An update on Joannès Rochut’s “Melodious Etudes” for trombone – the missing etudes

by Douglas Yeo (November 14, 2024)

Readers of The Last Trombone know that I have been researching the life, work, and influence of trombonist Joannès Rochut for nearly 40 years. I began my journey to learn more about Rochut when I joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1985 because I knew that Rochut had also played in the BSO (from 1925–1930). This past spring, I gave a presentation about Joannès Rochut at the International Trombone Festival (held on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas) and the International Trombone Association Journal will carry my major article about Rochut in its January 2025 issue.

The cover of the first edition of Joannès Rochut’s Melodious Etudes for Trombone (New York: Carl Fischer, 1928).

In 2018, I wrote an article for The Last Trombone about etude No. 1 (in Volume 1) in Rochut’s famous book, Melodious Etudes for Trombone Selected from the Vocalises of Marco Bordogni (New York: Carl Fischer, 1928). That etude was not written by Bordogni, and my article unpacked the source of Rochut’s illusive No. 1.

Since that time, I learned that there is ANOTHER etude in Rochut’s book, No. 73 (in Rochut’s Volume 2) that was not written by Bordogni. That story is told in my forthcoming article about Rochut, but today, I decided to update my blog article about Rochut No. 1 with information about Rochut No. 73. Have a look at the revised blog article HERE.

There, you’ll see the source for Rochut’s Nos. 1 and 73 (these etudes were neither by Bordogni nor Rochut) and I also provide the music to the two Bordogni etudes that are missing from Rochut’s books. If you want your Rochut books to truly have the complete Bordogni Vocalises, you’ll want to download the music to the two missing etudes.

There will be more about this in my ITA Journal article in January, but here’s a preview. My revised article about Rochut’s Nos. 1 and 73 gives readers the opportunity to download copies of the two Bordogni etudes that are missing from what trombone players frequently call, “the Rochut book.”

A busy autumn. And a thought.

By Douglas Yeo (November 11, 2024)

It has been a few months since I’ve posted anything to The Last Trombone and to those who have asked me why, it’s simply that I’ve been busy with other things. Busy with a lot of things. Here’s a quick update before I offer a thought on something else.

Douglas Yeo with members of the University of Illinois Marching Illini trombone section: Derrick Neal, Pablo Rosales, Douglas Yeo, Poorna Kumar (who, in addition to being a dual major in trombone performance and community health, is also a drum major for the Marching Illini), Jake Bae, Sam Murray, September 2024.

In September, my wife, Patricia, and I returned to the campus of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where I served as trombone professor from 2022–2024. We were there for homecoming and the Illinois football game against Central Michigan (the Illini won, 30–9). While there, I met up with several of my former students who are in the Marching Illini. I was so happy to see them again.

Douglas Yeo with Dr. Nathaniel Brickens and members of the University of Texas trombone studio, September 2024.

The next week, I spent a few days at University of Texas in Austin, in residence with the trombone studio of my good friend and UT’s trombone professor, Dr. Nathaniel Brickens. I always enjoy being at UT and working with its talented trombonists (and sporting a headpiece of the university’s mascot, Bevo, above).

In October, I traveled to San Francisco for a week where I played ophicleide with the superb early music group, Philharmonia Baroque. The conductor, Grete Pedersen, led us in a program that included the overture to Felix Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. What a joy it was to play under her leadership with this fine ensemble (I’ve been playing serpent and ophicleide with Philharmonia Baroque since 2009). While there, I visited the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. It was my first time visiting these superb museums, and in addition to seeing iconic art by Auguste Rodin, Claude Seurat, Claude Monet, and many others, my eyes were opened at two special exhibitions of art by Mary Cassat and Tamara de Lempicka. Art old and new that inspires, soothes, and provokes.

A day after I returned home from San Francisco, I flew to Atlanta where played bass trombone with the Atlanta Symphony, substituting for a week on a program that included Serge Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances conducted by Roderick Cox. While I was there, I was a guest for a session with Slide School, hosted by Atlanta Symphony acting principal trombonist, Nathan Zgonc, and Brian Hecht of the Dallas Symphony. I also had the happy opportunity to spend a lot of time working with the ASO’s two fellowship players, bass trombonist Jordan Johnson (who, a few days later, won the bass trombone position with Houston Grand Opera—bravo, Jordan!) and tubist Joshua Williams. I look forward to returning to the Atlanta Symphony for a few more weeks after the calendar turns to 2025.

Douglas Yeo in front of historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, October 2024.

