Julius Baker (September 23, 1915 – August 6, 2003) was one of the foremost American orchestral flute players. During the course of five decades he concertized with several of America's premier orchestral ensembles including the Chicago Symphony and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.[1][2]
American orchestral flute player
For the English cartoonist, see Julius Stafford Baker.
You may hear Julius Baker performing Antonio Vivaldi's Flute-Bassoon Concerto in G Minor with Karl Hoffmann, bassoon and Antonio Janigro conducting Solisti de Zagreb in 1964 Here
Background
Baker was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and at age nine started flute lessons with his Jewish-Russian immigrant father. Later he studied with August Caputo and local flautist Robert Morris. He attended the Eastman School of Music, where he was pupil of Leonardo De Lorenzo, and the Curtis Institute, where he studied with William Kincaid and had classes with Marcel Tabuteau. Upon graduation in 1937, Baker returned to Cleveland to play second flute in the Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Artur Rodziński, and in the section led by Maurice Sharp.[3][4] He went on to a distinguished and long tenure as principal flute in the New York Philharmonic.
Career
Teaching, performing
Juilliard School - Alice Tully Hall
Julius Baker was well known as a teacher and served as a faculty member at the Juilliard School from 1954,[5] the Curtis Institute of Music from 1980, and Carnegie Mellon University from 1991. He made many recordings with conductors such as Bruno Walter and Leonard Bernstein, and played second flute with the Cleveland Orchestra from 1937-1941.[6]
Baker emerged as principal flautist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner from 1941–1943, the CBS Symphony Orchestra at the CBS network in New York City (1943-1951), with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Rafael Kubelik from 1951–1953, and subsequently with the New York Philharmonic for 18 years, beginning in 1965 under such legendary conductors as: Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez and Zubin Mehta.[7][8][9] During that time he also played in the Columbia Symphony Orchestra.[10]
Baker loved chamber music and was one of the founding members of the Bach Aria Group, with whom he played from 1946 to 1964.[11][12][13][14] Baker also performed on several notable film scores, including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Lovesick. In addition, he appeared opposite violinist Oscar Shumsky in filming Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, with pianist and conductor Glenn Gould for CBC Television. [15] Baker also collaborated with Glenn Gould, the violinist Rafael Druian and members of the New York Philharmonic in a recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's Brandenberg Concerto No. 4 in G Major, BWV 1049.[16]
In addition to film, Baker was also featured on network television in such noted programs as: The Dick Cavett Show in 1971 and the Public Broadcasting Service series Great Performances in 1995.[17]
Orchestra Hall at the Symphony Center in Chicago
Baker gave the first American performance with orchestra of the Ibert Flute Concerto in 1948 with the CBS Symphony, and that concert was later issued on his own label, Oxford Records. Baker also collaborated with John Serry, Sr. during his tenure at CBS and produced a demonstration recording in 1950 of Mr. Serry's compositions for flute and accordion entitled La Culebra and Desert Rumba, both of which were dedicated to Baker.[18][19]
Baker retired from the New York Philharmonic in 1983 in order to devote himself to playing recitals programs and concertos around the United States, Europe and Asia.[2]
In 1997 and 1999 he was jury member at the International Flute Competition "Leonardo De Lorenzo", held every two years in Viggiano, Italy.[20]
Avery Fisher Hall with Henry Moore sculpture
The Oxford Recording Company
Baker was also an electronics buff and amateur ham radio operator. He built audio equipment upon which he taped his early solo recordings. The Flute Talk article explained, "His interest in electronics developed into The Oxford Recording Company, a mail-order business he ran out of his home and which produced five of his flute recordings between 1946 and 1951.
Notable pupils
External video
You may see Julius Baker performing with Glenn Gould in Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 for the CBC Television documentary "Glenn Gould on Bach" in 1962 Here on bing.com
Paula Robison, a well-known soloist and chamber musician who is now on the faculty of the New England Conservatory
Jeffrey Khaner, currently principal flutist of the Philadelphia Orchestra
Mimi Stillman, soloist, chamber musician, and Artistic Director of Dolce Suono Ensemble
John Curran of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra and Brown University.
Gary Schocker, a flute soloist and composer
Jeanne Baxtresser, who succeeded him as principal flutist of the New York Philharmonic and recently retired to devote herself to teaching at Carnegie Mellon School of Music
Jasmine Choi, former principal flutist of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra
Valerie Coleman, flutist, composer, and founder of Imani Winds
Viviana Guzman, International Soloist and Professor of Flute at the University of California at Santa Cruz
Nadine Asin, former piccoloist of the New York Metropolitan Opera, Flute Faculty at Aspen Music Festival, Principal Flutist of the Palm Beach Symphony, and Principal Flutist of the Florida Grand Opera
Alberto Almarza, Professor of Flute at Carnegie Mellon University
Marco Granandos, International Soloist, former Professor of Flute at Longy School of Music at Bard College, and Composer
Death
Julius Baker died in 2003, aged 87.
Discography
External audio
You may hear Julius Baker performing Claude Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun with Lisa Emenheiser, piano in 1982 Here
You may hear Julius Baker performing the Allegro from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra K. 299 with Antonio Janigro conducting I Solists de Zagreb Here on archive.org
Serenade In D Major, Op. 25 and Trio In C Minor Op. 9, No. 3 (Decca, 1953)[21]
Poem For Flute And Orchestra and A Night Piece For Flute And String Quartet (Decca, 1952)[22]
"Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians: Centennial Edition". Slonimsky, Nicholas editor. Schirmer Books, New York NY, 2001. Vol.1 pg. 188 ISBN 0-02-865526-5
The New York Times, November 17, 1964, Page 48.
The New York Times, May 6, 1983, Page C26.
"Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians: Centennial Edition". Slonimsky, Nicholas editor. Schirmer Books, New york NY, 2001. Vol.1 pg. 188 ISBN 0-02-865526-5
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