Thank you so much for posting this, saw Laila Storch in there, too. The ending reminds us all why John Mack was the greatest classical oboist in addition to teacher. He also opened his heart and secrets to a special group of over 70 oboists for a week of intensive study and fun and more seriously helpful tips each summer in Little Switzerland, NC in the Blue Ridge Mountains at John Mack Oboe Camp. Thank you for posting this. RIP, John Mack, thank you for helping me so much to be a better player and to provide a model for the sound I wished to hear one day when I played more than any other.
My father, Alfred Genovese was first chair oboist at Cleveland prior to Mr. Mack playing there. Both prized students of the legendary oboist Marcel Tabuteau...
A teacher who loved his students and gave them everything he could. Sounded incredible in Severance Hall, huge sound. People who sound airy up close often having the most perfectly projecting and ringing sounds when heard in the audience, my father used to say. Mack was a master of that, and so much else. Those who didn’t get to study with him or were resistant towards him often resent how well his students did in the orchestral arena, so now everyone in America is turning to European oboe playing and not doing it any justice. It’s time American oboists look back to their roots. My father was an oboist and saw this unfortunate trend in his late life. I myself am a vocalist and really do hear that Mack and Delancie students play like a singer would sing- with refinement, vocal inflection, beauty, and sincerity. If I sing with the oboe player I’m listening to and it sounds right and natural to me- it always ends up being one of them!
This is a great video, especially at the end where we get to see and hear him play. For me he sets such a high standard of oboe playing. Others have qualities that I love, and that stands out, but for me John Mack is the quintissential oboist.
I have read about Mack's famous 10-minute reed. I can't believe he cuts the tip with his knife and I haven't as a method, practiced on a reed at that early stage. (!) Definitely going to try that... Thank you for posting--- very nice touch to have him perform at the end of the video! He does play just like Tabuteau, very close to the body as did my teacher, William Criss.
It's very revealing to watch this video and somewhat surprising. First, I was surprised to see Mr. Mack cutting the tip of the reed with a knife. Unless he was using a different knife than his scraping knife, because scraping knives have to be sharpened with a burr on the blade so that they scrape, not cut. And I know that he did this procedure for most of his life by eye. However, things that I do differently is that when I place my cane on my shaper tip, I always hold it backlit through a lamp to make sure that it is centered on the shaper tip. When I place the cane onto the staple, I always start without the mandrel and look through the bottom end so that the cane stays level with the oval of the staple opening. After a couple of winds, I then insert the mandrel. I also put a pencil mark on the cane where the staple ends so I don't wind the string past the tip. This of course will crush the cane. If is also important to not tilt the razor blade when shaping, but keeping the razor blade perpendicular to the shaper blade. It seems like Mr. Mack was trying to be concise in this short video, but I myself make more consistent reeds this way. Scraping is a whole new ball game and knife sharpening a crap shoot! Of course, he was the God of reed making.
I adore Harold Gombergs artistry as well. Old school I suppose. Robert Bloom too. I knew John Ellis for a while, and bought an AK Loree he used in the movie studio and Hollywood Bowl. A scraped reed in 4 minutes! Joe Robinson ... hell! All those New York Oboist’s made last minute reeds. Seems to work that way. You can make a brand new reed and it will play beautifully right away as if that’s the only way to make an oboe reed sound good and playing right. The next day, You’ll work on it for hours and it will never play like it did when it was first scraped! I do have luck taking my time to finish the minor adjustments over several dry out periods. :) Personally I make the basic scrape at 71 to 72 mm then I let it set overnight and a little bit at a time and those reeds last me many rehearsals and performances too. I just did two performances of the first and fourth movement of Beethoven 9th with the Paradise Symphony to honor the firefighters and responders to the campfire. We have beautiful soloists and I had a wonderful reed and each and every note just the way I wanted it. Endurance :-) And a well-made reed from a good piece of cane. Thrilling.
Si es posible una pregunta .¿ A cuanto estan gubiadas estas cañas? que se doblan tan facilmente con la presion de los dedos simplemente apoyandola en el filo de la navaja . Las mias son de 0,65 mm y eso es imposible pero claro tampoco me sale la respiracion circular por mucho que lo intento y no se si es el problema Gracias ....
JewelBlueIbanez No it doesn’t. I’ve made my own reeds since 1970. The shape and the technique of tying on a particular staple contrives how well the blades will seal upon the staple. In over 50 years of playing the oboe there have been only 3 or 4 reeds that have ever leaked. I have made thousands of reeds over the years. As a matter fact, I am one of the few that ties reeds freehand as did John Ellis who taught at North Carolina school of the arts and Hollywood Bowl summertimes, and recorded oboe on most of John Williams scores. One wonderful story he told me once was the only time he ever had to do a second take was on Close Encounters. The spaceship five note motive was actually John Ellis on oboe, taken down one and two octaves. That was John Ellis on the oboe. It’s English horn reeds that are much more prone to leakage. Goldbeaters skin and Teflon tape work.
