Hugo Fox (February 2, 1897 in

South Whitley, Indiana South Whitley is a town in Cleveland Township, Whitley County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 1,751 at the 2010 census. South Whitley is a town in the Midwestern tradition of red brick buildings and tree-lined streets. History ...

– December 29, 1969 in South Whitley, Indiana) was an American classical

bassoonist The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuos ...

. He also designed and manufactured

bassoon The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuo ...

s and

oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. A ...

s. Fox studied the bassoon with Adolph Weiss, a member of the

Chicago Symphony Orchestra The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) was founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891. The ensemble makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival. The music director is Riccardo Muti, who began his tenure ...

. In 1921, he studied with Walter Guetter, the principal bassoonist of the CSO. The following year, he took over Guetter's post, at his recommendation, and remained in that capacity from 1922 to 1949. He also taught at

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

from 1936 to 1950. In 1949, Fox founded the Fox Products Corporation, which made bassoons and oboes. The company is a supplier of

double reed A double reed is a type of reed used to produce sound in various wind instruments. In contrast with a single reed instrument, where the instrument is played by channeling air against one piece of cane which vibrates against the mouthpiece and c ...

instruments. His son, Alan Fox, was a founding member of the

International Double Reed Society The International Double Reed Society (IDRS), is an organization that promotes the interests of double reed players, instrument manufacturers and enthusiasts. Services provided by the IDRS include an international oboe and bassoon competition, an ...

and took over Fox Products in 1960.Linda Lipp
"Fox keeps in tune with musicians’ needs ,"
Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly, June 6, 2014. In 1979, the International Double Reed Society created the annual Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox International Competition for oboists and bassoonists in honor of the oboist Fernand Gillet and Hugo Fox.

References

External links

Fox Products history
1897 births 1969 deaths American classical bassoonists People from South Whitley, Indiana 20th-century American musicians 20th-century classical musicians {{US-woodwind-musician-stub