{{Short description|American musician (1929–2022)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Use American English|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians --> | name = Stanley Drucker | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date|1929|02|04}} | birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2022|12|19|1929|02|04}} | death_place = Vista, California, U.S. | origin = | instrument = Clarinet | past_member_of = {{Plain list| * Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra * Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra * New York Philharmonic }} | genre = | occupation = | years_active = 1948–2009 | label = | associated_acts = | website = }}
'''Stanley Drucker''' (February 4, 1929 – December 19, 2022) was an American clarinetist. For nearly five decades, he was principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic. According to Guinness World Records, he achieved the longest career as a clarinetist. Drucker premiered the clarinet concerto by John Corigliano.
== Life == Born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 4, 1929,<ref name="NYT-Obit" /> of Russian-Jewish<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Shapiro |first=Amy Beth |date=May 2015 |title=Sixty Years at the New York Philharmonic Through the Eyes of Clarinetist Stanley Drucker: An Oral History of the Philharmonic Community, 1948–2008 |type=PhD dissertation |publisher=Stony Brook University |url=https://ir.stonybrook.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11401/76556/Shapiro_grad.sunysb_0771E_12318.pdf?sequence=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223034936/https://ir.stonybrook.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11401/76556/Shapiro_grad.sunysb_0771E_12318.pdf?sequence=1 |archive-date=December 23, 2022 |access-date=December 22, 2022 |quote=The year was 1948, and Stanley Drucker, the Brooklyn-born son of Jewish Russian immigrants, had just become, at age 19, the youngest member of the New York Philharmonic. |hdl=11401/76556}}</ref> ancestry, Drucker began clarinet studies at age ten with Leon Russianoff, and remained his student for five years.<ref name="Wakin">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/arts/music/05druc.html?pagewanted=all | title=Ending a 60-Year Gig at the N.Y. Philharmonic | work=The New York Times | first1=Daniel J. | last1=Wakin | date=June 4, 2009 | accessdate=August 30, 2009}}</ref> He attended the High School of Music & Art (now the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, at Lincoln Square). Although Drucker entered the Curtis Institute of Music at the age of 15, he left after one year when he was recruited by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.<ref name="Geldrich 2020" /> After a year, he worked with the Busch Little Symphony, organized by Adolf Busch.<ref name="Geldrich 2020">{{cite thesis | last=Geldrich | first=Peter M | title=A Legacy Preserved: A Comparison of the Careers and Recordings of Stanley Drucker and Karl Leister |type=DMA dissertation | date=November 4, 2020 | url=https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/5990 | access-date=December 21, 2022}}</ref> He then became principal clarinetist of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra,<ref name="Guinness World Records 2022">{{cite web | title=Longest career as a clarinetist | website=Guinness World Records | date=December 21, 2022 | url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-career-as-a-clarinetist | access-date=December 21, 2022}}</ref> beginning in the autumn of 1947.<ref>Boris, Theodolinda C. "Steinberg Returns, Confident He Has Superior Orchestra." Buffalo Evening News, 10 November 1947, 15.</ref>
In 1948, Drucker won a post in the New York Philharmonic clarinet section playing third and E-flat clarinet.<ref>Letter, Bruno Zirato to Stanley Drucker, 16 February 1948. New York Philharmonic Digital Archives, Orchestra Correspondence, Jan 10, 1946 – Nov 7, 1949 (ID: 011–14–02)</ref> In 1960, he became the orchestra's principal clarinetist,<ref name=NewGrove> {{cite encyclopedia | title= Drucker, Stanley | last= Weston | first= Pamela | encyclopedia= New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians | volume= 5 | page= 639 | edition= 1980 | publisher= Macmillan Publishers Limited }}</ref> where he remained for the duration of his career. His time with the New York Philharmonic included nearly 150 solo appearances with the orchestra. He gave the first performances of clarinet concertos by John Corigliano and William Bolcom, both of these commissions for the New York Philharmonic.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A04EFDD1238F93BA15756C0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all | title=Orchestra Celebrates Clarinetist's 50 Years | work=The New York Times | first1=Allan |last1=Kozinn | date=May 28, 1998 | accessdate=January 12, 2008}}</ref> Drucker appeared on two recordings of the Corigliano Clarinet Concerto, a studio recording conducted by Zubin Mehta and a live recording of the 1977 premiere performance conducted by Leonard Bernstein.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00E1DE153CF937A25751C1A961958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all | title=Feasting on Six Decades of the Philharmonic's Past | work=The New York Times | first1=Allan |last1=Kozinn | date=December 14, 1997 | accessdate=January 12, 2008}}</ref>
In 1981, he performed with the Naumburg Orchestral Concerts, in the Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park, in the summer series.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Naumburg Orchestral Concerts |url=https://naumburgconcerts.org/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Naumburg Orchestral Concerts |language=en-US}}</ref>
In January 2008, the New York Philharmonic announced Drucker's retirement from the orchestra at the close of the 2008–2009 season, for a total of 61 years with the orchestra and 49 years as its principal clarinet.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/arts/music/11phil.html | title=A Season for Big Works (and Two Grand Finales) at the Philharmonic | work=The New York Times | first1=Daniel J. | last1=Wakin | date=January 11, 2008 | accessdate=January 12, 2008}}</ref> His final solo appearance with the orchestra was held in June 2009, in performances of the clarinet concerto of Aaron Copland.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/arts/music/06druc.html | title=An Evening of Accolades for a Clarinetist | newspaper=The New York Times | first1=Vivien | last1=Schweitzer | date=June 5, 2009 | accessdate=August 30, 2009}}</ref>
==Legacy== Drucker was highly regarded for his musicianship and his longevity of service with the New York Philharmonic, totaling 10,200 concerts,<ref name="Wakin"/> such as expressed by Gustavo Dudamel in November 2007: "He's a legend. The history of the orchestra is in him."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/arts/music/30duda.html | title=The Kid's Got Energy. Now Watch Him Conduct. | newspaper=The New York Times | first1=Daniel J. | last1=Wakin | date=November 30, 2007 | accessdate=January 12, 2008}}</ref> In 2009, Lorin Maazel said: "He stands alone in the world of clarinetists. His contribution to the orchestra and its fame is immeasurable."<ref name="The NY Phil Remembers Stanley Drucker (1929–2022) 2022" />
== Awards == Drucker was nominated for two Grammy Awards (1981, 1991).<ref name="grammy.com 2022">{{cite web |title=Stanley Drucker | website=grammy.com | date=September 30, 2022 | url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/stanley-drucker/16634 | access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref>
On June 4, 2009, Drucker was awarded a Guinness World Record for longest career as a clarinetist after his performance of Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto with the orchestra. Guinness thus logged his Philharmonic career at "62 years, 7 months and 1 day as of June 4, 2009".<ref name="Guinness World Records 2022" /><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.twincities.com/2009/06/04/ny-clarinetist-sets-standard-for-guinness-record/ | title= NY clarinetist sets standard for Guinness record | agency=Associated Press | publisher=twincities.com, Pioneer Press | date=June 4, 2009 | access-date= December 24, 2022}}</ref>
He was named honorary member of the New York Philharmonic, as the first orchestra musician honored.<ref name="The NY Phil Remembers Stanley Drucker (1929–2022) 2022">{{cite web | title=What's New: Latest News and Stories About The New York Philharmonic | website=The NY Phil Remembers Stanley Drucker (1929–2022) | date=June 15, 2022 | url=https://nyphil.org/whats-new/2022/December/Stanley-Drucker-slideshow | access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Canarina 2010 p. 417">{{cite book | last=Canarina | first=J. | title=The New York Philharmonic: From Bernstein to Maazel | publisher=Amadeus Press | series=Amadeus Series | year=2010 | isbn=978-1-57467-188-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gXw56Aw5HDQC&pg=PA417 | access-date=December 24, 2022 | page=417}}</ref>