While in Atlanta, I visited the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. national historic site. In the book I co-authored with Kevin Mungons, Homer Rodeheaver and the Rise of the Gospel Music Industry (Rowman and Littlefield, 2021), we introduced Rodeheaver to readers with an opening chapter, Prologue, in which we described the 1917 Billy Sunday meetings in Atlanta (Homer Rodeheaver was Billy Sunday’s trombone-playing song leader for 20 years). To stand in front of and inside historic Ebenezer Baptist Church (where Dr. King, his father, and his father’s father-in-law all served as pastor, and where Dr. King’s mother, Alberta Williams King, was tragically murdered in 1974 while she was playing The Lord’s Prayer at the organ), to see the grave of Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, and imagine the huge temporary, wooden, 15,000 seat tabernacle that Billy Sunday erected on what is now the site of the historic site’s Visitor Center, was powerful, indeed.

Douglas and Patricia Yeo on the Fay Canyon trail, Sedona, Arizona, October 2024.

Right after I returned home from Atlanta, my wife, Patricia, and I spent a week in Arizona where we enjoyed some great hiking on spectacular trails in Sedona and Phoenix. After so many weeks of traveling with a trombone in my hand, it was nice to be together on the trail where the sky was blue, the rocks were orange and red, and the peacefulness and beauty of the Sonoran desert was on full display.

Excerpt from page 27 of the 1926 New England Conservatory of Music yearbook, The NEUME, showing Ida Isabella Bisbee, trombone student of Joannès Rochut. Courtesy of New England Conservatory of Music Archives.

My big project for this autumn was finishing my article about Joannès Rochut that will appear in the January 2025 International Trombone Association Journal. This is an article that has been nearly 40 years in the making. I’ve written a little about my research process for this article; read this post on The Last Trombone about my one day research trip to the Boston Symphony Orchestra archives in August of this year where I uncovered some important information about Rochut’s life and work. Rochut’s influence on the trombone—and brass—world has been remarkable, and in the course of my research, I learned so much about this iconic influencer in the trombone community. Including, thanks to the archives of New England Conservatory of Music, the fact that Rochut’s first student at NEC was Ida Isabella Bisbee, the first woman to graduate from NEC (in 1926) with a degree in trombone performance (above). I’m looking forward to receiving proofs very soon of what is expected to be an 80 page article in the Journal. Stay tuned.

And, overarching all of this in last few months is the tremendous joy I’ve had of playing trombone duets and trios with my granddaughter and her mom, our oldest daughter, Linda (who is a fine bass trombonist and low brass teacher). Our granddaughter, who is 10 years old, began playing trombone in May when I was at the International Trombone Festival. She loves playing the trombone—she’s good, too!—and in our little family of my wife and me, our two daughters and their husbands, and our two grandchildren, our granddaughter is the sixth brass player (and the fourth female brass player: Patricia plays baritone horn, Linda and and her daughter play trombone, and our other daughter, Robin, plays trumpet). Our grandson has told us he wants to play the tuba next year. When that happens, he will become the seventh brass player in our family.

All of these activities were and are fun, exciting, and rejuvenating. But then, there was also an event of momentous importance: the national election here in the United States that was held on November 5. In the midst of all that swirled around that impactful day, I was heartened when I received an email from Dr. Linda Moorhouse, Director of the School of Music at University of Illinois. On election day, she sent a message to all students, faculty, and staff in the School of Music with some helpful, sensible, and comforting thoughts on how to navigate this contentious election season and what follows. Her words, in a message titled, “Managing the Noise,” resonated deeply with me. Dr. Moorhouse wrote, in part:

As a School full of practicing musicians, we manage all kinds of noise every day. And outside of musical noise, we also know how the vast volume of information, opinions, and discussions can sometimes become overwhelming or disruptive.

I’m reaching out to remind you that you are a part of a School of Music community, and while this day and the next few days may be stressful, we are here for one another. Listed below are a few ways we can navigate the next few days and weeks together and keep our environment supportive and respectful:

Be Mindful of Election “Noise”
Staying informed is important, but the constant influx of election-related content can become a source of stress. Take breaks from social media, limit your news intake to trusted sources, and remember it’s okay to step away when things get to be too much. Giving ourselves space can help maintain balance.

Respect Diverse Perspectives
We all have different viewpoints shaped by our unique experiences, and recognizing this helps foster mutual respect. Election season is a celebration of our democratic process, and despite differing opinions, we can share in that respect for civic engagement. Supporting each other through this season means being thoughtful and considerate in our communications.

Practice Self-Care
Anxiety around election outcomes is normal. Be kind to yourself by setting aside time for things that bring you peace and comfort. Exercise, hobbies, meditation, or simply stepping away from the news cycle are great ways to maintain your emotional health.

Be Good to Each Other
Kindness goes a long way, especially in uncertain times. Small gestures of thoughtfulness and understanding can create a sense of community and support. Let’s check in on each other, be gentle in our interactions, and focus on the qualities that unite us rather than divide us.

