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Speaking of centennials . . . March 5, 2012, would have been the 100th birthday of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s former principal cello from 1959 until 1985, the legendary Frank Miller.
Miller died on January 6, 1986, and at the CSO’s subscription concert the following week on January 16, Sir Georg Solti broke with protocol and spoke to the audience from the stage, to honor him:
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I have never addressed the public before a concert—this is the first time in my life. But I think I have to make an exception, because I want you to join me to celebrate the memory of a wonderful man. Our beloved solo cellist who died last week, my dear Frank Miller.
“Frank was a wonderful man, a wonderful musician, an incredible leader of a section, somebody who won’t be so quickly coming to this world. Frank was a legend in his lifetime and Frank will be a legend to generations to come.
“To speak about Frank for me is very difficult; I loved him very dearly, and I thank him for sixteen years of wonderful cooperation. He was a gentleman, he was a devoted musician, a devotion which makes this orchestra as they are.
“Music was his love, music was his life, music was everything for him. We will desperately miss him. There will never again be a Frank Miller. Never.
“I would like to play you the Nimrod variation from Elgar’s Enigma, a piece which I know he loved very much. And I would like to ask you, when we finish the music, join me in silence to pay tribute to this wonderful, dear man.”
Correction: Miller died on January 6, not January 8 as originally posted.
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JOSÉ ARIAS
Frank Miller was the best principal ever borned
Ir was the comment of my master
Harvey Shapiro
March 6, 2012 at 6:28 PM
Henry Tuber
I remember as a 6th grade kid going to the CSO Youth Concerts and how Frank Miller stood out to me as a kindly looking man who seemed to genuinely enjoy what he was doing on stage and seemed to like kids. As I became a musician and grew up I remember also how all my friends in the CSO always spoke so glowingly about Frank Miller. I never met him personally, but his music and presence will remain in Orchestra Hall forever.
March 6, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Lynn Malnekoff
I played viola with the Evanston Symphony during Frank Miller’s years of conducting that orchestra, (1962 through 1984.) He loved to play musical theory games with the orchestra, like asking us to play a scale starting on C with 4 #s (which we had to figure out would start on E). He was always picking up a cello and demonstrating how to play a certain passage. Another important technique he taught us was how to successfully fake a passage that we amateurs couldn’t quite play. He said not to kid ourselves, that CSO players knew how to do it too! It was a glorious musical experience to play the wonderful repertoire he chose! In 1964, Frank also started the Savoyaires, a Gilbert and Sullivan group in Evanston that has now played every G&S operetta. We violas sat with our backs to the stage so we never saw the performance, but watching the delighted, beaming look on Frank’s face was better than watching the show.
March 5, 2012 at 4:40 PM
David Sanders
I just want to say that I studied with Frank Miller as a student, and then I was thrilled when I was accepted into his section in 1974. He was a great artist, and as Sir Georg said, there will never again be a Frank Miller. Never.