Frank Kaderabek at 94 about trumpet and his life

[@albertmoore4445]

Frank brought exciting, passionate trumpet playing to audiences in Dallas, Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia over his long career as a principal player and inspired countless young trumpet players. I had the life-changing good fortune to study with this great man before he went to Philadelphia. He is the most inspiring, generous, giving teacher I have ever known of. It was remarkable to see one of the world's greatest trumpet players care so much about the success of his students. Hearing him knock off a Top Tones study in D on the D trumpet without scratching a note of the two page etude as you were getting your trumpet out for the lesson could be a little intimidating, but he was all about your playing and achievements. He has been key to the success of so many trumpet players!

[@brianwtice5724]

Jeff, I forwarded this to Al right away. I’m incredibly grateful to Al for all that he poured into me, and grateful to Frank for all that he poured into Al. Pretty cool how all of this works. 😊

[@SpeakTruthKindly]

Very fortunate to have taken a lesson from Frank there in his home studio in 1999. What a wonderful man he was and a special privilege that was for me.

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

What a wonderful video! Frank taught us a great deal about trumpet playing, orchestral performance, and life. He did go for an incredible ride.

[@JeffPurtle]

I created a tag on my site for Frank. He’s in the audience for all of the Claude Gordon lectures but is more audible on the ones tagged and a recital or two is online. It’s all free to listen with an account. www.purtle.com/frank-kaderabek

[@RyanReskyTrumpeter]

I met Mr Kaderabek in 2001 at the ITG in Evansville. I’ve never recieved a higher compliment on my playing than from him when he let me play his Selmer C trumpet. I’ll never forget that.

[@albertmoore4445]

There are some amazing stories about Frank's phenomenal trumpet playing. He told me that when he was preparing for a Brandenburg 2 performance, he would test himself on a couple of days by going down to his basement before breakfast, picking up the piccolo and playing through the piece without a single warm-up note. He said that when he resumed his practice later, after breakfast, his chops felt fine. He wrote practice assignments for himself every day. He had an old-fashioned spike on his desk in the basement which was crammed with years' worth of post it notes with his self -imposed lesson plans. The notes at the bottom of the stack were brown and crumbling. It was inspiring and impressive to see.

[@JeffPurtle]

I have an article where he mentioned playing the Ravel Piano Concerto excerpt and Petroushka in one breath of course single tongued. He also talked about that briefly at the CG camps. At the 2006 ITG Conference I heard him talk about guys entering Curtis that could play solos but couldn’t tongue. He was very focused on fundamentals and he was a perfect example of how free that made him to play the way he wanted. He’s such a great guy too. I like his comments in this interview about appreciating other players and how Claude did that. Good trumpet playing transcends style. There’s more than enough room for great players that just be themselves.

[@albertmoore4445]

@@JeffPurtle When Frank showed me how to play Brandt No.1 with a very light tongue (combination of T and D) and singing air, with emphasis on the first 16th note of each 3-note motive, it changed my whole understanding of the relationship between tongue and air. (It also made my niece dance when I played it that way.)

[@albertmoore4445]

“Frank” (Albert Moore April 28th, 2024) From that magnificent concert many recall The thrill of Scriabin in Philadelphia Hall, The trumpeter’s ringing, stentorian calls Would have tested the strength of Jericho’s walls. As over our heads sailed his glorious sound, and we heard throughout the space each note rebound. With passion in his heart and trumpet in his hands, He confidently met the work’s daunting demands. Each soaring statement with never a flaw Left those in attendance entranced with awe. No one knew how exciting it could be, This profound, sublime “Poem of Ecstasy” Until, hearing it played with such brilliance, elan and power, The audience was transfixed for a magical hour. For the thrill of that night, there was only one to thank a trumpeter, musician and man of highest rank Whom we, with humility and greatest respect, knew simply as “Frank”.

[@donhazzard4994]

My one lesson with Mr.Kaderabek in Detroit as a student of Clifford Lilly’s at University of Michigan in the late 1960’s was life changing. I will always remember how he stressed the necessity of knowing the orchestral excerpts cold including all the transpositions needed to perform all the repertoire. Also I agree that 60% of practice is to develop endurance. Those two truths served me well for 60 years of playing.

[@patrickcarlson2741]

What a treasure of an interview, thank you. I have the Philadelphia Orchestra recording of Scriabin's Le Poème de l'extase, and it's a constant sound reference for me in my trumpet playing. First time I came across the name Kaderabek was seeing him among the Chicago Brass profiled in Farkas's excellent Art of Brass Playing manual. Legend.

[@natenallmusic]

Wow! What a gift this is to the Trumpet community. What wisdom and experience. To hear about such an accomplished career is inspiring. Thank you for sharing this!

[@dmntuba]

RIP Maestro. Thanks for all the wonderful music.

[@RushLimbaugh-z4t]

The man with the perfect embouchure in the Farkas book! What a player and what a contribution his playing made to aspiring trumpet players.

