
Before I talk about the studies it is important to know who Vincent Cichowicz was and why his studies are so important. This is a handsome production, as well, fully worthy of the man who is justly honored within its pages.The Cichowicz flow studies are something that all trumpet players should know about. The next hundred pages or so, the heart of the book, deal with his studio teaching, his methods, his materials, his philosophy – all the stuff of a true legend – and not just for tuba players either! The remaining section of the book provides some fascinating, detailed lists of brass sections, recording projects, a Jacobs discography, and other related documentation. Frederiksen has provided a wealth of detail about every aspect of this man’s career, the members of the sections in which he played, the recordings he made, profiles of the conductors and other superb brass players he worked with, and, above all, the man’s approach to teaching brass performance in particular. This lovingly-told book chronicles his life – as a symphony player and as a teacher – and his interaction with so many remarkable musicians over one of the most impressive professional careers in American music. Frederiksen has not only managed to capture the essence of one of the greatest musicians to influence generations of brass performers, but he also provided a truly meaningful historical perspective and backdrop to Jacobs’ career.Īrnold Jacobs was principal tuba of the Chicago Symphony for nearly half a century. The lists and detailed information go on and on. There is even a sub-chapter on every renovation Chicago’s Orchestra Hall received during Jacobs’ tenure. An entire chapter is devoted to York tubas, another to Jacobs’ studio through the years, and another to biographies of all the conductors of the Chicago Symphony including major guest conductors. Information such as a list of every brass player who ever played in the Chicago Symphony and a listing of every recording Arnold Jacobs made either with a symphony or as a soloist or chamber musician help put his astonishing career into perspective. In addition to a detailed and exhaustive biography, this book also contains a plethora of material not only exhaustively detailing virtually every aspect of Jacobs’ teaching but also a seemingly inexhaustible supply of information associated with him.
