Frederick L. Hemke (né Fred LeRoy Hemke Jr.; July 11, 1935 – April 17, 2019) was an American virtuoso classical saxophonist and influential professor of saxophone at Northwestern University. Hemke helped increase the popularity of classical saxophone, particularly among leading American composers, and raised recognition of the classical saxophone in solo, chamber, and major orchestral repertoire throughout the world. Throughout his career, Hemke built American saxophone repertoire through many composers including Muczynski, Creston, Stein, Heiden, and Karlins.
For half a century (1962 - 2012), Hemke was a full-time faculty member at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music. In 2002, he was named Associate Dean Emeritus of the school. He retired in 2012.
Journalist and author Michael Segell, in his 2005 book, The Devil's Horn, called Hemke "The Dean of Saxophone Education in America."
Hemke died April 17, 2019.
Formal education
From 1955 to 1956, Hemke studied saxophone with Marcel Mule at the Paris Conservatoire National de Musique et de Declamation, earning in 1956 the Premier Prix diploma. Hemke holds the distinction of being the first American saxophonist to earn a Premier Prix diploma from the Paris Conservatory. In 1958, Hemke earned a Bachelor of Science degree in music education from University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. In 1962, he earned a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music. In 1975, Hemke earned a D.M.A. degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
In primary and secondary school, until the start of college, Hemke studied saxophone with Eddie Schmidt, a band director in Milwaukee, and a close friend of Ralph Joseph Hermann (1914–1994) — musician, composer, songwriter, and music publisher. Hemke was highly influenced by Schmidt's recording of Marcel Mule — and also of his recordings of Al Gallodoro, and Freddy Gardner. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Hemke studied with Jay Morton, teacher of woodwinds. Hemke did not have a formal saxophone teacher at Eastman, but while there, studied reeds with clarinetist Stanley Hasty (1920–2011), flute repertoire with Joseph Mariano (1911–2007), and oboe repertoire with Robert Sprenkle (1914–1988).Fostering Artistry and Pedagogy: Conversations With Artist-Teachers Frederick Hemke, Eugene Rousseau, and Donald Sinta , (PhD dissertation), by Julia Nolan, University of British Columbia (2012)"An Interview with Frederick Hemke," by Jonathan Helton, The Saxophone Journal, Vol. 31, No. 1, pps. 26–31 (2006)
Teaching career Hemke taught saxophone at Northwestern's School of Music for fifty years. He began in 1962 as a teaching associate. In 1964 he became an assistant professor and was appointed chairman of the newly formed Winds and Percussion Instruments Department. In 1967 Hemke was elevated to associate professor; on September 1, 1975, Full Professor; and on September 1, 1991, chairman of the Department of Music Performance Studies at the School of Music. Hemke served as senior associate dean for administration in the School of Music from 1995 to 2001. In 2002, Hemke was named the Louis and Elsie Snydacker Eckstein Professor of Music and also named Associate Dean Emeritus of the School of Music. He retired from full-time teaching in 2012.
As a music educator in higher education, Hemke taught hundreds of saxophonists, many of whom have flourished as performing artists and music educators of international rank. From 2013 until his death, Hemke served as artistic director and taught during summers at the Frederick L. Hemke Saxophone Institute, located at Snow Pond Center for the Arts in Sidney, ME.
Other positions
Hemke was well known as the designer of a line of reeds which bear the trademark "Frederick L. Hemke Reeds." D'Addario began making the brand in 1982. Hemke was an artist-clinician for The Selmer Company, the North American distributor of saxophones made in France by the Paris firm, Henri Selmer Paris. In 1979 Hemke was host for the Sixth World Saxophone Congress held at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
Performing career Hemke was known worldwide as one of the great classical saxophonists. He performed extensively as a solo artist, conducted master classes and delivered lectures in the United States, Canada, Scandinavia, and the Far East. He also performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and many other orchestras.
Hemke premiered several works for saxophone including Allan Pettersson's Symphony No. 16 (February 24, 1983) and James Di Pasquale's Sonata for tenor saxophone. Di Pasquale, a prolific composer, had studied saxophone with Hemke and Sigurd Rascher.
Selected performances Hemke made his New York debut on April 16, 1962 at the Town Hall, a storied concert venue that had its first-ever classical saxophone performance on February 5, 1937 — by Cecil Leeson. Hemke performed compositions by Pascal, Lantier, Rueff, Hartley, and Stein and arrangements by Mule of Bach and Leclair. Premier, February 27, 2014, Augusta Read Thomas, Hemke Concerto, Prisms of Light, for solo alto saxophone and orchestra "Illuminations" () "Sunrise Ballad" "Chasing Radiance" "Solar Rings" Hemke, saxophone, with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, William Boughton conducting Recorded at Woolsey Hall, New Haven, Connecticut, February 27, 2014 Commissioned as a retirement gift to Fred Hemke by current and former students; the composer, Thomas, had been Hemke's colleague at Northwestern From the album, A Portrait of Augusta Read Thomas, Nimbus Records (CD) (2014);
Advocacy for B tenor saxophone Among the instruments in a traditional modern saxophone quartet — B soprano, E alto, B tenor, and E baritone saxophone — classical solos were, and still are, mostly written for the soprano and the alto. Hemke decided to focus on the tenor as a classical solo instrument, as evidenced by the release of his 1971 solo album Music for Tenor Saxophone.
In orchestral music, the tenor saxophone is one of three saxophones heard in Ravel's Boléro — they were originally scored for two players, one on E sopranino and the other alternating between the tenor and the soprano as required. Recordings by tenor saxophone virtuoso James Houlik and others notwithstanding, classical tenor saxophone music is still a very small portion of classical saxophone repertoire and discography.
Selected discography
Solo recordings Contest Music for Saxophone, Lapider Records M 249-04, distributed by H. & A. Selmer, Elkhart (LP) (1962) (stereo) (LP) (mono) (cassette) (mono) (LP) (mono) (LP) (LP) (LP) James Jacobs Edmonds (1931–2002), piano Hemke performed on a Selmer Mark VI
Side 1 Matrix N° XCTV-87627 (mono) Matrix N° RG 576A (stereo)
Side 2 Matrix N° XCTV-87628 (mono) Matrix N° RG 576A (stereo)
Music for Tenor Saxophone, Brewster Records BR 1204 (LP) (1971); Milton Lewis Granger (born 1947), piano Album cover art: Fred Hemke Notes by Charles (Chuck) Brewster Hawes, PhD (born 1945) Sonata, for tenor saxophone and piano, by James Di Pasquale A Ballad in Time and Space, by William Duckworth Poem, for tenor saxophone and piano, by Walter Hartley Music for Tenor Saxophone and Piano, by Martin William Karlins
The American Saxophone, Brewster Records BR 1203 (LP) (1971); