Posted by Brian Frederiksen on February 29, 2000 at 21:05:43:
In Reply to: Re: Brian Fredrickson-PLEASE READ!!!! posted by Brian Frederiksen on February 29, 2000 at 15:03:02:
Now that I am home with the data files from the book on the computer, here's what we found about Hamburg.
Jacobs’ predecessor, George Hamburg was born in Chicago on February 22, 1886, and was the CSO’s principal tuba from 1920-44.
Edward Kleinhammer joined the symphony during the 1940-41 season, the final years of Hamburg’s career. He remembers Hamburg as a very nice man and recalls that Hamburg knew of Jacobs by reputation prior to 1942.
While Jacobs’ contact with him was limited, when asked about Hamburg, he stated, “He was a very nice man. I got so embarrassed, because I called him Mr. Hamburger when he called me one time, and I’ll never forget that. He laughed—he had been called that before.
“I think he was having some sort of health problem and had to leave. I’m not sure. He may have had surgery due to cancer. I remember going up to see him, and he asked me to buy his Alexander tubas, which I did.”
Hamburg died in Chicago on February 6, 1963.
At one point, the CSO had two tuba players. Fred Boos was listed in the personnel roster on bass, 1932-45, second tuba, 1938-45, and as a librarian, 1938-56. He was born May 29, 1881, in Joliet, Illinois and died July 25, 1967 in Chicago. It was Fred Boos who built Jacobs’ mute, which he used nearly his entire career with the CSO.