In Sunday’s (7/17) Plain Dealer, Zachary Lewis writes, “A bass player in the Cleveland Orchestra, Martin Flowerman is part of the group’s backbone, a vertebra in its musical spine. But his informal roles in the orchestra are probably just as critical. One of the last current members to have played under former music director George Szell, Flowerman is a vital link to the ensemble’s storied past. Moreover, because he remembers those days 40-plus years ago like they were yesterday, he’s a living bank of musical history. That connection comes to an end, at least officially, this summer, when Flowerman retires after 44 years. At that moment, the orchestra will find itself with a vacancy impossible to fill, that of resident storyteller. … A few minutes with Flowerman, 64, in person is all it takes to get the feeling he’s not exactly in a hurry to step down. Sure, he’s looking forward to retirement, to spending his days writing, working with wood and traveling leisurely with his wife, Barbara. Really, though, he’s only leaving because he no longer feels equal to the physical demands of touring.”
Posted July 18, 2011
