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 family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionall ...

st of the

New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...

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 borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, 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 The Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal (CMQM) is a music conservatory located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. In addition to the Montreal region, the school takes in students from nearby cities, including Granby, Joliette, St-Jean, S ...

and the

Juilliard School of Music The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

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 Regal Tip is one of the world's largest manufacturers of drum sticks and other percussion mallets. They produce a range of beaters, but are particularly noted as a manufacturer of premium steel brushes and nylon tipped drumsticks. In 2003, the co ...

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 a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. Developed along the Hudson River, it is the third most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City and Buffalo. The population of Yonkers was 211,569 as enu ...

, 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. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from several nearby cities including West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach by the Intracoas ...

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, Massachusetts. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the " Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in 1881, ...

William Kraft William Kraft (September 6, 1923 – February 12, 2022) was an American composer, conductor, teacher, timpanist, and percussionist. Biography Early life and education (1923–1954) Kraft was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was awarded two Anton Seid ...

Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic, commonly referred to as the LA Phil, is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at th ...

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

Ruth Underwood Ruth Underwood (born Ruth Komanoff; May 23, 1946) is an American musician best known for playing xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, and other percussion instruments in Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. She collaborated with the Mothers of In ...

, percussionist

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...

Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B band c ...

from 1967 to 1977 * David Friedman Vibraphonist, Hochschule-Berlin

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 Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal faculty Jewish American musicians Juilliard School faculty Musicians from Brooklyn People from Yonkers, New York 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 {{drummer-stub