One of the reasons I found Dr. Moorhouse’s words so impactful was the fact that a few weeks before her message arrived, a lunchtime conversation I had with a friend and an encounter with a sign I saw on my way home from that meeting got me thinking about some related things.

As a result, I wrote a short article for the blog hosted by my church, New Covenant Church of Naperville, Illinois. The article—it was published two days after the election, on November 7, 2024—is about the well-known and well-worn phrase from the Bible, “Love your neighbor.” I’ll let the article speak for itself. Have a look at the article—and the rest of the sign—HERE.

In a time where there is a lot of shouting, a lot of judging, a lot of anger, a lot of finger pointing; in a time when many people make assumptions about the motives and beliefs of others without taking the time to speak with and understand them; in a time when name calling and insulting others has risen to a harmful, toxic level; the admonition to “Love your neighbor” has, as I discovered on that day when I had lunch with a friend, some unexpected components. It got me thinking. Have a look at my article. Maybe that sign and its implications will prompt you to do some thinking, too.

Two trombone anniversaries: 50 and 127 years

by Douglas Yeo (August 24, 2024)

Anniversaries are a big deal.

This summer, I got to take part in two trombone anniversaries with the Wheaton (Illinois) Municipal Band.

Since 1930, the Wheaton Municipal Band—a high level community band that is supported by the city of Wheaton, the Municipal Band Commission, and the Board of Directors and Friends of the Wheaton Municipal Band—has been giving concerts for appreciative audiences each summer. In the summers of 1974 and 1975, when I was a student at Wheaton College, I was a member of the Wheaton Municipal Band. My memories of those summers with the band are fond ones, and little did I know that a couple of years later, (in 1977) I would become a member of the most famous concert band in the country, New York City’s Goldman Band. These were important stepping stones in my career as a musician which led to my many years as bass trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (1985–2012) and so much more.

Members of the 1974–1976 Wheaton College Trombone Quartet (Douglas Yeo, James Roskam, Eric Carlson, William Meena) with George Krem, April 23, 2022, on the occasion of a faculty recital given by Douglas Yeo at Wheaton College.

My path to earn my undergraduate degree in college was a little unconventional. I graduated in three, not four, years: one year at Indiana University (where I studied with Keith Brown) and two years and two summers at Wheaton College (where I studied with Edward Kleinhammer). During my first summer quarter at Wheaton College, I took trombone lessons with Wheaton College’s trombone teacher, George Krem. George was a superb teacher and trombonist and when I arrived at Wheaton College, he had already announced he would be leaving the faculty at the end of the summer to take the position of principal trombonist with the Victoria Symphony in Canada. (George later went on to be professor of trombone at University of Iowa.) In the summer of 1974, both George and I were members of the Wheaton Municipal Band and we played a duet with the band, Paul Tanner’s Concert Piece for Tenor and Bass Trombones. Teacher—George—and student—me.

Article from The Wheaton Leader, July 24, 1975

Wheaton’s town newspaper, The Wheaton Leader, published an article on July 24, 1974, about the performance George and I would give of Tanner’s Concert Duet at the Band’s concert the following day. Then, on July 25, 1974, we played the duet. I was so proud to stand on stage performing alongside my teacher. When I look at the photo of George and me that accompanied that article, I always smile. There I am, with my long hair (and it got much longer than it was at that time) and a little goatee. Times have changed. Good thing!

Now, fast forward 50 years. A few months ago, when I realized that the Wheaton Municipal Band had a concert on July 25, 2024—EXACTLY 50 years after George Krem and I played the Concert Duet, I contacted Dr. Bruce Moss, conductor of the Wheaton Municipal Band. Bruce has been conductor of the Wheaton Municipal Band for 45 years and he has just retired from his position for the last three decades of director of bands at Bowling Green State University. Two more anniversaries. I asked Bruce, knowing how much he likes anniversaries and celebrations, “Wouldn’t it be fun if the band played Paul Tanner’s Concert Duet again with another teacher/student combination, exactly 50 years after George Krem and I played it together?” Bruce jumped at the idea and I knew exactly who I would ask to play the duet alongside me.

Poorna Kumar and Douglas Yeo, July 14, 2024

As readers of TheLastTrombone know, I served as trombone professor at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from 2022-2024 while the School of Music was conducting a search for a new full-time trombone professor. One of my students at UIUC, Poorna Kumar, was a member of the Wheaton Municipal Band in the summer of 2022 and she was playing in the band again in the summer of 2024. Poorna is an exceptional person and player. She is now a senior at University of Illinois, simultaneously earning two degrees: a bachelor of science degree in community health, and a bachelor of music degree in trombone performance. Poorna is also in her third year as a drum major with the Marching Illini and she received the prestigious Robert E. Gray trombone award at Illinois in 2023. I pitched the idea to Poorna and she was happy to agree to play the Concert Duet with me. We had a rehearsal at our home (photo above) and a few days later, we were standing on stage together with Bruce Moss and the Wheaton Municipal Band at the bandshell at Memorial Park in Wheaton.

