Month: October 2025

100 years ago today – Rochut, Brahms 1, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra

100 years ago today – Rochut, Brahms 1, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra

by Douglas Yeo (October 9, 2025)

Readers of The Last Trombone know something about the life and work of the French trombonist, trombonist Joannès Rochut, who was principal trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1925–1930. I have written several articles about Rochut—who is best known for his influential books for trombone, Melodious Etudes for Trombone, arranged from the Vocalises of Marco Bordogni—here on The Last Trombone. You can find those articles here:

In addition, I wrote a 70 page article about Rochut’s life and work, “More than Bordogni: The Life, Work, and Influence of Joannès Rochut,” that appeared in the January 2025 International Trombone Association Journal.

Today, October 9, 2025, is the 100th anniversary of the first concert that Joannès Rochut played with the Boston Symphony. Here is the program and the list of orchestra personnel from the concert:

Program for the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s opening night concert of October 10, 1925

Boston Symphony Orchestra personnel as printed in the program for the concert of October 9, 1925

Here is a photograph of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, taken in fall 1925. Joannès Rochut is in the back row of the orchestra just in front of the right side of a doorway that’s in the center of the back wall of the stage. To his left are assistant principal trombonist Eugène Adam, second trombonist Lucien Hansotte, bass trombonist Leroy Kenfield, and tubist Paul Sidow.

Boston Symphony Orchestra on stage at Symphony Hall, Boston. Serge Koussevitzky, conductor. Fall, 1925. Courtesy Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives.

Detail of the photo above. Back row, left to right: Joannès Rochut, Eugène Adam, Lucien Hansotte, Leroy Kenfield, Paul Sidow (tuba)

This anniversary means a little more to me than the fact that I have been fascinated with Rochut’s life and work for over 40 years. That’s because he and I share a connection to our first opening night programs as members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

On October 1, 1985, I played my first opening night concert as bass trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I joined the BSO in May 1985 and played several weeks of the 1985 Boston Pops season and all of the orchestra’s 1985 summer season at Tanglewood. But opening night of each Boston Symphony season was always a special event. As you can see from the program below, Rochut’s first opening night concert with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and mine shared something: we both played Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 on the concert. He was conducted by Serge Koussevitzky; I was conducted by Seiji Ozawa.

Program of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s opening night concert of October 1, 1985

Boston Symphony Orchestra personnel as printed in the program for the concert of October 1, 1985

I don’t have a photograph of the Boston Symphony from my first full season with the orchestra, 1985–1986. But here is the earliest photo I have of the orchestra after I joined, taken in Symphony Hall during the 1987-1988 season.  The trumpets and trombones are along the back wall of the stage (left to right): assistant principal trumpeter Timothy Morrison, second trumpeter Peter Chapman, principal trumpeter Charles Schlueter, principal trombonist Ronald Barron, second trombonist Norman Bolter, bass trombonist Douglas Yeo, and tubist Chester Schmitz.

Boston Symphony Orchestra on stage at Symphony Hall, Boston. Seiji Ozawa, conductor. 1987–1988 season. Courtesy Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives.

Detail of the photo above. Back row, left to right: Timothy Morrison, Peter Chapman, Charles Schlueter, Ronald Barron, Norman Bolter, Douglas Yeo, Chester Schmitz (tuba).

There you have it. Two opening night Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts, 65 years apart. Both concerts were in Symphony Hall, Boston. One common piece, the Symphony No. 1 in C minor of Johannes Brahms. And two new members of the trombone section, Joannès Rochut and me.

This makes me smile. 

[Header image: The trombone chorale from the 4th movement of Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1.]