[@benmcdonald2020]

Thank you Mr Kaderabek you are an inspiration. 🎺🎺🎺🎺🎺🎺

[@JeffPurtle]

That was so fun for me to see Frank. Please please please share this with many people.

[@michaelackerman3823]

Rest in Peace legend.

[@luckymeloa]

thank you for sharing this interview.

[@JeffPurtle]

Please share it with others.

[@thecynicalintrovert]

May he rest in peace.

[@ericdaniel323]

Thank you so much for posting. My dad raised me on his Ormandy records, many of which featured Mr. Kaderabek, and he remains a favorite of mine.

[@JeffPurtle]

The first orchestral recordings I ever heard as a kid was a giant collection with lots of Philadelphia recordings with Scheherazade and I didn’t meet Frank until later and realized it was him. I feel he’s the last living powerhouse orchestral players and you will hear why and how.

[@josephdiluzio6719]

WONDERFUL watching this ! The great Frank Kaderabek gave me more thrills and spécial musical moments then any Philadelphia Orchestra first chair ! This through the soaring brilliance of his trumpet and the humanity of his phrasing. Carissimo Francesco Stammi bene ! Dr. Joseph DiLuzio

[@JeffPurtle]

@josephdiluzio6719 thanks! Spread the word and share this and the other videos. Frank has actually seen the comments via his daughters.

[@gerontius3]

RIP Frank. I enjoyed your playing with the Phillies in the 80s and 90s - a player with a unique sound and a personality.........never boring. The Philadelphia sound - Stokowski first, then Ormandy...................

[@JeffPurtle]

You might also enjoy the recital audio posted on my site. www.purtle.com/audio/claude-gordon-brass-camp-1991-frank-kaderabek-recital

[@DonovanBankhead]

What a legend!

[@JeffPurtle]

Thanks! Please share it with others.

[@ojtrumpet]

What a great talk you had with Frank Kaderabek, Jeff! Btw, I looked up the photo of Kaderabek in the Farkas book. Page 27 with Herseth, Nashan and Cichowicz. (All on the Bach C trumpets)

[@JeffPurtle]

Thanks for reminding me about that. I should grab that pic and I’m working on the audio from his 1979 ITG recital he mentions in this video.

[@chasefreak]

Simply wonderful interview here Jeff

[@estesjw]

Just to clarify: FK became Principal Trumpet in Philadelphia in about1975 when Gil Johnson went to U of Miami (I studied with Gil 78-81). Many of the Ormandy recordings were of Gil as 1st trumpet. I believe Ricardo Muti was MD for much of Kadarabek’s tenure. Sam Krause was principal before Gil and would have been on many earlier Ormandy recordings.

[@ericdaniel323]

Mr. Krauss played on the old mono recording of Billy the Kid. The Prairie Night solo on that record remains one of my favorite examples of a beautiful trumpet sound. He actually remained with the orchestra for another 15 years as 2nd and, later, 4th trumpet, but I never saw an explanation of why he changed parts. What was it like studying with Mr. Johnson? I know Herseth is the standard for orchestral trumpet playing, but I spent a lot more time listening to Mr. Johnson and always had a soft spot for Ormandy’s recordings.

[@estesjw]

@@ericdaniel323 It used to be common for principal players to move down, often to 4th as they get older and don’t want the pressure of being principal, but don’t want to retire. Of course it sometimes happens with the urging of the music director. I find that as I get older I don’t feel I have anything to prove to anyone, and I”m happy playing a lower part.

[@kevin_lombardi]

Mr. Kaderabek is a joy to listen to. Thank you for posting the interview! Question: Did Mr. K perform the Brandenburg on a Bb or C trumpet? (He didn't mention anything about a piccolo trumpet).

[@JeffPurtle]

Thanks. Please share it with others. I’m 100% certain he used a piccolo for the Brandenburg. At the Claude Gordon camp recitals he played a Selmer Piccolo like Maurice Andre did before he played a Schilke P5-4 and later the Stomvi copy. You can listen to that recital on my site here. www.purtle.com/audio/claude-gordon-brass-camp-1991-frank-kaderabek-recital

[@chris430811]

A fantastic interview

[@JeffPurtle]

Thanks! Please share and tell people about it and subscribing. I have more content in the queue.

[@hillrl51]

Thanks!

[@JeffPurtle]

Wow! That’s super cool and the first time anyone has done that here on KZbin. I have more content I will be posting. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@GordonHudson]

My first record was the Philadelphia Orchestra playing Beethoven 6. It must have been Frank playing the two or three trumpet notes in it. It's a small world.

[@JeffPurtle]

I had a crush on a girl in college and Beethoven 6 was her favorite orchestra piece.

[@albertmoore4445]

“They don’t put all of the musical interpretation in the printed score.” “Use your imagination!” Frank Kaderabek.

[@JeffPurtle]

I have an old article I should post where he talks about what he imagines for various excerpts.

[@albertmoore4445]

@@JeffPurtle I know it was Errol Flynn and his slashing sword for Don Juan!