Douglas Yeo and Poorna Kumar performing Paul Tanner’s Concert Duet for Tenor and Bass Trombones with the Wheaton Municipal Band, Bruce Moss, conductor, July 25, 2024

Anyone who has been to a summer band concert knows how special and fun those events are. People of all ages bring chairs and picnic blankets to enjoy music as the sun is setting. My family was there; Poorna’s family was there, and together with a large, appreciative audience, we all enjoyed celebrating the 50th anniversary of a moment when the Wheaton Municipal Band featured a teacher/student duet with one person—me—as a common denominator in both performances.

Poorna Kumar, Bruce Moss, and Douglas Yeo on stage at Memorial Park, Wheaton, Illinois, July 25, 2024

That 50th anniversary performance was great fun. Any teacher can tell you what a joy it is to work alongside a student. I was so proud of Poorna; it was a special collaboration in so many ways.

But wait, there’s more! There was another anniversary coming up the following week.

Berliner 62Z, Romance for Trombone (1897)

In 2022, I wrote an article for TheLastTrombone about Berliner 62Z, one of the earliest trombone solo recordings (if you click the link above, you can also hear the recording). This recording was made before the great trombone soloist, Arthur Pryor, began recording trombone solos. I acquired an original copy of Berliner 62Z and researched the history of the recording, the composer of the piece, Romance for Trombone (Charles William Bennet), the trombone soloist (Harry Stone), and the accompanying band (William Haley’s Military Concert Band). You can read all about it HERE.

The Wheaton Municipal Band concert on August 1, 2024, was a special event that celebrated University of Illinois. Bruce had invited three conductors from University of Illinois School of Music to guest conduct the band: Dr. Linda Moorhouse, Director of the School of Music; Dr. Kevin Geraldi, Director of Bands (who as a young student, had been a member of the Wheaton Municipal Band); and Gary Smith, director emeritus of the Marching Illini. When I learned that the concert would be a celebration of University of Illinois bands, I just had to be a part of it and work alongside my friends from UIUC. I loved teaching at University of Illinois for the last two years; it was a very memorable time for me to work with my talented students and with great colleagues. I will always be an Illini.

So, I pitched another idea to Bruce Moss. How about, since the concert would celebrate music at our state’s flagship university, I do something that combined education and music? I asked Bruce if I could say a few words to the audience about Berliner 62Z and its important place in the history of the trombone. A little music history lesson, appropriate for an evening when we were celebrating University of Illinois. Then, we could play the original Berliner 62Z recording, on the 127th anniversary after it was released. And then I would perform Charles William Bennet’s Romance for Trombone with the Wheaton Municipal Band. Bruce said “LET’S DO IT!” So, we did.

Douglas Yeo performing Charles William Bennet’s Romance for Trombone with the Wheaton Municipal Band, Linda Moorhouse, conductor

Just like the week before, the audience was engaged in everything that was going on onstage. There were a lot of alumni and friends of University of Illinois present that evening. There was a lot of orange and blue—the school’s colors—in Memorial Park. When I came on stage, I opened my tuxedo jacket to reveal the orange and blue Illinois shirt I was wearing. The crowd roared. Then, I led the audience in the Illini cheer: I shouted, “I-L-L” after which the audience shouted, “I-N-I”! With school spirit fully activated, I said a few words about Charles William Bennet’s Romance for Trombone and we played the 127 year old recording. Hearing an old 78 rpm record made all of us smile – there were more than a few people present who remembered those old discs, and hearing the scratchy recording made all of us appreciate how far recording technology has come in 127 years. Then I played Bennet’s Romance with the band, conducted by my good friend, Linda Moorhouse. Working again with Linda was so much FUN – There’s that word again, FUN. Music making should ALWAYS be FUN! – and the band played great for the enthusiastic audience.

Kevin Geraldi, Gary Smith, Bruce Moss, Douglas Yeo, and Linda Moorhouse on stage at Memorial Park, Wheaton, Illinois, August 1, 2024

Two weeks of performing as soloist in concerts with the Wheaton Municipal Band. That in itself would have been a memorable experience for me. But to have those concerts celebrate two anniversaries—the 50th anniversary of the performance of Paul Tanner’s Concert Duet that George Krem and I gave with the band, and the 127th anniversary of the release of one of the earliest recordings of a trombone solo—took these experiences to a new level. This is the joy of making music: collaborating with friends, colleagues, and students, playing pieces that have importance in one way or another, bringing smiles to the faces of audience members. I’m grateful to Bruce Moss and the Wheaton Municipal Band for giving me the opportunity, once again, to stand on stage at concerts with them. Thank you, friends. These anniversaries were truly something to celebrate.

