Marcel Tabuteau First-Hand

MT era oboe

Photo Autographed for Samuel Laciar

Samuel Laciar was Music Critic for The Philadelphia Public Ledger and Chief Music Editor of The Ladies’ Home Journal. Based in Philadelphia, he was a great admirer of Marcel Tabuteau’s playing as evidenced by his many glowing reviews of the oboist. Laila Storch quotes three in her book. Obviously, there was mutual admiration based on Tabuteau’s warm inscription (see below).

MT autographed for Samuel Laciar
From the John Frederic Lewis Portrait Collection,
courtesy of the Free Library of Philadelphia, Print and Picture Collection

The inscription reads:

Translation by Michael Finkelman:

Cordialement
à mon cher Sam Laciar
l’eminent critique et …
l’ami des musiciens

Marcel Tabuteau

Cordially,
to my dear Sam Laciar,
the eminent critic and …
the friend of musicians

Marcel Tabuteau

Back of autographed photo for Samuel Laciar
Verso of the above photo.

Information on the verso reads:

“Bequest of Samuel L. LaCiar 2,43 g” [February 1943 gift].

It was taken by Rembrandt Studios, Inc. 1726 Chestnut Street [Philadelphia, PA].

This info is in pencil under Tabuteau’s name:

OBOIST
SOLOIST WITH
PHILA CHAMBER STRING SIMFONIETTA [sic]
BELLEVUE STRATFORD BALLROOM
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20 1938

Sections

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What's New!

An audio interview with Joan Browne (Champie), a private Tabuteau student in the early 1950s.

A photograph of the music stand that was in Tabuteau’s private studio in Philadelphia.

An autographed photo of Marcel Tabuteau inscribed to Vladimir Sokoloff.

An autographed photo of Marcel Tabuteau inscribed to Joan Browne Champie.

With the passing of Wilbur Isaac Hilles in August 2023 and now Martha Scherer-Alfee in February 2024, no oboe students of Marcel Tabuteau at the Curtis Institute are still living.

A letter sent to the Curtis Institute by Laila Storch’s mother about Tabuteau not teaching at Curtis—and the reply.