
So, your teacher said nothing about Toscanini calling the musicians *"bastards"* if they did not play the passage exactly as he wanted it? According to *The Maestro Myth* by Norman Lebrecht, there are stories of Toscanini striking musicians. "In Turin, he snapped a violinist's bow, causing him facial injury and narrowly missing an eye." Toscanini's tantrums are compared to those of Hitler. There are videos here of Toscanini in rehearsal. The best is The Art of Conducting, Pt.1. A lot of screaming, a lot of profanity, all directed at the musicians, and when he was really angry, he'd break his baton in two and throw it (among other things) at them. But don't take my word. Watch the appalling videos. Wilhelm Furtwängler said that Toscanini "has no innate manual talent."
I don't believe in magic, but i do believe in magical people. People that gain the distinct privilege of having a skill that most people don't have and is impossible to learn. I've only been in choirs, with occasional orchestral overlap, but you can tell a great conductor apart from a good one.
+You Tuber I found the information. It was from a 1987 rehearsal preparing for the Midwest clinic that year. Fennell was 73 years old at the time of this rehearsal. I hope I'm half this sharp at 73.
In 1967, my high school band had the privilege of having Frederick Fennell as the guest conductor at our spring concert. Rehearsing under his direction and then being conducted by him was a privilege and a wonderful experience.
I too had the privilege of working with Maestro Fennell. January of 1983 the college I was attending was having a band festival with the Maestro as the guest clinician for the high school students. We had the honor of working with him the day before the festival, and of course this piece had to be in the program.
Must be nice :'( Never got the chance to meet him
Hie cues are perfect.
"I'm not going to heaven so I might as well have it the way I like it here..." that's a pretty dark comment coming from such a positive man
It's not dark, It's deep. Consider this bit of wisdom: "They promise you heaven so they can steal this world."
Some directors are masters at knowing every note, chord, and nuance in a transcription. Two and a half hours on one piece of music. With some of the best in the world. It shows that we can all get better and be better all the time.
It’s special when it’s your own arrangement!
This belongs in every band director's library. Thank you for sharing.
26 minutes is a long time to leave the trombones to their own devices. This guy is playing with fire!
Dr. Fennell has such insight as to how he wants the story told. How amazing he can cue a part two beats before it is to occur; ahh, this is true knowledge of the score. He is such a believer of agogics, of which is forgotten by most conductors. It's so clear how he uses this tool to give the selection it's personality. Love the comments made toward the timpanist and the concept of resonance by not dampening. Notice how he has talked about note length for tone fullness and to bring forth the possibilities of the massed wind band. Not since his passing have we yet to have anyone come forth with this kind of loving passion and substance of knowledge to lead this wonderful musical medium.
Jesus Christ, this piece is insane. And one of the most amazing things ever committed to paper. Great resource.
it’s the greatest masterpiece ever written for wind band, if not any ensemble.
@@darkforest33 It really is quite a marvel
24:45 is magnificent! Conducting with his face. What a delight.
Tim Hawkins Yes!!!
And still manages to convey and cue *everything* they rehearsed. Even the oboe. Incredible.
Man oh man does this band pay attention. So nice to hear.
Playing this piece was a life changing. Not so much because my part was difficult. Bass trombone part on this isn't all that difficult. But the amazement of the people around me making this amazing piece of music come to life. This guy gets it. I wish I had of watched this before we performed it.
Every aspiring conductor should study this video. Fennel offers a veritable clinic in how to work with gifted musicians to make music at the highest level. Toscanini without the tantrums.
Oh my goodness, this is a piece of music history. Can't express how much I value this.
So cool at 1:18 when Dr. Fennell sings Rufford Park Poachers in the free meter style of a folk singer. Fennell and Grainger - both geniuses!
It's an absolute treat watching this lovely guy at work. Anyone who takes on a Grainger piece is a hero.
My college wind ensemble conductor Donald E Greene got his MA degree from the ESM and played clarinet in Dr Fennell’s wind ensemble
We were very good and while touring or in concert when things were going really well he would get that grin and or smile on his face
After watching Dr F conduct this wonderful piece with the Navy Band I now know where he got those facial expressions from
Dr F’s attention to detail, vertical balance being sure all the notes of a chord were heard and his comments separate him from we mere mortals
Bravo Lincolnshire Posy has never sounded better
I had the privilege of rehearsing sections of this piece under Fennell some 40 years ago at a clinic. An absolute master who brought out every nuance!
This video is a treasure. Thank you.