A day in the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives with Joannès Rochut

by Douglas Yeo (August 15, 2024)

I’ve loved reading, researching, and writing for as long as I can remember. My curious nature leads me to want to know more about things. And when I learn things, I like to tell others about them and share the excitement I feel when I make a new discovery.

Over the years, I’ve published five books and many articles, book chapters, and dictionary entries. If you’re interested in some of what I’ve written over the years, you can find a list of many of my publications HERE. While there, you can click on the names of titles and view PDFs of some of my articles.

At the moment, I am deeply immersed in researching and writing an article about the celebrated French trombonist, Joannès Rochut, who played principal trombone in the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1925–1930. I have been interested in learning more about Rochut ever since I joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1985.

Douglas Yeo giving a presentation about Joannès Rochut, International Trombone Festival, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, May 28, 2024

I gave a presentation about Joannès Rochut at the recent International Trombone Festival that was held at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. I wrote about my experience at the Festival—including my presentation and other things I did there such as recitals and roundtable discussions HERE. Now I’m continuing the research I conducted to make that presentation and I’m writing a major article about Rochut that will appear in the January 2025 International Trombone Association Journal.

Douglas Yeo’s copy of the first edition of Joannès Rochut’s Melodious Etudes for Trombone, selected from the Vocalises of Marco Bordogni (New York: Carl Fischer, 1928)

I would be hard pressed to think of any serious student of the trombone—including professional players who are life-long students—who does not know the name “Joannès Rochut.” That’s because Rochut compiled three volumes of Melodious Etudes that he transcribed from Vocalises of Marco Bordogni that were published by Carl Fischer in 1928. Rochut’s books are among the most important and most frequently used trombone books in the world. Yet, most people don’t know a thing about Joannès Rochut except the fact that he published these books of Bordogni’s music.

One of the things I tell my students—especially my doctoral students who need to write a thesis or dissertation—is that research takes time. It takes discipline. It takes patience. And it requires money. Not everything is free; not everything can be accomplished from the comfort of your favorite chair at home. The Internet is a remarkable, helpful tool (while, at the same time, it is also toxic cesspool), but anyone that assumes they can successfully research a subject simply by putting a few words in a search engine or an artificial intelligence program will found out quickly that they need to do more. There is no substitute for what I call “real research.” Not “compilation,” which is taking the work of others, stitching it together, and rewording it. I’m talking about real research: finding information from diverse sources, connecting dots, and creating a coherent, new narrative that sheds light on things that are not widely known. THAT is research.

Working in and with museums, universities, libraries, archives, and other institutions is essential if one wants to find information that informs research. In my research of Joannès Rochut, I’ve been in contact with many such institutions. The Library of Congress in Washington D.C. has the Serge Koussevitzky Collection. Koussevitzky was the conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra when Rochut played in the orchestra, and Rochut also worked for Koussevitzky in Paris before both of them came to Boston. The LOC has letters that Rochut wrote to Koussevitzky, letters that Rochut’s Boston Symphony Orchestra colleague, Jacob Raichman, wrote to Koussevitzky, and programs from Rochut’s and Koussevitzky’s shared time together in Paris.

The New England Conservatory Archives has yearbooks, student cards, catalogs, and other information about students and faculty including Joannès Rochut and his students. Rochut’s first student at NEC was Ida Isabella Bisbee; she graduated in 1926.

The Sibley Library at Eastman School of Music has the Edna White Collection which contains more photographs of Ida Isabella Bisbee.

Postcard from Joannès Rochut to Anton Hansen. The text of the card (translated from the original French) reads: 9 September 1929 [the postcard was mailed from East Dennis, Massachusetts], Dear friend, Have you received the 2nd and 3rd books of my transcriptions of Mr. Bordogni?? I just spent a few pleasant weeks at Cape Cod and will soon return to Brookline. Best Regards, Joannès Rochut. Courtesy of the Royal Danish Library, with thanks to Mogens Andresen for photographing the card on my behalf.

The Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen has the papers of the influential Danish trombonist, Anton Hanson, including many letters that Rochut and Hansen wrote to each other in the 1920s and 1930s.

The National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota, has an extensive collection of information about trombone manufacturers, including Besson (of London) who made an instrument that Joannès Rochut played for several years.

The Registrar of Deeds in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, helped me obtain information about the house that Joannès Rochut and his wife, Louis, purchased in 1927.

The Bibliotheque national de France has many documents relating to the annual Paris Conservatoire Concours at which Joannès Rochut won first prize in 1905.

Then there is networking, connecting with old and new friends, and gratefully receiving their considerable help when I ask questions or ask for their assistance. Benny Sluchin in Paris (who has helped me in countless ways, including taking photographs of Joannès Rochut’s home and grave), David Fetter, Ronald Barron, Mogens Andresen, and Carsten Svanberg, and many more. All of them will be thanked in my article.

