Boston Symphony mourns key personality
RIPThe death has been announced of William Moyer, who played second trombone in the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1952-1966, then served for 21 years as personnel manager. Moyer was 95.
He played the Tuba mirum in Boston’s January 1964 memorial performance of Mozart’s Requiem after the assassination of President Kennedy. His solo was heard by 23 million listeners around the world.
Douglas Yeo has the full story here.
Mr. Yeo’s article is a thorough and fitting tribute to William Moyer. My family did have that RCA Victor two-record set with the Mozart requiem, performed as part of a “Solemn Pontifical Mass.”
Very touching, thank you all.
Thank you, Douglas Yeo, for another beautiful bit of BSO history. Although I never had the opportunity to hear Bill play, I knew him during his post-playing career in orchestra management, and we traveled together in Europe and Asia. He was a prince among men, a warm and lovely man, and I learned a great from him. Lots of fond memories…
Mr. Moyer was a wonderful, composed, and civilized man. He was very supportive and he gave me many opportunities with the BSO when I was starting out as a young man. He remains vivid and unforgettable to me and countless others. RIP.
Bill Moyer was a kind and generous man who, among other things, gave unstintingly of his time and wisdom as an early supporter and board member of the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston. Fond and grateful memories —
I’ll drink one to you tonight, Billy. RIP
He was a wonderful, kind man. My condolences to his family
RIP Mr. Moyer.
As a student at Boston College (1967-1971) I had the privilege of ushering at Symphony Hall for those four years and consequently got to know Mr. Moyer a bit when he was Personnel Manager. He always greeted me and used to say “You are always here!”, as my position as usher was first balcony right, which happened to be in the same corridor as his office. He was correct. I never missed a concert. What a musical education I received as an economics major.
In addition to him, I also got to know most of the musicians mentioned in Mr. Yeo’s wonderful article, to include Charles Munch when he returned for guest conducting engagements. And also, of course , I got to know Erich Leinsdorf and concert master Joe Silverstein, both of whom signed photos to me, which I treasure.
I also have a copy of the boxed LP set of the Mozart Requiem mentioned in the article.
For those with the patience to read my comments here, thank you. I post them as a matter of record for me as they were halcyon days for a young fellow like me back then.