Bobby Layne that’s a very good response I think a good quality piece of cane well cared for and can last up to 20 hours. Sometimes I set a “concert“ read aside. Making many raids in between for rehearsals and the next concert, sometimes I go back to my “concert Reed” When we are lucky we do get 5 to 20 hours on a quality piece of cane which has been well scraped and cared for.
@@nomorebushz Thanks for the informative response! My friend just sent me a picture of a 'little beauty'. I joke that she should switch to tuba, or just stick to the english horn. She jokingly said 'I punch myself every day' after I commented how much work and artistry it takes to make a good oboe reed.
Marcus Junius Brutus It wasn’t so much that he was pompous which he may have been but it’s the way his students worshipped him which was… Just the way it was. Of course his recordings were wonderful.
Thank you so much for posting this, saw Laila Storch in there, too. The ending reminds us all why John Mack was the greatest classical oboist in addition to teacher. He also opened his heart and secrets to a special group of over 70 oboists for a week of intensive study and fun and more seriously helpful tips each summer in Little Switzerland, NC in the Blue Ridge Mountains at John Mack Oboe Camp. Thank you for posting this. RIP, John Mack, thank you for helping me so much to be a better player and to provide a model for the sound I wished to hear one day when I played more than any other.
My father, Alfred Genovese was first chair oboist at Cleveland prior to Mr. Mack playing there. Both prized students of the legendary oboist Marcel Tabuteau...
Al Genovese was a great oboist and musician.
A teacher who loved his students and gave them everything he could. Sounded incredible in Severance Hall, huge sound. People who sound airy up close often having the most perfectly projecting and ringing sounds when heard in the audience, my father used to say. Mack was a master of that, and so much else. Those who didn’t get to study with him or were resistant towards him often resent how well his students did in the orchestral arena, so now everyone in America is turning to European oboe playing and not doing it any justice. It’s time American oboists look back to their roots. My father was an oboist and saw this unfortunate trend in his late life. I myself am a vocalist and really do hear that Mack and Delancie students play like a singer would sing- with refinement, vocal inflection, beauty, and sincerity. If I sing with the oboe player I’m listening to and it sounds right and natural to me- it always ends up being one of them!
A great post - thank you for sharing, Stefan. My wife studied with Mr. Mack, and I continually marvel at how much effort oboists put in to their art.
I’ve been making reeds for 15 years but never tried silk thread. I’ll have to give that a go next time I buy thread.
Excellent, what a teacher. Fortunate to have this video to share.
Arcane ritual is exactly the right term lmao
He is sorely missed!
This is a great video, especially at the end where we get to see and hear him play. For me he sets such a high standard of oboe playing. Others have qualities that I love, and that stands out, but for me John Mack is the quintissential oboist.
That was from the year I graduated CIM! I miss him so much! This just brought back so many wonderful memories! Thank you!
I have read about Mack's famous 10-minute reed. I can't believe he cuts the tip with his knife and I haven't as a method, practiced on a reed at that early stage. (!) Definitely going to try that... Thank you for posting--- very nice touch to have him perform at the end of the video! He does play just like Tabuteau, very close to the body as did my teacher, William Criss.
Rebecca Moore
Close to the body for a small chamber orchestra. If a very large symphony, with a full brass section... that may be different. :)
What a fabulous jewel of a video !!!!! Priceless.
What a gem of a video. Loved it. Thanks for posting.
this is so cool! im gonna start adjusting my reeds soon... im so excited!
It's very revealing to watch this video and somewhat surprising. First, I was surprised to see Mr. Mack cutting the tip of the reed with a knife. Unless he was using a different knife than his scraping knife, because scraping knives have to be sharpened with a burr on the blade so that they scrape, not cut. And I know that he did this procedure for most of his life by eye. However, things that I do differently is that when I place my cane on my shaper tip, I always hold it backlit through a lamp to make sure that it is centered on the shaper tip. When I place the cane onto the staple, I always start without the mandrel and look through the bottom end so that the cane stays level with the oval of the staple opening. After a couple of winds, I then insert the mandrel. I also put a pencil mark on the cane where the staple ends so I don't wind the string past the tip. This of course will crush the cane. If is also important to not tilt the razor blade when shaping, but keeping the razor blade perpendicular to the shaper blade. It seems like Mr. Mack was trying to be concise in this short video, but I myself make more consistent reeds this way. Scraping is a whole new ball game and knife sharpening a crap shoot! Of course, he was the God of reed making.