Joannès Rochut’s business card, 1927, courtesy of the Rochut Family

Most importantly, I made contact with the Rochut family in France. The Rochut family has been exceptionally generous in sharing photographs, documents, and information about Joannès Rochut. I have always said that if you are researching a historical individual and you can find a family member who is willing to share things with you, the needles you find in haystacks suddenly turn to diamonds. I am so grateful to the Rochut family for their kind assistance and generosity.

The list goes on. Without connections to these institutions and individuals, my article about Joannès Rochut would amount to no more than a junior high school level term paper on the level with a paper titled, “My Summer Vacation.”

Sometimes archives are able to provide me with resources through scanning and then sending them to me. In other cases, if it’s not possible for me to get to an archive, a friend of mine is able to view the resources I’m looking for on my behalf. And sometimes, you just have to go yourself.

A few weeks ago, I decided I needed to spend one day researching in the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives. This is a place that is near and dear to my heart. When I joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1985, I wanted to learn as much as I could about the orchestra and its low brass players in particular, including Joannès Rochut. I asked William Moyer, who at the time (1985) was personnel manager of the BSO (he had played second trombone in the BSO from 1953 to 1966 before becoming personnel manager), if the orchestra had an archive. He took me to a building adjacent to Symphony Hall, what was, at the time, called the Symphony Hall Annex (today, fully renovated, it is the Cohen Wing of Symphony Hall). It was a run down building that the orchestra had plans to renovate someday. Bill and I came to a locked door, he put a key in the door, opened the door, and there was the Boston Symphony Orchestra archives.

It was a shambles. As I walked into the room—a large room with another room next to it—and Bill turned on the light, I saw shelves that stretched from floor to ceiling. There were jumbles of documents, books, and other materials strewn around the room. Filing cabinets were open and documents were falling out. There was no heating or cooling system in the room. It was damp.

But I could tell right away that the room was full of treasures. Despite the chaotic disorganization of materials, my mind raced and recalled on Howard Carter’s words when he first peered into King Tutankhamen’s tomb and was asked what he saw. “I see wonderful things,” Carter said. Yes. I saw wonderful things.

Two of the several dozen negatives Douglas Yeo had made from photographs in the proto-Boston Symphony Archives, 1985–1987

Because of my interest in researching Joannès Rochut and other Boston Symphony Orchestra brass players, Bill gave me a key to this room. The BSO had no archivist at the time; Bill just gave me a key. He told me I could look through it and if I found things that were helpful to my research, I could use them. So I did. I spent hundreds of hours in those rooms, during rehearsal breaks, between rehearsals, before concerts, on some of my days off. And this was in the era before personal computers, scanners, or cell-phone cameras. If I found a photograph I thought I would someday use in an article, I needed to take photographs to a photography studio and have large negatives made so I could submit the images to publications. This was expensive. But it was the only way I could have permanent access to the images I wanted to use and continue to reference.

Cover of the Fall 1986 issue of the International Trombone Association Journal that contains the article by Douglas Yeo, “A Pictorial History of Low Brass Players in the Boston Symphony Orchestra, 1887–1986”

I began to systematically work through the contents of these disorganized rooms, looking for photographs and information about Boston Symphony Orchestra trombone and tuba players. I found a lot. I carefully made new piles of materials on the disorganized shelves, an attempt to bring some order to the mess. I would bring my discoveries to Bill Moyer who shared my excitement and in time, I amassed a great deal of information that eventually found its way into four articles I wrote about Boston Symphony Orchestra brass players (click on the titles to read a PDF of these articles):

A Pictorial History of Low Brass Players in the Boston Symphony Orchestra, 1887-1986, International Trombone Association Journal, Volume XIV, Number 4, Fall 1986.
Tuba Players of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, 1913-1987, T.U.B.A. Journal, Volume 14, Number 4, May 1987.
Horn Players of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, 1881-1988, The Horn Call, Volume XVIII, Number 2, April 1988.
Trumpet Players of the Boston Symphony, 1881-1990, International Trumpet Guild Journal, Volume 15, Number 2, December 1990.

These were among my earliest published research projects and if I did them over today, I would do them very differently. My research methods have improved over the years, no doubt about that. But they were an earnest attempt to inform readers about some of the rich history of Boston Symphony Orchestra brass players. Even after my articles were published, I continued my research into the lives and work of the fascinating individuals who played brass instruments in the BSO.