The man is a legend. A legend since I was a little boy. To watch him rehearse is the most amazing privilige. This band is superb. And how wonderful to hear Percy Grainger's music and to know that he is not forgotten. He was a genius.
Fennell was an educator AND a brilliant conductor who tirelessly drove his musicians to play their very best. He truly was a genius in leading wind ensemble/symphonic band music. Lincolnshire Posy leaps to life under his baton. Most grateful for this rehearsal and subsequent performance videos!
Absolute genius.
He may have been physically tiny - but, in reality - he was a GIANT! Fantastic, treasure of a video!
Wow, there's so much to learn from him. Thank you for posting this.
Like a lot of the comments here, I've worked with some conductors who have been quite difficult, but Dr. Fennell is a gentleman and a genius, and what a sound he gets from the band. This piece by Percy Grainger is an absolute masterpiece, if you can listen to the original songs that Grainger transcribed and he gets the 'feel' and sound of each singer perfectly. I can watch this over and over. Bravo!!
I watched the entire rehearsal, Maestro Fennell is an extremely entertaining, yet effective conductor. This was two hours well spent!
I grew up with Fred's Mercury LP of this work. He clearly not only understood Percy Grainger's settings but the original folk songs which Gainger collected at the Brigg music festival where Lincolnshire folk gathered to pefrom. Brigg's music festival , in recent years named "Briggstock", kept going up to 2015. So this combination of Fred, Grainger and Brigg folk songs ( I live near Brigg) is magic to me.
I'm so happy this is on the internet! What an awesome resource!
what a wonderful viewing. Mr. Fennell was truly so connected to the music it's phenomenal.
An exceptional conductor and teacher with a really empathetic gift for communicating, as he says, "with the people in front of me".
Of all the conductors in the world, he was definitely one of them.
*Looks up from video*
And you are………..?
A great piece, a great band and what A Man !!! It's wonderfull to see him work.
Mille mercis pour le partage
Fantastic to watch. Fennell visited Norway in 1990 and rehearsed this piece with a band I played in. Takes me back :)
"Very nice . . . let's go again." HAR HAR HAR!!
I was lucky enough to play under Dr. Fennell once and remember it distinctly nearly 50 years later.
When the world starts to go to #%*@, play this piece with Dr. Fennell again for about an hour . . . and things are okay.
Fortunate to have had the chance to perform this piece. Never met Mr. Fennell, unfortunately, but had the chance to watch him rehearse during my long-ago summer at Interlochen. This is wonderful to watch.
Absolutely wonderful, masterclass in how to conduct a rehearsal to get the best from everyone
This director is a master at interpretation
Awesome - have always treasured Fennell and the Eastman Wind Ensemble recordings of the British Band Classics. Wonderful to see him at work. But picking out individual instruments for two notes??? Talk about detail! Great video - thank you!
Who the hell gives this a dislike?
Some humanoids have truly sad, rotten, dark, dreary, miserable "lives." Be thankful.
Maybe a string player?
The drunk man from the pub
A community band director wannabe.
For years and years I worked with tape and then digital recording. What a thrill to see a director and live performers so able to take changes and deliver them perfectly in real time.
Absolutely amazing! I could have watched another whole 2 hours of this!
This is amazing. Thank you for uploading this!
This man has incredible ears
Fred wrote on my score in May of 1970 after performing this work on a concert. "Many happy memories with this great score". He and this work remain seared in my memory forever. Thanks so much for posting this rehearsal.
Watching him reminds me of watching Gil Shaham playing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. So much happiness and awe in their faces usually, but when it gets intense, it's like an entirely new performer. So cool!
I'd love to see a rehearsal of sousa marches with fennell and the eastman wind ensemble - now that would be a treat! - thanks usnb
If you follow Maestro Fennell's instructions and "demands" from the players in order to do justice to the composer's score (including the maestro's "singing," coaxing, wit, wisdom, praises, playfulness, and insight into music making) throughout the rehearsal, you may begin to understand and appreciate what Gustav Mahler meant when he observed that there are no bad orchestras (or symphonic bands in this case) but bad conductors. I hope this is my humble tribute to the memory of this great conductor and educator. "That's very good. . . . One more time, please. . . ."
What a treasure! Thank you.
What a treasure indeed. In 1977, while a member of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, we performed Grainger's "Hill Songs, No. 2" with Fennell as a guest conductor on an Eastman Wind Ensemble performance in Washington DC. To watch the interaction between Fennell and Hunsberger was priceless. They genuinely cared for each other. That concert also was the premier of Schwantner's "..and the mountains rising nowhere". Does anyone know when this recording was made?