I adore Harold Gombergs artistry as well. Old school I suppose. Robert Bloom too. I knew John Ellis for a while, and bought an AK Loree he used in the movie studio and Hollywood Bowl. A scraped reed in 4 minutes! Joe Robinson ... hell! All those New York Oboist’s made last minute reeds. Seems to work that way. You can make a brand new reed and it will play beautifully right away as if that’s the only way to make an oboe reed sound good and playing right. The next day, You’ll work on it for hours and it will never play like it did when it was first scraped! I do have luck taking my time to finish the minor adjustments over several dry out periods.
:) Personally I make the basic scrape at 71 to 72 mm then I let it set overnight and a little bit at a time and those reeds last me many rehearsals and performances too. I just did two performances of the first and fourth movement of Beethoven 9th with the Paradise Symphony to honor the firefighters and responders to the campfire. We have beautiful soloists and I had a wonderful reed and each and every note just the way I wanted it. Endurance :-) And a well-made reed from a good piece of cane. Thrilling.
Thank you so much for sharing this, he was the best!
Thank you for posting this, Stefan!
but it can be..... yes, it can. love it!! thanks for this !
And the subtle smile just before saying that and telling us what he really thought. Priceless.
At John Mack's age at the time of this video, I find it so surprising that he did not need to wear glasses for reed making. Amazing!
Judging by his lenses, he actually saw pretty well up-close without them and mainly needed glasses to see far away!
I was surprised by this, too! No reading glasses at his age?? Wow!
...or should I say, "reeding" glasses 😂
I could not agree with you more. However, let's not forget the teacher of both men: Marcel Tabuteau.
Si es posible una pregunta .¿ A cuanto estan gubiadas estas cañas? que se doblan tan facilmente con la presion de los dedos simplemente apoyandola en el filo de la navaja . Las mias son de 0,65 mm y eso es imposible pero claro tampoco me sale la respiracion circular por mucho que lo intento y no se si es el problema Gracias ....
I am interested to know that, too. Maybe it is gouged thinner than average, and that's part of how he could make a reed so quickly? 🤷♀️
An oboe reed will last forever... if you never play on it.
Jeff Zabelski even then, the reed dries out and loses its seal.
My friend who plays oboe and cuts reeds says a read will last a professional 5 hours. She gets about 10 hours of play.
JewelBlueIbanez
No it doesn’t. I’ve made my own reeds since 1970. The shape and the technique of tying on a particular staple contrives how well the blades will seal upon the staple. In over 50 years of playing the oboe there have been only 3 or 4 reeds that have ever leaked. I have made thousands of reeds over the years. As a matter fact, I am one of the few that ties reeds freehand as did John Ellis who taught at North Carolina school of the arts and Hollywood Bowl summertimes, and recorded oboe on most of John Williams scores. One wonderful story he told me once was the only time he ever had to do a second take was on Close Encounters. The spaceship five note motive was actually John Ellis on oboe, taken down one and two octaves. That was John Ellis on the oboe.
It’s English horn reeds that are much more prone to leakage. Goldbeaters skin and Teflon tape work.
Bobby Layne that’s a very good response I think a good quality piece of cane well cared for and can last up to 20 hours. Sometimes I set a “concert“ read aside. Making many raids in between for rehearsals and the next concert, sometimes I go back to my “concert Reed” When we are lucky we do get 5 to 20 hours on a quality piece of cane which has been well scraped and cared for.
@@nomorebushz Thanks for the informative response! My friend just sent me a picture of a 'little beauty'. I joke that she should switch to tuba, or just stick to the english horn. She jokingly said 'I punch myself every day' after I commented how much work and artistry it takes to make a good oboe reed.
Now, who the HELL gives this thumbs down!!!!! :P:P:P
Someone who couldn't make a reed as quickly as him. :P
Morons.
Ignorant people!
The sound of the recording is remarkably good. Listening to the sound of his lungs is appalling.
👍
R U GOING TO SELL THAT REED
Reminder: U R SNIFFING IN THE VID LOL O_o
His position is really bad when he plays, but but his low notes come out. How bizarre!
@sam fun rude
He was the best
He was a pompous person who forgot what he learned at Curtis which eventually killed him. Great when he first left Curtis then it all went to hell.
Adam Kiswardy don't understand this comment. I don't think there is any oboist in America who had surpassed his standard.
Marcus Junius Brutus It wasn’t so much that he was pompous which he may have been but it’s the way his students worshipped him which was… Just the way it was. Of course his recordings were wonderful.