The opening paragraphs of a draft memo Douglas Yeo wrote for Boston Symphony Orchestra acting General Manager Daniel Gustin after meetings of the first ac-hoc committee to explore the establishment of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives (Douglas Yeo, Steven Ledbetter, Bruce Creditor, and Eleanor McGourty), April 27, 1987

But there was more. Intuitively, I knew that the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s history needed to be better preserved. Two disorganized rooms were not a proper archive. I began talking with others in Symphony Hall about this. I started with Daniel Gustin, who was, at the time, acting General Manager of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He listened to all I had to say about the need for a proper archives at Symphony Hall. He suggested I get together with others who shared an interest in the BSO’s history and come up with a proposal that he could consider. So I began talking with Bruce Creditor who was Bill Moyer’s assistant. Eleanor McGourty was director of publications for the orchestra—she was responsible for putting together the weekly concert programs for the orchestra along with Steven Ledbetter who, as the orchestra’s musicologist, wrote program notes for the concert programs. Bruce, Steven, Eleanor, and I loved the BSO and its rich history, and we met to put our heads together. After we met, I drafted a memo on April 24, 1987, that summarized some of our discussion. You can read that memo (the opening paragraphs are in the photograph, above) HERE. It was a seminal document, the basis for a subsequent memo that was used by Daniel Gustin and then his successor, Boston Symphony Orchestra General Manager Kenneth Haas, as the orchestra’s management discussed the idea of a proper archive with the Board of Trustees. The happy result was the formal establishment of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives and the hiring of a full time archivist, Bridget Carr, who holds the position of Blanche and George Jones Director of Archives/Digital Collections for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, including the Boston Pops, Tanglewood, and Symphony Hall.

If you look at the four articles I wrote about Boston Symphony brass players that appeared in the International Trombone Association Journal, the T.U.B.A. Journal (now the International Tuba Euphonium Association Journal), the International Trumpet Guild Journal, and The Horn Call (linked above), you will see that most of the material that informed those articles came from the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives. As I’ve continued my research on Joannès Rochut more recently, it became clear to me that I needed to spend some dedicated time in the BSO Archives to get information that can only be found there. Many archivists around the world have been extremely helpful to me—including Bridget Carr—in locating and sending me documents and photographs. But archivists are not my personal research assistants. There is a limit to what I can ask them to do. And, while I had a long list of things I knew I wanted to see in the BSO Archives, I also wanted to look at resources and files and see what I might find that I didn’t even know I wanted.

So, last Tuesday (August 6, 2024), I flew to Boston to spend a day in the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives. It was another “crazy day,” my second one this summer. Readers of TheLastTrombone know that when my flight to Texas was cancelled when I was scheduled to attend the International Trombone Festival in Fort Worth, I did the only thing I could do to get to the Festival on time: I drove. 16 hours from Chicago to Fort Worth, 960 miles. Straight through, no overnight stop. Truly crazy. My trip to the BSO Archives was not THAT crazy. OK, I did have to get up at 3:00 am to get my 6:05 am flight from Chicago’s O’Hare airport to Boston’s Logan Airport. And I walked in my front door after my return at midnight the same day. But with a $139 round trip plane ticket (thank you, American Airlines), a couple of Uber rides to and from Logan, parking at O’Hare, and lunch and dinner (of COURSE I had a bowl of New England Clam Chowder and a lobster roll at Legal Sea Foods for dinner at Logan airport), my less than $500 investment in the trip bore rich fruit.

Douglas Yeo and Charles Cassell in the basement of Symphony Hall, Boston, August 6, 2024. Photo by Bridget Carr.

Bridget Carr met me at the Symphony Hall Stage door, and as we wound our way through the hall to the Archives, the first person I saw was my friend, Charles Cassell. We met with a big hug. Charlie is the only member of the Symphony Hall house crew who is still there from the years I was a member of the orchestra (1985–2012). When I was a member of the BSO, I always felt that he and the other members of the house crew were superheroes. They cared so deeply about Symphony Hall and nobody cared more—and knew more—about Symphony Hall than Charlie. I appreciated those great guys of the Symphony Hall house crew, and they appreciated me. It was really, really wonderful to see him.

Douglas Yeo in the Reading Room of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives, August 6, 2024. Photo by Bridget Carr.

It was an absolute joy to be back in the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives. It is one of my happy places. Archivist Bridget Carr and I have been good friends for over 30 years. With my long list of things I hoped to find during my time in the Archives in her hand before I arrived, Bridget had them all ready for me in the Archives’ Reading Room. The day flew by and the discoveries mounted up. Bridget was exceptionally accommodating and helpful beyond words as we discussed Joannès Rochut and his time in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. All day long, I kept asking questions, Bridget kept pulling out more resources from the shelves and stacks in the Archives, and we immersed ourself in a moment of time in BSO trombone history nearly 100 years ago.

Handwritten comments by Boston Symphony Orchestra President of the Board Frederick P. Cabot, referencing Joannès Rochut on a document that was used to guide renewal of player contracts and salary adjustments for the 1926–1927 season. Cabot’s comments about Rochut read, “increase pay – magnificent.” Courtesy of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives.

