Eastman School of Music - Score Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

Page 43 text:

ld Well, Ulugh: Peet gf OV? of Sniche lj who lan he ln im- m, ora laClQQd lull' Or looked fl Save 'FY is a Euroov BY DR. HOWARD HANsoN GIVEN AT THE MEMORIAL SERVICE POR EMORY REMINGTDN DECEMBER 14,1971 I must say that if I had the tongues of angels, prophets and seers, I could make no tribute such as has just been made. You will probablly never in your lifetime hear this again. And that these young men have come from great or- chestras to pay this tribute under a great friend and a great conductor, Fred Eennell, is something that says more than anything which can be said by any poor speaker - certainly not myself. Of few men can it be said that 'he became a legend in his own time.' Of this small group Emory Remington was a most honored member. The Eastman School of Music over the years has been blessed with an astonishing number of great teachers. And in the topmost echelon of this distin- guished group must be engraved forever the name of our friend to whom we pay final tribute this day. Perhaps we may look to that greatest of all textbooks for the answer: By their fruits shall ye know them. And cer- tainly the fruits of his labor were very rich indeed. I-Iis stu- sixty years ago, I have always regarded myself as one of Emory's boys . I-Ie often invited me to play with his fa- mous trombone choir, but unfortunately, never in a solo capacity. In spite of my inability to make the grace as a trombonist, we worked together for many rich and happy year - for almost a half a century. I think I have the answer. The answer is, I believe, that in spite of his technical knowledge, in spite of his science and his art, Emory Re- mington never really did teach the trombone. He taught people. I-Ie taught human beings, he taught human souls and human hearts. I-Ie had knowledge: he had technique. I-Ie was a master of pedagogy. I-Ie had dedication in immeasur- able quantity and quality. I-Ie had empathy, he had sym- pathy. But he had something else. It is symbolized by a four letter word - a good four letter word - a four letter word which could change the entire world it if had half a chance. The word is I.-O-Y-E - love! I-le loved music. He loved that most noble instrument, the trombone. But most important of all, he loved people, and above all he loved his students. We today must not mourn for him, but only for his loved ones and for ourselves. I-Ie died as he wanted to die, as he had so frequently said, doing what he loved to do- teaching his beloved instrument to his beloved students! Leaving dents have gone from the Remington studio to solo posi- tions in almost all of the great orchestras, not only of the United States, but of the world. But there is, I think, more to it than this. I think that I may know Emory Remington's secret. As the solo trombonist of the Wahoo Park Band over behind him a rich legacy beyond the price of all gold and sil- ver, his requiem might indeed well read: Three things remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. May he rest in peace.

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.I 1 .f J ,' ' ' , w' .ro . , ' ' if That man who has lived well, laughed often and loved muchg who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of childrenp who has filled his niche and accomplished his taskg who leaves the world better than he found it, whether by an im- proved rose, a perfect poem, or a rescued soulg who never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or tailed to express itp who looked for the best in others and ave 'wb 3 the best he had. I-Iis memory is a benedictionf' EULO GIVE? in DECE ffl H and 56 made' again. ch6Sfft conduf anythi not mi Of l own Y most l the YQ great 1 guishf friend Perl the an tainly dents tions Unite it tha secret

Page 44 text:

In those days no one asked fun- damental questions, so no one had any answers. No one even thought about questions of tongue place- ment, breath control, and so on , . . I just played as it seemed right to me. There was very little material then that treated the vocal line. The old school was to 'spit it out'. I was strong on articulation in the mouth like a singer. I didn't blow into the horn, I sang into it with as little re- sistance as possible. From the very beginning, I have always treated the instrument as just another voice. t 2