Princeton philanthropist, humanitarian and Bach scholar William H. Scheide died on November 14, 2014.
To mark what would have been Scheide’s 101st birthday today, WWFM commissioned me to put together a two-hour tribute, complete with interviews with those who knew him best, including oboist and recorder virtuoso John Burkhalter, conductor Mark Laycock, pianist and associate director of the Scheide Fund Mariam Nazarian, former Scheide librarian Wlliam Stoneman, WPRB radio personality (with a capital “P”) Teri Noel Towe, Bach scholar Christoph Wolff, and of course his wife, Judith Scheide.
The program will also feature rare recordings of the Bach Aria Group, an ensemble Scheide founded in 1946 and directed for over 30 years. The Bach Aria Group included as regulars or guests such musical luminaries as Eileen Farrell, Carol Smith, Jan Peerce, Maureen Forrester, Jennie Tourel, Norman Farrow, Marian Anderson, Mack Harrell, William Warfield, Julius Baker, Robert Bloom, Maurice Wilk, Oscar Shumsky, Bernard Greenhouse, Yehudi Wyner, and so many others. Robert Shaw even conducts one of the recordings.
There’s also an excerpt from a rare radio broadcast which originally aired in 1948, with Scheide explaining the mission of the group, and a private recording of Scheide at the piano, playing Chopin, at the age of 92.
In addition to his Bach research and rare book collecting, for which he is justly celebrated, Scheide aided not only Princeton University and Westminster Choir College of Rider University, but any number of charitable organizations, to promote education, health, civil rights, relief from poverty and hunger, and the general welfare of mankind.
The next Scheide benefit concert, with Laycock conducting the English Chamber Orchestra at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts on January 27, will benefit the music and education program, Musicopia.
The station has been promoting this tribute to an embarrassing degree, so it’s a good thing I finished editing it shortly before 8:00 this morning, after an all-nighter fueled by burritos and Dunkin’ Donuts tea.
It’s only seconds away. Tune in to http://www.wwfm.org at 12 ET for “William H. Scheide: A Job Well Done.” If you miss it, I’m told it will be posted on the station website. I wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised if it is also rerun at some point. The title is stolen from the eminently quotable Towe.
The opening is brilliant, if I do say so myself. It may get less so as the two hours grind on. It remains to be heard.
Priceless photos of the Bach Aria Group here:
