The Eighth Hungarian Tribe, 1984 (11. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1984-10-01 / 10-11. szám
PROFILES IN FOCUS ALFRED WEISSMAN: America’s Foremost Hungarian-American Trumpeter-by -Joseph E. Horvath When we think of Hungarian musicians, we envision them playing the violin, viola, cimbalon, bass, or the clarinet. Maybe, the piano, too. But, not when it comes to A1 Weissman. He’s different, you see. He plays the trumpet. So well, in fact, that he ranks as one of America’s foremost trumpeters! That he is way up there among the greats, however, does not mean that he has forgotten his Hungarian “roots”. No way, no how! You see, he is also a first-rate composer and, one of his best works, just happens to be called “Hungarian Memories”, which A1 dedicated to Carl “Doc" Severinsen, another great master of the trumpet. What’s more, its beat is “Tempo di Csardas”! A TRUE-BLUE AMERICAN-HUNGARIAN A1 Weissman’s “Hungarianism” is a legacy from his parents, both of whom were prominent members of the Hungarian community in New Brunswick, New Jersey, when this city was known far and wide as the state’s “Little Hungary” and its 5th Ward as “Little Budapest”. His mother, Ethel, however, was American-born, while his father, Geza, was born in Miskolc and emigrated to the Umted States in 1920. The late Geza Weissman, by the way, was one of the founders of the National Soccer League, the organizer and coach of the first soccer team fielded by the Hungarian American Athletic Club of New Brunswick, and a Charter Member of this still active organization. For his dedication, the club awarded him its Distinguished Service Award in 1967. Born in 1933 and raised in the “Hungarian 5th Ward” of the City of New Brunswick where his father operated a tinsmith shop, Al, who spoke only Hungarian until the age of five, attended and graduated from his home town's public school system. But, by the time he had received his high school diploma, he was well underway towards becoming a maestro of the trumpet. “What happened was that I wrote to the Encyclopedia Britannica to find out who was the world’s best trumpeter,” he recalled, “and they replied that it was Harry Glantz. So, I wrote to him and, before I knew it, I was up there in New York City at Page 12 Alfred Weissman, the favorite student of the immortal Harry Glantz. Rockefeller Plaza auditioning for Arturo Toscannini’s First Trumpeter!” The result of this fateful audition was that Harry Glantz, who still rates as the greatest trumpeter who ever lived, accepted Al Weissman as a student. His parents, of course, assumed the heavy burden of paying for his lessons. Nevertheless, it turned out to be a good investment on their part, judging by what the late Harry Glantz once said about his former student. “He was my favorite student because, as a boy, his sound was closest to mine,” Glantz told a reporter, “If I had a son, I’d like him to be like Alfred. There are very few people, inside or outside the profession, that could match this man’s heart. It’s not of gold, but of diamonds and platinum!” TRUMPETING HIS WAY THROUGH THE KOREAN WAR By the time Al Weissman auditioned for Leonard Bernstein, the Korean War broke out and he was drafted into the army. However, in his particular case, the military brass was smart enough to assign him to West Point, where he became the First Trumpeter of the U.S. Military Academy Band. From this post, he was reassigned to Washington, where he became the First Trumpeter of the U.S. Army Field Band. Honorably discharged after four years of service, Al went to Denver, Colorado, where he played First Trumpet long enough with the Denver Symphony to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from the University of Denver while, at the same time, working as a lecturer. With his “sheepskin” in hand, Al returned to New Brunswick and enrolled in Rutgers University where, in 1962, he was awarded a Masters degree in music education. Just as he did out in Denver, so he did while attending Rutgers University - he lectured. Immediately thereafter, he became the Director of the New Brunswick High School Band and, after serving in this capacity for 22 years, he retired this year. TEACHING AND PERFORMING WITH THE BEST The fact that Al was a member of the' faculty of the New Brunswick High School did not prevent him from playing with the orchestras of Radio City Music Hall, the Bolshoi Ballet, the Ukrainian Dance Company, the Paris Opera, the Royal Danish Ballet, the Dutch National Ballet, and others under the conductorship of Toscannini, Bernstein, Stowkowski, Kostelanetz, and others. He has also played with Show Orchestra in support of Bob Hope, Peggy Fleming, Glen Campbell, Liza Minelli, Barry Manilow, Liberace, Tony Bennett, Perry Como, Lena Horne, Sammy Davis, Jr., Paul Anka, and a host of other stars of stage and screen. But the one performance, which is still fresh in his mind as if it happened yesterday, was his “one night stand” in 1974 with the Budapest Symphony at Rutgers University and under the baton of István Galombos! Al, of course, is a teacher-par-excellence and he has given private lessons to such students as Alex Bacelor, a Cuban resident of New Brunswick who is now the First Trumpeter of the Atlanta Symphony; Bob Vastani, now the First Trumpeter of the Dallas Symphony; Richard Jones, who is now the First Trumpeter of the Rochester Philharmonic and Professor of Music at the Eastman School of Music; Chuck Mangione, and others. In this, he has followed in the footsteps of his great teacher, Harry Glantz. Even though Al is retired now, he still plays on occasion at the Garden State Arts Center, for Broadway shows, TV commercials, and records. He lives in Highland Park, New Jersey, with his wife, Sheila, his daughter, Michelle, and his son, Stephen. SUMING UP HIS LIFE AND CAREER In summing up his life and career, Al said: “I am eternally indebted to four people in my life for making my life’s dream come true. My mother, my father, and my wife for their understanding and support, and to Harry Glantz, my teacher and my source of inspiration.” To keep up with his Hungarian heritage now that he is retired, Alfred Weissman, the great American-Hungarian “Primas” of the Trumpet, reads “The Eighth Hungarian Tribe” magazine! Eighth Hungarian Tribe
