Dall C. Fields (11 July 1889

Roann, Indiana Roann is a town in Paw Paw Township, Wabash County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 441 at the 2020 census. History There are two theories on how the town of Roann got its name. One source claims that the community was nam ...

— 17 August 1956) was an American bassoonist, composer, and music educator who for much of his career was based in and around Chicago. As a performer, he had been a bassoonist with the

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its primary concert venue is Music Hall. In addition to its symphony concerts, the orchestra gives pops concerts as the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The Cinc ...

, the

Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall. History Th ...

(1917–1918 season), the

Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra The Chicago Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois, governed by the Chicago Philharmonic Society. Founded in 1988 by principals of the Lyric Opera Orchestra of Chicago, it is a musician-governed, non-profit organization ...

(1st bassoon), and later, the Bachman Woodwind Ensemble. As an educator, he taught mostly in the Chicago area, teaching out of his own studio and through affiliations with the Maywood extension of the

Chicago Conservatory of Music The Music Conservatory was founded in 1867 as the Chicago Musical College, a conservatory. In 1954, the Chicago Musical College became part of Roosevelt University Roosevelt University is a private university in Chicago, Illinois, United States ...

. He also taught at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

and through affiliations with August Bucci (1897–1935), William Johnson of

Valparaiso, Indiana Valparaiso ( ), colloquially Valpo, is a city in and the county seat of Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 34,151 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. History The site of present-day Valparaiso ...

, and the Valpo Music House (serving Valparaiso and Porter County).

Career highlights

In addition to being a bassoon virtuoso, Fields was proficient on other reed instruments, namely clarinet, saxophone, and oboe. He taught all the woodwind reed instruments. : Bachman Woodwind Ensemble : The Backman Band Woodwind Ensemble was organized to fill-in open time between seasons for members of the Bachman Band, aka "Bachman's Million Dollar Band," Harold Burton Bachman (1892–1972), conductor. During the 1930s, the group played concerts and gave music clinics for high schools and Universities in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Its members were: :* Frank Hale Phares (1902–1961), flute :* Joseph Olivadoti (1893–1977), oboe :* Gabriel Tose (1907–1984), clarinet :* Dall Fields, bassoon :* Earl E. Stricker (1902–1989), French horn :*

Harry Sukman Harry Sukman (December 2, 1912 – December 2, 1984) was an American film and television composer. Life and career Sukman was born in Chicago in 1912. He started his musical career in the 1920s, when he was a teenager. He composed music scores f ...

(1912–1984), piano : Faculty positions : From 1946 to 1950, Fields was an instructor of woodwinds at the Author Jordan Conservatory of Music. In 1947, Fields was Instructor of Applied Music at

Ball State University Ball State University (Ball State or BSU) is a public research university in Muncie, Indiana, United States. The university has three off-campus centers in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Fishers, Indiana. The university is composed of seven aca ...

. In 1948, he was on the music faculty of the

Indiana State University Indiana State University (ISU) is a public university in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States. It was founded in 1865 and offers over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 75 graduate and professional programs. Indiana State is classified ...

College of Music. Also, in 1948, he gave private woodwind lessons at Hobart High School.

Selected publications

* ''Bassoon Method'', M.M. Cole, Chicago (publisher) (1937) * ''Concertstück, Opus 13'', composed by Édouard Flament (1880–1958), revised & edited by Dall Fields, Rubank, Chicago (publisher) (1940) * ''Quartette'', for woodwinds, composed by Dall Fields

Discography

Chicago Symphony The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891, the ensemble has been based in the Symphony Center since 1904 and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Fes ...

Woodwind Quintet, ''Encore!'' 15 pieces, mono : Ralph Johnson, flute; Robert Mayer, oboe; Jerome Stowell, clarinet;

Philip Farkas Philip Farkas (March 5, 1914 – December 21, 1992) was the principal French horn player in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for many years, and he left in 1960 to join the music faculty at Indiana University School of Music. His books include ' ...

, French horn;

Wilbur Simpson Wilbur H. Simpson (December 6, 1917 in Angola, Indiana – June 17, 1997 in Platte Lake, Michigan) was an American classical music, classical bassoonist and pedagogue. At Northwestern University, he studied with Hugo Fox, principal bassoonist ...

, bassoon : Recorded in Chicago, December 1953 :

Leo Delibes Leo is the Latin word for lion. It most often refers to: * Leo (constellation), a constellation of stars in the night sky * Leo (astrology), an astrological sign of the zodiac * Leo (given name), a given name in several languages, usually masc ...

, ''Variations from 'Ballet la Source' ''arranged by Dall Fields : Gabriel Pierne, ''Entrance of the Little Fauns'', arranged by Dall Fields

Armed Forces during World War I

Fields served during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

in the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world's largest aircraft ...

from December 1917 to September 1921. He was assigned as a clarinetist aboard the , a hospital ship.

Family

Dall Fields was married to Martel Fields (born 1895). He died August 17, 1956, and was buried at Memorial Gardens Cemetery,

Plymouth, Indiana Plymouth is a city and the county seat of Marshall County, Indiana, United States. The population is 10,214 in the 2020 census. Plymouth was the site of the first retail outlet of defunct U.S. retailer Montgomery Ward in 1926. History Earl ...

.''Obituary: Dall Fields'', Vidette-Messenger August 20, 1956

Memorial scholarship

The Dall Fields Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to an

undergraduate majoring in Music.

Professional affiliations

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (legally Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha, PMA, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity for men with a special interest ...

, Gamma Omega Chapter,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fields, Dall 1889 births 1956 deaths American classical bassoonists People from Wabash County, Indiana 20th-century American classical musicians