WHAM RPO Concerts and Eastman Philharmonia Orchestra R.A.U.N Concert 

R.A.U.N. Concert – 1972

Sponsored by the Rochester Civic Music Association (CMA)

Rochester New York’s 10th annual R.A.U.N. concert most likely occurred in 1972. It was performed by the Eastman Philharmonia Orchestra under the baton of composer/conductor, Walter Hendl. Meister Hendl became the Director of the Eastman School of Music following Howard Hanson’s retirement in 1964.

Like all of the RPO concerts produced and hosted by Walter Dixon, it aired as a live performance over WHAM.

We are fortunate to have Meister Hendl’s final musical selection from that concert; Respighi’s Roman Festivals.

While this recording is missing Walter’s usual informative and entertaining introduction, it does have his closing remarks.

The Eastman Philharmonia performance under Dr. Hendl was nothing short of stellar. The applause at the end lasted over 5 minutes, with calls of “more, more” and “bravo.” This performance so moved Walter that he can be heard to say softly:

“My God, what a performance.”

At last, Dr. Hendl returned to the stage to briefly address the audience. To enable you to skip to these final moments, we have separated them from the rest of that evening’s performance.

Listen now to Meister Hendl and the Eastman Philharmonia Orchestra’s performance of Ottorino Respighi’s Roman Festivals

Here is the ending of the recording with the audience’s exuburant response and Walter Dixon’s closing remarks.

Walter Hendl
Walter Hendl (conductor)

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Ottorino Respighi
Ottorino Respighi (composer of Roman Festivals)

R.A.U.N. Concert – 1972

Sponsored by the Rochester Civic Music Association (CMA)

Rochester New York’s 10th annual R.A.U.N. concert most likely occurred in 1972. It was performed by the Eastman Philharmonia Orchestra under the baton of composer/conductor, Walter Hendl. Meister Hendl became the Director of the Eastman School of Music following Howard Hanson’s retirement in 1964.

Like all of the RPO concerts produced and hosted by Walter Dixon, it aired as a live performance over WHAM.

We are fortunate to have Meister Hendl’s final musical selection from that concert; Respighi’s Roman Festivals.

While this recording is missing Walter’s usual informative and entertaining introduction, it does have his closing remarks.

The Eastman Philharmonia performance under Dr. Hendl was nothing short of stellar. The applause at the end lasted over 5 minutes, with calls of “more, more” and “bravo.” This performance so moved Walter that he can be heard to say softly:

“My God, what a performance.”

At last, Dr. Hendl returned to the stage to briefly address the audience. To enable you to skip to these final moments, we have separated them from the rest of that evening’s performance.

Listen now to Meister Hendl and the Eastman Philharmonia Orchestra’s performance of Ottorino Respighi’s Roman Festivals

Here is the ending of the recording with the audience’s exuburant response and Walter Dixon’s closing remarks.

Faculty

Walter Hendl: 1917–2007

Walter Hendl

Walter Hendl, a distinguished conductor and former director of the Eastman School, died April 9. He was 90.

Hendl succeeded Howard Hanson as director of Eastman in 1964, leading the school until 1972. As director, he is credited with helping launch innovative curricula and programs in accompanying, conducting, jazz and contemporary media, and electronic music.

“In his eight years at the Eastman School, Walter Hendl accomplished some great and enduring things,” said former Eastman dean James Undercofler ’67E in April 2005, when Hendl visited the school to conduct the Eastman Philharmonia in Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2, “from inviting such prominent composers as Stravinsky, Khatchaturian, and Penderecki for week-long visits, to establishing the Musica Nova ensemble, to encouraging innovative curricula in accompanying, conducting, jazz studies and contemporary media, and electronic music. But he will always be remembered as one of the outstanding American conductors of his generation.”

Born January 12, 1917, in West New York, New Jersey, Hendl studied with Fritz Reiner at the Curtis Institute, then taught at Sarah Lawrence College from 1939 to 1941. He began his career as a pianist and conductor at the Berkshire Music Center under Serge Koussevitsky.

In 1945, he was appointed associate conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and in 1949, he was named conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Hendl was associate conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1958 to 1964 before his appointment at Eastman.

A champion of contemporary music, he led premieres of major works by Peter Mennin, Bohuslav Martinu, and Heitor Villa-Lobos. In 1965, he led Eastman musicians in the American premiere of Dmitri Kabalevsky’s Requiem.

In 1976, he was appointed director of the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra, and in 1990, he became professor of conducting at Mercyhurst College.