I was interested in learning about BSO member salaries at the time. The records were there. I wanted to learn about the impact of the Great Depression on the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The annual auditor reports were there. I wanted to find more photographs of Rochut with the BSO. They were there. I wanted to find newspaper clippings and reviews of concerts. They were there.

A page from a Boston Symphony Orchestra scrapbook that includes an announcement in the Boston Herald of “Boston Symphony Orchestra’s New Principals” (October 4, 1925). In the photo at the top of the page, Joannès Rochut is second from right. Courtesy of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives.

I found a photograph of Joannès Rochut in a Boston Symphony Orchestra scrapbook from 1925 (above). It appeared in an article in the Boston Herald on October 4, 1925. These scrapbooks proved to be invaluable during my research trip. I must have looked at 15 of them during my visit to the Archives. They are old and brittle, but, fortunately, they also have been photographed so the treasures they hold will be available for researchers to consult long after the fragile paper turns to dust.

A check from Arthur Fiedler to Joannès Rochut, payment for one week of concerts on the Charles River Esplanade, August, 1929. Courtesy of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives.

And there were other discoveries, like this check (above) that conductor Arthur Fiedler wrote to Joannès Rochut for playing a week of summer concerts with Boston Symphony Orchestra members on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston during the summer of 1929.

Arthur Fiedler with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a concert in the Hatch Memorial Shell, Charles River Esplanade, Boston, summer 1929. Courtesy of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives.

Detail of the above photo. Boston Symphony Orchestra trombone section members Joannès Rochut, Jacob Raichman, and Leroy Kenfield, Hatch Memorial Shell, Charles River Esplanade, summer 1929. Courtesy of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives.

Bridget brought out a huge photo of Arthur Fiedler with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra at a Charles River Esplanade concert in the summer of 1929 (above), one of many things that brought Rochut’s time in Boston to life during my visit to the BSO Archives.

The cover of Percy Paul Leveen’s unpublished book manuscript, I Played Fiddle for the Czar. Courtesy of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives.

The Archives had another treasure I had not previously known about—the memoirs of violinist Percy Paul Leveen, who was a member of the BSO from 1919–1944. Leveen’s unpublished manuscript for a planned book, I Played Fiddle For the Czar—there is no doubt, after reading the manuscript, that “the Czar” was BSO conductor Serge Koussevitzky—provides first person insight to pivotal moments in Boston Symphony Orchestra history. Such as “Black Tuesday,” October 19, 1929, that signaled the beginning of the Great Depression. On that fateful day, the Boston Symphony Orchestra was in Chicago for a concert in Orchestra Hall. Leveen’s comments about how players reacted to those life-changing economic events are riveting. And I will use some of Percy Paul Leveen’s insights in my article.

A view from the stage of Symphony Hall, Boston, August 6, 2024

On my way out of Symphony Hall, I told Bridget I’d like to have a look at the inside of the hall itself. I was very happy to stand on the Symphony Hall stage again. The hall was undergoing the changeover from the Boston Pops season—the usual seats are removed on the main floor and replaced with tables and chairs during Pops—while the orchestra is at its summer home, Tanglewood, and there was maintenance work going on. I played so many concerts in Symphony Hall; seeing it again brought back a lot of memories. I played concerts on that stage for over 27 years, the same stage where Joannès Rochut played many concerts. Symphony Hall remains a very special place to my family and me.

In the days since I’ve returned from my visit to the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives, my article on Joannès Rochut has taken on a new dimension. I have a lot more work to do in the coming weeks before I hit the submission deadline for my article, but many of the documents and photographs I obtained during my visit will now be part of my article. I am so grateful to Bridget Carr and her staff who are keepers of the history of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the value of her helpfulness cannot be overstated.

Douglas Yeo and Bridget Carr in the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives, August 6, 2024

This is research. Looking, digging, contacting, networking, visiting, calling, emailing, connecting. Last Tuesday, all of those things came together in Symphony Hall, Boston’s proud temple of music. The fruits of my research on Joannès Rochut will appear in print soon. His story is quite a story, and thanks to places like the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives and people like Bridget Carr, I will be able to tell it in a way that has never been told before. Stay tuned.

[And here’s a little bonus. Compare this photo of me, below, that I took last week outside of Symphony Hall’s Stage Door with the following photo of three members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra that was taken in 1934, 90 years ago. I love this stuff.]

Douglas Yeo at the Symphony Hall Stage Door, Boston, August 6, 2024

Three members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra: Jacob Raichman (trombone), Cornelius Van den Berg (horn), and William Gebhart (horn), Symphony Hall Stage Door, 1934. Courtesy of Irene Raichman Shermont.

[Header photo: The reading room in the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives. The bust on the table is of Major Henry Higginson, founder and sustainer of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.]