(Chapter 3)
Professor Jettel and me by the Artist’s Entrance to the Vienna Staatsoper, where we used to meet when I was 12 years old. Through that door behind us, Professor Jettel led me to the orchestra pit to witness the greatest music, performed by some of the greatest instrumentalists and opera singers in the world. It was sitting next to Rudolf Jettel, surrounded by the Vienna Philharmonic where I decided to devote my life to becoming a musician. Vienna, 1973/74
“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” – Oprah Winfrey
Part 1 – Why
Hello Friends,
I wrote “From Cab Driver to Carnegie Hall” to share my life pursuing a career in classical music, traveling the world studying and performing with some of the greatest musicians of the day, with the triumphs and glory of success and some of the challenges I faced as well. I was not interested in writing something just for music students and professional musicians although some of the personal experiences I share about Bernstein, Menuhin, Serkin, Yo-Yo Ma and Pablo Casals will be of particular interest for the classical musicians.
Classical musicians deserve recognition, too!
In today’s world it is often sports figures, actors and pop music stars who are universally popularized as entertainment icons. Classical composers and musicians have stood on these same pedestals of fame for hundreds of years, but these days their notoriety trails far behind that of their peers from other industries. I believe that many of the people who come back to life in my book deserve to have their stories reach a wider audience for the kindness, the generosity and the humanity they showed to me and to others.
Who has made a difference in your life?
Part 2 – Rudolf Jettel
In From Cab Driver to Carnegie Hall, I describe Rudolf Jettel as my “musical father.” In fact, he likely held that position in many, many different young people’s minds throughout the 20th century.
Jettel’s Early Life
Professor Jettel was born in the Favoriten district of Vienna in 1903, the city in which he spent much of his life. He studied clarinet and composition at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna, and was also trained as an instrument maker. He had such a gift for crafting clarinet reeds in the days long before computer assistance or composite materials that his reeds were eagerly sought out by a multitude of his students on practically a daily basis. In his later years, when Prof. Jettel had to go to the hospital, his students, past and present, were in a panic not just because they cared for their dear professor. Who was going to make their reeds?
Clarinet reed (front and side)
Not just a performer
Jettel’s musical skills as a clarinetist were on par with the greatest players of his time. He was the principal clarinetist of the Vienna Philharmonic until 1968 and also composed many pieces for clarinet and saxophone. He wrote etudes for the clarinet from beginning levels to the most advanced and the solo works and chamber music he composed were performed by the very best performers of the day including members of the Vienna Philharmonic. Today, almost 50 years later, his etudes and solo pieces are still used by teachers and their students all over the world. Jettel also played alto saxophone and composed pieces for a jazz band, although unfortunately as his life pre-dated this modern world of mass production, a recording is very hard to find. I myself am the proud owner of one of his records, of which only a couple dozen copies are known to exist.
Vienna Staatsoper, home of the Vienna State Opera, Dec. 2022.
A hero during the war
Rudolf Jettel, was a great hero to the Jewish people in the time of Hitler. Using his prestigious position in the Vienna Philharmonic he personally helped many Jews escape Austria during that horrific time. My orthodox relatives in Vienna told me about Prof Jettel, who risked his job and even his life helping Jews.
Well-deserved accolades
Today the Vienna Philharmonic honors Rudolf Jettel in perpetuity, for his selfless heroism during this period of history with the ‘Silver Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria,’ the highest such award that can be given to a civilian. A large plaque now hangs prominently in the Vienna Philharmonic Museum with his name on it.
New Years’ with the Jettels
On New Years’ Eve, when I was in my 20’s, I would sit with Professor Jettel and his wife in the Hotel Intercontinental, across the street from Stadt Park, eating delicious deserts while friends came by in small groups to say hello. His wife found it amusing to surreptitiously watch people (more uninhibited than usual during all the celebrating going on) doing strange things, and would often poke us when something especially amusing was happening. She would whisper “Schau, Rudi!! Schau” (“look, look”). She was trying hard to be subtle but her eyes got so big when she spotted anyone dressed or acting in an unusual way. Mrs. Jettel provided me with more than enough entertainment just by her very animated facial expressions.
Rudolf Jettel and his wife, Liesel. Vienna, 1973/74.
My most important influence
I am not sure anyone had a greater influence on my life than Rudolf Jettel. I basically began the clarinet with him as a twelve-year-old (1961/62). If you have read my book you know how Professor Jettel had me sit next to him in the Vienna Philharmonic during opera performances. In my early 20’s I went back to Vienna to study with him (1972/73) and by the time I was 30 (1979) I appeared as a soloist in the Musikverein, Vienna’s most prestigious concert hall, with the eventual Grammy Award winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra with Jettel and his wife, Liesel sitting very proudly by his side in the audience.
Sneaking a smoke
They were a great couple. The only time I saw him sneak anything behind her back was when he would quickly and quietly tip toe out their front door into the hallway, tearing a cigarette into several pieces and proceed to inhale as many as he could before she caught wind of what he was up to. She despised his smoking, mostly because his doctors told him to stop or else.
I will never forget my musical father, Professor Rudolf Jettel.
Thank you for your interest! If you have not done so already, you can purchase my memoir directly from Amazon or if you prefer, Barnes and Noble. For that matter you can go to any bookstore to order it.
I look forward to reaching out again next week with some new and interesting material.
See you online! David
David Singer, Grammy Award-Winning Professional Musician for 55 years
Author of “From Cab Driver to Carnegie Hall“
www.singerclarinet.com
Blog updated frequently
Click here to see Taxiing Toward Success – Chapter 2