New York Philharmonic Principal Clarinet Stanley Drucker performs Copland’s Clarinet Concerto with the Philharmonic, June 4, 2009. Photo by Stephanie Berger.
“Stanley Drucker, who was known as the dean of American orchestral clarinetists during a 60-year career with the New York Philharmonic, putting his mark on countless performances and recordings under a legion of celebrated conductors, died on Monday in Vista, Calif.,” writes Daniel J. Wakin in Tuesday’s (12/20) New York Times (login may be required). “He was 93…. Drucker, who retired in 2009, was only the fourth principal clarinetist of the Philharmonic since 1920 when he took up the post…. Mr. Drucker’s longevity with the Philharmonic gave rise to impressive statistics: 10,200 concerts with the orchestra, including 191 solo appearances, and performances of nearly every major clarinet concerto and soloist on more than a dozen recordings. He also recorded most of the standard clarinet chamber music works. He was nominated twice for a Grammy—for … the Aaron Copland Concerto for Clarinet, Strings, Harp and Piano, with Leonard Bernstein conducting, and John Corigliano’s Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, with Zubin Mehta conducting.” After stints at the Indianapolis Symphony and Buffalo Philharmonic, in 1948 he joined the New York Philharmonic as assistant principal clarinet at age 19. He taught at the Juilliard School from 1968 to 1998.
