Philadelphia concertmaster dies
RIPMessage from the orchestra:
It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of former Philadelphia Orchestra Concertmaster Norman Carol on April 28 at the age of 95. A remarkable musician, Norman joined the Orchestra in 1966 at the invitation of Eugene Ormandy and retired in 1994. He soloed with the Orchestra nearly every season, performing everything from Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Bruch to Nielsen, Harrison, Britten, Bernstein, Jarrett, and Skrowaczewski (a concerto commissioned for, and dedicated to, him), among many others. Norman’s passing is the end of an era in our history. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and students. He will be remembered not only as a consummate musician but also as a gifted and devoted leader of the Orchestra and as a mentor and friend to many. Violinist Paul Arnold shares the following about Norman:
“It was easy to be impressed with the ‘macro’ Norman Carol … he was dashing, comfortable, even swashbuckling as a leader. His playing was bold, expressive, and hall-filling. He brought with him a treasure trove of life experiences in music that added both authenticity and bottomless resource to his leading and his persona. … He soloed with brilliance, aplomb, and enormous variety of repertoire … he went on to personally embody the ‘Philadelphia Sound’ as our orchestra’s leader. But, in so many ways, it was the ‘micro’ aspects of Norman’s personality as both a human being and leader that made his legacy so indelibly imprinted in the minds of those of us who were so lucky to work with him. He was a great concertmaster because he was a great leader of people, a great diplomat, a direct and unrelenting defender of tradition and reason. … I will always miss Norman’s impact on my life in the Orchestra, and his unique and character-filled way of defining our traditions. But I will also miss all the wonderful details that glow like a comet trail from just being around a great legend … and a really great guy.”
I got to meet Norman at a summer festival in Wyoming. At that time the Philadelphia orchestra was known as great orchestra, but a tough orchestra. There were some incredibly strong personalities. I wondered what kind of man could lead this group of individual personalities. This was different time, individuality was seen as a strength.
This man was so soft spoken and yet everything he said had like the strength of iron. Extremely easy to play with, even in the face of people of lesser ability (me and the piano player).
He knew the pieces including the other parts as though he had written them, and yes, he had the Philadelphia sound. When he played it sounded like three or four people playing in unison, not just one person.
Finally, I saw him teach and the thing that struck me the most was his pragmatism. Communicated the essentials, did not deal with the superfluous.
Really an honor to have met him, have played with him, I felt it gave me an insight into what made that orchestra great.
I remember well and fondly Norman Carol’s superb performance of the Barber concerto in Carnegie Hall, in the late ’70s.
Mr Carol was among the best in the orchestra world. His del Gesu was a soaring spirit.
Today’s orchestras don’t want a del Gesu concertmaster. They seem to want a concertmaster who doesn’t rock the tonal status quo. They like safe players in leadership roles.
Current concertmasters of great American orchestras are increasingly section players enjoying higher pay. Conductors of today seem to prefer these types because the concertmaster goes along with their interpretive faults.
Mr Carol, your Barber Concerto will forever be a memory to me.
By coincidence, tonight I was reading Leonard Slatkin’s book “Conducting Business” and he reminiscing about playing a baseball game when Norman Carol hit a ball and sliding onto base jammed his finger and still played the concert at Aspen that night. So many of the fabled musicians of the Philly are gone now, but what a legacy they left. RIP.
I remember so many concerts with the Phillies led by Mr. Carol. A fabulous violinist and leader. He seemed humble and self-effacing to me, but when he played in Heldenleben – just wow!
When Norman Carol was still quite young (yet already had substantial orchestral and solo experience), he recorded a recital disc for RCA Victor which I own (in badly scratched condition) but which fortunately has been sampled on YouTube. Perhaps because by the time the disc was issued he had taken the concertmaster position in New Orleans [under Alexander Hillsberg, former concertmaster of Philadelphia] it was issued on RCA’s budget label, Camden. There is some fiery virtuosity on that LP but this link is to a beautifully phrased bit of Chopin arranged by Kreisler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfuA4_8mUvo
Others have mentioned his Barber Concerto performances. The violin he played was the very violin used by Albert Spalding in the premiere. In an interesting bit of symmetry, one of his teachers was Efrem Zimbalist who played the premiere of the Gian Carlo Menotti Concerto.
Norman was CM in New Orleans and Hilsberg was conductor when I played there. One of the highlights of my long professional career.
RIP. I have many fond memories of him in that first chair at the Academy of Music – with William de Pasquale always next to him. I started going to concerts when he was there.
I met Mr Carol as a college student when I visited my Uncle John C. Krell who was also with the orchestra at the same time. I attended a concert at the Academy of Music, met with
Mr. Ormandy. Everyone was very gracious to a star struck young woman.
We were lucky to have Norman and his wife Eleanor as our neighbors and friends for many years. there wasn’t a time that I would be visiting that I wouldn’t hear norman practicing . They were a fabulous couple, Eleanor, witty and funny and Norman always playing the “straight man'” to her.
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He was ill-treated after he was retired (forcibly?) by the orchestra and community. He did not have a major teaching position as he should have. He was ignored.