The description says this is from a 2-disc educational set from 2012
I believe this was recorded in 1987 (or 1986), just prior to that year's Midwest clinic.
I had the pleasure of the Fennell baton for one of my trips to Luther's festival band excursions. This is a heads up to all band members of how a pro works the music in rehearsal.
I was under Dr. Fennell's baton during a concert while stationed with the 2nd Armored Band at Fort Hood, Texas. In the piece that I was playing I was on crash cymbals. It was difficult to find where Dr. Fennell's downbeat was in each measure. DAVID SAELENS (Rock Island, IL. 21 July 2018.
You probably needed glasses.
FANTASTIC!!!
This is wonderful!
EXTRAORDINARY & LIFE ALTERING -- WOW
Anyone who plays in a concert or symphony band should appreciate the higher level of rehearsal in this video where the primary focus is on musicality and interpretation rather than having to worry about the musicians playing notes correctly. I've played in some bands where the director is so jaded by past experience with lesser-experienced players (such as typical high school bands or lower) that they become incapable of focusing on the nitty-gritty details of musical interpretation when they are in front of a band with more-experienced and talented players. It takes a very special director to have the vision to bring out those subtle details of the music that most higher-level musicians are capable of doing with the right leadership.
the release at 1:14:37 is just perfect...
Awesome music conductor by legend
The discussion at 01:45:30 is gold.
Are there any more rehearsal footage from legends like Fennell?
Great video!!!!
Holy crap where are they rehearsing this?? Sounds WONDERFUL!
I played under tyrannical conductors (you know who I'm talking about) who terrorized the ensemble, yet the late Fred got better results by being a decent human.
+Keith Otis Edwards terror leads the way to false art. Humanity leads the way to true art.
Yet, some of the most celebrated conductors were cruel dictators. Fritz Reiner, Toscanini, William D. Revelli, Georg Solti ("the Screaming Skull"), Benny Goodman.
Fred is the example of proper teaching in human form. Teachers should never use tyrannical methods. There is a time for a strong hand, but not 100% of the time.
I beg to differ regarding Toscanini. He was hardly cruel. My first teacher played for the NBC Symphony under Toscanini and while he was tyrannical from time to time he was never cruel and he LOVED his musicians and did many things for them.
So, your teacher said nothing about Toscanini calling the musicians *"bastards"* if they did not play the passage exactly as he wanted it?
According to *The Maestro Myth* by Norman Lebrecht, there are stories of Toscanini striking musicians. "In Turin, he snapped a violinist's bow, causing him facial injury and narrowly missing an eye." Toscanini's tantrums are compared to those of Hitler.
There are videos here of Toscanini in rehearsal. The best is The Art of Conducting, Pt.1.
A lot of screaming, a lot of profanity, all directed at the musicians, and when he was really angry, he'd break his baton in two and throw it (among other things) at them.
But don't take my word. Watch the appalling videos.
Wilhelm Furtwängler said that Toscanini "has no innate manual talent."
awesome. thanks
Talk about good cuing!
I don't believe in magic, but i do believe in magical people. People that gain the distinct privilege of having a skill that most people don't have and is impossible to learn. I've only been in choirs, with occasional orchestral overlap, but you can tell a great conductor apart from a good one.
The Best.
Is there a reason that Grainger has it end on a D minor with the added B? It’s cool, just unexpected.
Pure magic.
1:47:54 “guys kinda smashed, ykno and can’t remember what the next word is really”
IIII AM A NOOOBLE ENGLISHSGH MAN LOOOORD MELBOURNE IIIS MY NAME IIIIIIII NEVER LOST ANY BATTLE BUUT WON GREAT VICTORYY
One more time
Does ANYONE know when this was recorded?
+You Tuber I found the information. It was from a 1987 rehearsal preparing for the Midwest clinic that year. Fennell was 73 years old at the time of this rehearsal. I hope I'm half this sharp at 73.
Sibley band family lives here
YES!!!!
Fennell conducting
Fennell
🍀🎶🍀
2:10:04 for me
No disrespect intended towards Frederick the Great, but I swear if I close my eyes, I think I'm hearing the voice of Mel Brooks.
I hear George Carlin
No score. All conductors can learn from this.
34:17 easily the funniest part of the video.
An exceptional conductor and teacher with a really empathetic gift for communicating, as he says, "with the people in front of me".