Saul Goodman (July 16, 1907 – January 26, 1996) was the principal

timpani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion instrument, percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a Membranophone, membrane called a drumhead, ...

st of the

New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...

from 1926 to 1972.

Career

Goodman was born in New York, the son of Polish Jewish emigrants, Abraham L. Goodman and Yetta Feigenbaum Goodman. He grew up in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, and learned under the instruction of Alfred Friese. At the age of 19, Goodman succeeded Friese as principal timpanist in the

. Goodman was a member of the faculties at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal and the Juilliard School of Music where he taught many who went on to become timpanists in symphony orchestras around the world. During his career Goodman made innovations in drum and mallet construction, including a tuning system for drums and a line of timpani mallets, which Regal Tip began manufacturing in 1979. He played the first performance of a timpani concert to be broadcast. During his years at the Philharmonic, he lived in

Yonkers Yonkers () is the List of municipalities in New York, third-most populous city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and the most-populous City (New York), city in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County. A centrally locate ...

, NY. His wife was Lillian Rehberg Goodman, cellist, winner of Naumburg Competition (1931) and the president of Violoncello Society of New York (1972–1975). Goodman died in

Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from West Palm Beach, Florida, West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach, Florida, ...

Works

Method Book

* Modern Method for Timpani * Modern Classic Solos for Snare Drum * Saul Goodman Memorial Percussion Ensemble Collection

Solo

* Introduction and Allegro (Timpani) * Ballad for the Dance (Timpani & Suspended Cymbal)

Ensemble

* Scherzo for Percussion ''For 3 Players'' * Theme and Variations ''For 4 Players'' * Proliferation Suite ''For 7 Players''

Notable students

* Elden C. "Buster" Bailey,

* Everett "Vic" Firth,

Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...

* William Kraft,

Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. The orchestra holds a regular concert season from October until June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from ...

* Leon Milo, composer, percussionist. and sound artist * Ruth Underwood, percussionist

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American guitarist, composer, and bandleader. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestra ...

's Mothers of Invention from 1967 to 1977 * David Friedman Vibraphonist, Hochschule-Berlin * Charles Dowd Percussionist, Eugene Symphony Orchestra, Professor, University of Oregon, Author A Funky Primer and other texts

References

External links

Video of Saul Goodman class
at the Oberlin Percussion Institute in 1988
Video of Saul Goodman and other percussionists
with the New York Philharmonic and Leonard Bernstein 1907 births 1996 deaths Academic staff of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal Jewish American musicians Juilliard School faculty Musicians from Brooklyn Musicians from Yonkers, New York American timpanists American people of Polish-Jewish descent 20th-century American drummers American male drummers Educators from New York City 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American Jews Players of the New York Philharmonic Drummers from New York City {{drummer-stub