In 2010, Drucker received an honorary doctorate in music from the University of Florida.<ref>{{cite web |title=Honorary Degrees {{!}} Honors & Awards {{!}} College of the Arts |url=https://arts.ufl.edu/about/honors-awards/honorary-degrees/ |website=arts.ufl.edu |publisher=College of the Arts, University of Florida |access-date=December 24, 2022 |quote=2010 Stanley Drucker, MusD Principal clarinetist with the New York Philharmonic; Holds Guinness World Record for 'longest career as a clarinetist.'}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=College News |journal=Muse |date=Fall 2010 |volume=5 |issue=1 |page=9 |url=https://arts.ufl.edu/site/assets/files/145349/vol5iss1.pdf |access-date=December 24, 2022 |publisher=College of Fine Arts, University of Florida |language=en |quote=Pictured with Director John Duff, Stanley Drucker received an honorary Doctorate of Music from University of Florida during the Spring Commencement Celebration. Mr. Drucker holds the world record for longest career as a clarinetist and served 61 years with the New York Philharmonic—49 years as its principal clarinetist.}}</ref>
Drucker appears in ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians''.<ref name=NewGrove />
== Personal life == Drucker was married to Naomi Drucker, a former principal clarinetist of the North Carolina Symphony, music professor at Hofstra University, and co-founder and co-director of the American Chamber Ensemble.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Delatiner |first1=Barbara |title=The Clarinet Plays A Harmonious Role |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/11/01/nyregion/the-clarinet-plays-a-harmonious-role.html |access-date=December 24, 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=November 1, 1981}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Delatiner |first1=Barbara |title=Clarinetists Are a Duo on Stage and in Life |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/26/nyregion/clarinetists-are-a-duo-on-stage-and-in-life.html |access-date=December 24, 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=March 26, 2000}}</ref> They have two children, Leon, who is the double bassist for The Stray Cats under the stage name of "Lee Rocker",<ref name="Paltrowitz Paltrowitz 2019">{{cite web | last=Paltrowitz | first=Darren | title=The Stray Cats' Lee Rocker on His Music Career, leaving New York | website=Jewish Journal | date=June 19, 2019 | url=https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/blogs/300069/the-stray-cats-lee-rocker-on-his-music-career-leaving-new-york/ | access-date=December 21, 2022}}</ref> and Rosanne, an alternative-country singer–songwriter.<ref name="NYT-Obit" />
Drucker died in Vista, California, on December 19, 2022, at age 93.<ref name="NYT-Obit">{{cite news |title=Stanley Drucker, Ageless Clarinetist of the N.Y. Philharmonic, Dies at 93 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/20/arts/music/stanley-drucker-dead.html |access-date=December 21, 2022 | newspaper=The New York Times | first1=Daniel J. | last1=Wakin |date=December 20, 2022}}</ref>
== Discography ==
* '''''Stanley Drucker Heritage Collection: Live In Concert''''' '''(1–5)''' (2017) – Louis Spohr, Max Bruch, Max Lifchitz, Johannes Brahms, Daniel Gregory Mason, Francis Poulenc, Bernhard Crusell, Igor Stravinsky, Béla Bartók, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Paul Hindemith, Alfred Prinz, Carl Maria von Weber, Leonard Bernstein, Gordon Jacob, Jacob Weinberg – Produced by Jerome Bunke * '''''Stanley Drucker Heritage Collection: From The Vaults''''' '''(6–7)''' (2019) – Carl Nielsen, Milton Babbitt, Valley Weigl, Mario Davidovsky, Arthur Honegger, Béla Bartók, Claude Debussy, Louis Spohr, Gordon Jacob, Arthur Bliss, John Corigliano * '''''Stanley Drucker Heritage Collection: Hidden Gems'' (8–9)''' (2022) – Michael Whalen, Charles Schwartz, Johannes Brahms, John Corigliano, Meyer Kupferman, Claude Debussy, Alban Berg, Nicolas Roussakis, Scott McAllister * '''''Stanley Drucker Heritage Collection: Coda'' (10–14)''' (2024) – Franz Krommer, Alexander Krein, Leonard Bernstein, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Lászlo Weiner, Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Charles Ives, Edward Thomas, Elie Sigmeister, Paul Hindemith, Sergei Prokofiev, Samuel Barber, Felix Mendelssohn, Georg Phillipp Telemann, Louis Spohr, Johannes Brahms, Meyer Kupferman, Francis Poulenc, Claude Debussy, Luciano Berio
