Mr. Gladstone was a superb but little known bassist. A student of Fred Zimmerman, he was my instructor's instructor. I never knew him but I once saw him play without realizing it for many years. Mr. Gladstone left New York to become principle bassist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and held the post for 36 years. He also taught at a few colleges in the area. Mr. Gladstone also played jazz but rarely did it professionally. My instructor has told me many stories about him.
Once while performing Copland in a college symphony on the bass and, during a solo, my instructor was embarrassed that Mr. Gladstone stopped the rehearsal he was attending and demanded that my instructor hand him his bass. Mr. Gladstone then began to stroke the E string arco. The bass rang to the rafters in a way that my instructor was not doing and yet he noted that Mr. Gladstone's arm was barely moving. Mr. Gladstone told my instructor that if the bass was to have any meaning at all in this piece, then THAT was how it would have to sound.
Once, Mr. Gladstone played a solo piece he had recorded of himself for my instructor (who taped it and played it for me once). My instructor asked why didn't he record a solo album with that kind of talent. Mr. Gladstone just shook his head. "I'm an ensemble player," he said.
Mr. Gladstone also told my instructor that when he was taking lessons from Mr. Zimmerman during the war, there were shortages of everything. Lesson books were scarce so Mr. Zimmerman wrote Mr. Gladstone's lessons and exercises on manuscript paper in his own hand.
Back in the late '70s, I went to see the DSO perform Beethoven's Egmont. The conductor was Antal Dorati who, according to Mr. Gladstone, was the best conductor the orchestra had ever had. At that show, Mr. Gladstone performed in the bass section but I took no particular notice of him. Would only that I had.
Mr. Gladstone died in 2002.
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a3/3d/b6/a33db64cc58e5ee14ebf7051685b8f64.jpg
Trying to find photos of Mr. Gladstone online has proven fruitless, these I am posting appear to be all that is available.
Once while performing Copland in a college symphony on the bass and, during a solo, my instructor was embarrassed that Mr. Gladstone stopped the rehearsal he was attending and demanded that my instructor hand him his bass. Mr. Gladstone then began to stroke the E string arco. The bass rang to the rafters in a way that my instructor was not doing and yet he noted that Mr. Gladstone's arm was barely moving. Mr. Gladstone told my instructor that if the bass was to have any meaning at all in this piece, then THAT was how it would have to sound.
Once, Mr. Gladstone played a solo piece he had recorded of himself for my instructor (who taped it and played it for me once). My instructor asked why didn't he record a solo album with that kind of talent. Mr. Gladstone just shook his head. "I'm an ensemble player," he said.
Mr. Gladstone also told my instructor that when he was taking lessons from Mr. Zimmerman during the war, there were shortages of everything. Lesson books were scarce so Mr. Zimmerman wrote Mr. Gladstone's lessons and exercises on manuscript paper in his own hand.
Back in the late '70s, I went to see the DSO perform Beethoven's Egmont. The conductor was Antal Dorati who, according to Mr. Gladstone, was the best conductor the orchestra had ever had. At that show, Mr. Gladstone performed in the bass section but I took no particular notice of him. Would only that I had.
Mr. Gladstone died in 2002.
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a3/3d/b6/a33db64cc58e5ee14ebf7051685b8f64.jpg
Trying to find photos of Mr. Gladstone online has proven fruitless, these I am posting appear to be all that is available.
