Fred Hemke's Final Performance at NU

[@mariac7589]

It is my honor to have been Frederick L. Hemke's student of alto saxophone during my high school years 1954-1958. Yes, I'm 80 years old and will never forget Fred === his talent, his gift, his kindness, his sense of humor, his encouragement, his true love for teaching, his love for sharing all of these elements with a lowly rural teenager before he went on to bigger accomplishment for his entire life. To have been able to stay in touch with him and his parents and his wife, children, and grandchildren for all the years is a gift I shall always treasure. RIP Fred. You are so beloved. Pat C

[@retrocjt]

Rest in piece to this giant of the classical saxophone community!

[@vincentharty4373]

RIP an absolute legend 🙏🏻

[@tomtolrud8377]

I had the extremepleasure and privilege to meet and play for and also hear Fred play while he was attending University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee extension and I a high school junior in the 50's. A memory I will never forget and always cherish of true friend and musician.

[@sonnyburnette6431]

Love it!!! Loved studying with Fred for my Master's degree. :-)

[@larrywoodruff7043]

Wow! I met him, and played alongside him, once. I got a late call for a recording session at Universal Studio just off Rush Street. I'm thinking sometime in Spring 1967 just before going into the Navy. I was playing bari. I walked in totally scared, not sure what to expect, I don't even remember the music, but it was for some sort of industrial. He led the section and was very kind and welcoming. I was in awe. I managed to do the job. Even went into the vocal studio and joined the singers for some added vocals. But a truly great memory of a sensational musician.

[@MainChannelTX]

Heard him at Arkansas Tech Band Camp in the 60s. Still had that signature tone and unbelievable breath control and phrasing.

[@altologist]

have been playing hemke reeds for 39 years & didn't even know there was such a fellow: FredHemke.found out about him watching the usarmyfieldband video.my first 2 public performances back in highschool were Summertime & I got plenty o' nuttin' which is also the last time I played in the classical style :)this is fantastic

[@nathanmccuistion7857]

altologist *those are jazz tunes, i'm a classical saxophone major. try the creston sonata, heiden sonata, carnival of venice, etc. for classical saxophone*

[@willc2153]

This is what saxophones were built to sound like, hybrid of the woodwind and brass, to FIT in to the strings as well! You won't find many better than this

[@timemanification]

As great as he is, this is far away from what the saxophone was intended to sound like

[@philipkleutgens3987]

+timemanification false

[@joshuahuff607]

Philip Kleutgens I mean, as far as Adolphe Sax actually intended, that would be more Sigurd Rascher

[@pearspeedruns]

He has a great classical tone, but Sax intended for a dark tone on a large chamber mouthpiece… not a bright sound on a metal mouthpiece.

[@rexmelgoza4703]

@@pearspeedruns thanks for your opinion lol

[@Selmerpilot]

Hemke, Mule, Rascher, Rousseau, and many of their students are the penultimate legit/classical players to listen, and if one wants to get their chops together there is no better way then to play some of their works on developing technique. The question regarding their musical legacies is an unanswered one as the saxophone is still a young instrument: were they trailblazers and harmonic geniuses as Charlie Parker, Coltrane, Adderley, Woods, and now the undeniable technical master, Chris Potter? Time will tell as they are remarkably different genres, but all are filed under the saxophone category which seems to have an inner battle for sound supremacy in jazz or legit. To date and popularity wise, most would take Charlie Parker or Phil Woods with strings any day, but that's not to discount what others are doing as I am certain one cannot exist without the other. Cheers Fred

[@SuperSk8ta]

+Selmerpilot He is really good at jazz music.

[@sirvidia]

penultimate? that means second the last

[@jzer21]

Why is there a need to legitimize classical sax players by comparing them to jazz sax players. What other instruments do this and why must the saxophone? It's apples and oranges.

[@joethomas7841]

sirvidia lol yeah this is a prime example of someone trying to sound too smart.
So ima put it in regular terms.
Even among classical sound on saxophone (which is new just like jazz sound) this is pretty shitty. His tone is annoying. It reminds me of high school saxophone.
And you ask why there needs to be a difference between classical and jazz pedagogy of this instrument? Uh... they’re completely different.
Whoever said he sounds good at jazz I can guarantee you that’s not true. You can’t just say you’re good at jazz and be good at it. Anyone that says that is the type of classical musician that writes off jazz as blues licks and riffs, you don’t get it if that’s all you hear.
The sound difference is night and day too, one sound is constricted and the other is open and free blowing. If you don’t understand that then you haven’t studied the saxophone enough.

[@secretname8587]

Hemke has nothing to do with jazz get that shit out of here

[@EtienneRolin]

Bravo to Fred who I had the pleasure to meet as visiting composer at Northwetern 20 and 15 years back .
Cheers Etienne Rolin

[@mariac7589]

Thank you apc540 for this incredible performance. thank you, thank you, thank you.

[@user-mk5eu7yl1j]

Браво!

[@NESJohnny]

Yeah, I just mail money to random address I find online.
Great performance Hemke. I appreciate all those involved who made this recording freely available online.

[@kenichikawamoto2833]

Bravo.

[@loweray6528]

Great tone

[@jamesgutierrez5587]

Would hate to be rude but I just become a fan on Frederick Hemke works, aside form that what's the name of this song?

[@saxyric8992]

summertime

[@mariac7589]

@@saxyric8992 medly of Porgy and Bess

[@kameya87]

I was expecting more for some reason

[@user-ig5eb5li3t]

Well it wasn't the technically most difficult piece. But his tone quality and expression were excellent.

[@JamesCarterIII]

Does anyone know who the arranger is?

[@mrp1217]

Jonah Blum

[@multidimensional1]

Is that your opinion? What is it exactly that you find amateurish? His economy of notes?

[@acermarbella4333]

What mouthpiece is he using?

[@mrp1217]

He used a Selmer metal classic C*

[@Gliderking80]

No that good like I expected.

[@saxophone.4513]

Tone is too strident and vibrato is unnatural.

[@jamesharrick2640]

Yes ! A beautiful saxophonist : Style and tone . Thanks Fred .... JIm Harrick

[@lucschollaert113]

that's the recording !!

[@lynmckenna4273]

You don't understand the original French style of playing saxophone then. Fred Hemke studied in France under Marcel Mule. The French patented the saxophone. The reason this vibrato is different than other ones is because it is based on the vibrato used on a violin (instead of the other way of someone singing which the American vibrato now is based on). Fred Hemke was simply one of the greatest classical saxophonists. I was honored to study under him at Interlochen Arts Academy in 1978. I did not embrace this style of vibrato because I chose the American one but I understood why this style was there.

[@saxophone.4513]

I understand it perfectly well. I don't like it.

[@lynmckenna4273]

I don't either but I was mostly commenting on that you said it was "unnatural." lol What is "natural" for an invented musical instrument ? lol It is not someone's voice(and even people singing have different vibratos, many of which I cannot stand. @@saxophone.4513