== Recordings == * {{citation | last1=Corigliano | first1=John | last2=Drucker | first2=Stanley | last3=Mehta | first3=Zubin | last4=Barber | first4=Samuel | author5=Recorded Anthology of American Music, Inc | author6=New York Philharmonic | author7=DRAM (Online service) | title=Concerto for clarinet and orchestra | publisher=DRAM | publication-place=New York, N.Y. | year=2007 | oclc=162129947 | language=zxx}} * {{citation | last1=Copland | first1=Aaron | last2=Drucker | first2=Stanley | last3=Bernstein | first3=Leonard | author4=New Yorks Filharmoniske Orkester | title=El salón México | publisher=DGG | publication-place=Hamburg | year=1991 | oclc=874532992 | language=und}} * {{citation | last1=Mozart | first1=Wolfgang Amadeus | last2=Margalit | first2=Israela | last3=Drucker | first3=Stanley | last4=Robinson | first4=Joseph | last5=LeClair | first5=Judith | last6=Myers | first6=Philip | author7=Essex Quartet | title=Clarinet quintet; Piano and wind quintet | publisher=Universal Classics | publication-place=London | year=2003 | oclc=993605030 | language=zxx}} * {{citation | last1=Thomas | first1=Edward | last2=Gosling | first2=Stephen | last3=Drucker | first3=Stanley | last4=Yedidia | first4=Ronn | title=Concerto for clarinet and orchestra | publisher=Forte Recording Ltd | publication-place=[Place of publication not identified] | oclc=906588192 | language=zxx}} * {{citation | last1=Nielsen | first1=Carl | last2=Baker | first2=Julius | last3=Drucker | first3=Stanley | last4=Stern | first4=Isaac | last5=Bernstein | first5=Leonard | last6=Hindemith | first6=Paul | author7=New York Philharmonic | title=Concerto for flute and orchestra; Concerto for clarinet and orchestra, op. 57 | publisher=Sony Classical | publication-place=[Place of publication not identified] | year=1993 | oclc=37286414 | language=zxx}} * {{citation | last1=Debussy | first1=Claude | last2=Ravel | first2=Maurice | last3=Bernstein | first3=Leonard | last4=Drucker | first4=Stanley | last5=Singer | first5=Joseph | author6=New York Philharmonic | title=Images pour orchestre Rhapsody No. 1 for clarinet and orchestra | publisher=Sony Music Entertainment; Sony Classical | publication-place=[London], [New York] | year=1960 | oclc=781147209 | language=zxx}} * {{citation | last1=Bartók | first1=Béla | last2=Drucker | first2=Stanley | last3=Mann | first3=Robert | last4=Hambro | first4=Leonid | title=Contrasts for violin, clarinet and piano Sonata for solo violin | publisher=Bartók Records | publication-place=[New York (N.Y.)] | oclc=610629659 | language=und}}
== Citations == {{reflist}}
== General and cited references == * {{cite book | last1=Estrin | first1=Mitchell | last2=Corigliano | first2=John |author-link2=John Corigliano| title=Stanley Drucker : clarinet master |publisher=Carl Fischer | location=New York | date=2018 | isbn=978-1-4911-5117-4 | oclc=1052780901}} * {{cite book | last=Weston | first=Pamela | date=1989 | title=Clarinet virtuosi of today |location=Baldock, UK | publisher=Egon | isbn=0-905858-46-8 | oclc=24754686}}
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070218023215/http://nyphil.org/meet/orchestra/index.cfm?page=profile&personNum=106 50th Anniversary link] * [http://www.wka-clarinet.org/Drucker60.htm Stanley Drucker's page] at World Clarinet Alliance website * [https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104790741 N.Y. Philharmonic Bids Farewell To Clarinetist on NPR] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110812223940/http://buffet-crampon.pl/en/news.php?mode=printNews&nid=571 Honorary Doctorate at UF, Buffet Crampon] * {{discogs artist|Stanley Drucker}} * {{IMDb name|1089567}}
{{Clarinet}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drucker, Stanley}} Category:1929 births Category:2022 deaths Category:20th-century American clarinetists Category:21st-century American clarinetists Category:American classical clarinetists Category:American people of Russian descent Category:Classical musicians from New York (state) Category:Curtis Institute of Music people Category:The High School of Music & Art alumni Category:Jewish American classical musicians Category:Musicians from Brooklyn Category:21st-century American male musicians Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:20th-century American Jews Category:21st-century American Jews Category:Players of the New York Philharmonic Category:Players of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra