Elaine Shaffer (October 22, 1925 – February 19, 1973) was an American

flutist The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with Reed (instrument), reeds, a fl ...

and principal of the

Houston Symphony Orchestra The Houston Symphony is an American orchestra based in Houston, Texas. The orchestra is resident at the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts. History The first concert of what was to become the Houston Symphony took place on June 21, 1 ...

between 1948 and 1953.

Biography

Elaine Shaffer was born in

Altoona, Pennsylvania Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the Altoona Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The population was 43,963 at the time of the 2020 Census, making it the eighteenth most populous city in Pennsylvania. ...

. She attended the

Curtis Institute of Music The Curtis Institute of Music is a private conservatory in Philadelphia. It offers a performance diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in opera, and a Professional Studies Certificate in opera. All students attend on full scholarship. Hi ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

and was the prize student of William Kincaid, the 'grandfather' of the majority of flutists in the United States. That he willed his platinum flute to her makes his regard for her talent evident. Kincaid was her only formal flute teacher; prior to that, she was entirely self-taught, according to an interview with Shaffer's widowed husband,

Efrem Kurtz Efrem Kurtz (russian: Ефрем Курц; November 7, 1900June 27, 1995) was a Russian conductor. Life and career Kurtz was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He studied at the Saint Petersburg conservatory with Alexander Glazunov and Nikolai Tche ...

, published in the

National Flute Association The National Flute Association (NFA) is the largest flute organization in the world, with roughly 5,000 members from more than 50 countries. It is an association in the United States with headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Members include soloists, ...

Newsletter in the 1980s. Shaffer played for a season as second flute in the Kansas City Philharmonic (1947–1948). Apparently she was not shy — she really did not want to accept the position, though she had been recommended by an oboist in the orchestra,

Laila Storch Laila Storch (February 28, 1921 – December 2, 2022) was an American oboist. Biography She was the first woman oboist to graduate from the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, where she studied with Marcel Tabuteau. Career Storch was the principa ...

— and she held out not only for more money, but to be allowed to fulfill another engagement prior to starting the job, and a concerto appearance with the orchestra. She surprised the critics, the audience, and Kurtz not only with her playing, but her artistry as well. As this was the 1940s, women had just begun to get positions in orchestras, making Shaffer something of a trail-blazer. The music director at the time was Efrem Kurtz, which was how they first met, though the two did not marry until 1955, after she had left the Houston Symphony Orchestra — and he had divorced his wife.Roussel, Hubert: ''The Houston Symphony Orchestra, 1913-1971'': pp. 127-140. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1974. After holding the principal flutist's chair in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

for five years (1948–1953), she left to pursue a career as a soloist and

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...

ian (another first for an American woman) winning praise for her debut recital in London. She performed at many festivals in Europe, and worked closely with

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

ist

Yehudi Menuhin Yehudi or Jehudi (Hebrew: יהודי, endonym for Jew) is a common Hebrew name: * Yehudi Menuhin (1916–1999), violinist and conductor ** Yehudi Menuhin School, a music school in Surrey, England ** Who's Yehoodi?, a catchphrase referring to the v ...

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

Hephzibah Menuhin Hephzibah Menuhin (20 May 19201 January 1981) was an American-Australian pianist, writer, and human rights campaigner. She was sister to the violinist Yehudi Menuhin and to the pianist, painter, and poet Yaltah Menuhin. She was also a linguist ...

, and

harpsichordist A harpsichordist is a person who plays the harpsichord. Harpsichordists may play as soloists, as accompanists, as chamber musicians, or as members of an orchestra, or some combination of these roles. Solo harpsichordists may play unaccompanied son ...

George Malcolm. The composer

Ernest Bloch Ernest Bloch (July 24, 1880 – July 15, 1959) was a Swiss-born American composer. Bloch was a preeminent artist in his day, and left a lasting legacy. He is recognized as one of the greatest Swiss composers in history. As well as producing music ...

dedicated two works to her: ''Suite Modale'' and ''Two Last Poems (Maybe...)''. The former piece had been commissioned by the flutist; at her request, Bloch also orchestrated the piece (written for flute and piano) for flute and string orchestra. Shaffer also gave the world premiere of the latter work. She was also a friend of

Marc Chagall Marc Chagall; russian: link=no, Марк Заха́рович Шага́л ; be, Марк Захаравіч Шагал . (born Moishe Shagal; 28 March 1985) was a Russian-French artist. An early modernism, modernist, he was associated with se ...

(who did a drawing for her),

Karl Barth Karl Barth (; ; – ) was a Swiss Calvinist theologian. Barth is best known for his commentary '' The Epistle to the Romans'', his involvement in the Confessing Church, including his authorship (except for a single phrase) of the Barmen Declara ...

, and

Hermann Hesse Hermann Karl Hesse (; 2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. His best-known works include ''Demian'', ''Steppenwolf (novel), Steppenwolf'', ''Siddhartha (novel), Siddhartha'', and ''The Glass Bead Game'', ...

. The death of William Kincaid, her principal teacher, in 1967 was difficult for her because she had a special bond with him.

John Solum John Solum (born 1935, Wisconsin) is an American musician, author, educator, and advocate for the arts. Professional career Early years Settling in New York City in 1958, John Solum launched an international solo and chamber music career. Not ...

, a flutist and pioneering baroque flutist, became the prime mover (along with a group of other students and admirers of Kincaid) behind the commission of

Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Com ...

's ''Duo for Flute and Piano'', dedicated to Kincaid's memory. Solum, a close friend and colleague of Shaffer, invited her and Hephzibah Menuhin to perform the world premiere of that work in October 1971 at a benefit for the

Settlement Music School Settlement Music School is a community music school with branches in and around Philadelphia. Founded in 1908 by two young women, Jeannette Selig Frank and Blanche Wolf Kohn, it is the largest community school of the arts in the United States. It ...

in Philadelphia. A short while later, Shaffer was diagnosed with

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...

. She was able to complete two final projects that were important to her: a concert of

J. S. Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

's sonatas for flute, and the first recording of the Copland. Two months after the recording was completed, Elaine Shaffer died in London on February 19, 1973.

Recordings

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

**Three Flute Sonatas (volume 1): Sonata in b minor BWV 1030, Sonata in A Major BWV 1032 (2nd and 3rd movements), Sonata in E Minor BWV 1034 - with George Malcolm - harpsichord, Ambrose Gauntlett - viola da gamba - Angel S36337 **Three Flute Sonatas (volume 2): Sonata in c major BWV 1033, BWV 1035, BWV 1031, BWV 1020 - with George Malcolm - harpsichord, Ambrose Gauntlett - viola da gamba - Angel **Suite No.2 in B Minor, BWV 1067 : with

/ Bath Festival Orchestra **Musical Offering, BWV 1079 : Ricercare / 5 Canons / Trio Sonata / 5 Canons / Ricercare - with

Archie Camden Archie Camden (9 March 1888 – 16 February 1979) was a British bassoonist; he was a pedagogue and soloist of international acclaim. His career began in 1906 when he joined the Hallé Orchestra, where he became principal bassoonist in 1914. I ...

/ Ronald Kinloch Anderson /

**Brandenburg Concerto No.5 in D, BWV 1050 : with

/ George Malcolm / Bath Festival Orchestra *

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

**Concerto for flute and orchestra, K 313 **Concerto for flute and orchestra, K 314 **Andante in C for flute and orchestra, K 315 **Concerto for flute and harp, K 299 (with Marilyn Costello, harp) *

Georg Philipp Telemann Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hildesh ...

**Suite in A minor for flute and strings *

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...

**Variations on " Trockne Blumen", op 160 *

Friedrich Kuhlau Friedrich Daniel Rudolf Kuhlau (German; Danish sometimes ''Frederick Kulav'') (11 September 1786 – 12 March 1832) was a Danish pianist and composer during the late Classical and early Romantic periods. He was a central figure of the Danish ...

**Sonata in E minor * Franz Xavier Mozart **Sonata movement (mistakenly called "Rondo" on the recording) *

**Duo for Flute and Piano - with

- piano - On Modern American Music Series M32737 - Copland Performs and Conducts Copland - CBS 1974 Some of these recordings are now available on CD : Suite No. 2/Musical Offering/ Brandenburg V included in the Christmas Box 2001 - Bach Orchestral Suites / Brandenburgs / Violin Concertos -

/ Bath Festival Orchestra on EMI Classics 0724357443920. She also performed the major standard flute repertoire of the 20th century, including sonatas by

Hindemith Paul Hindemith (; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advocate of the ' ...

Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''., group=n (27 April .S. 15 April1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer ...

and

Poulenc Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among the best-kno ...

, and the flute concerti of Ibert and Nielsen. She gave the world premiere of

Virgil Thomson Virgil Thomson (November 25, 1896 – September 30, 1989) was an American composer and critic. He was instrumental in the development of the "American Sound" in classical music. He has been described as a modernist, a neoromantic, a neoclassic ...

's ''Flute Concerto'', as well as five performances with Italian orchestras of a concerto by

Franco Mannino Franco Mannino (25 April 1924 – 1 February 2005) was an Italian film composer, pianist, opera director, playwright and novelist, born in Palermo. He made his debut as pianist at the age of 16. He conducted the National Arts Centre Orchestra ...

for flute, trombone obbligato, and orchestra.

Sources

External links

Mozart - Elaine Shaffer, 1959: Flute Concerto No. 1 in G major, K. 313 - Allegro Maestoso

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaffer, Elaine American classical flautists Musicians from Houston 1925 births 1973 deaths 20th-century classical musicians 20th-century American musicians Women flautists 20th-century women musicians Classical musicians from Texas 20th-century flautists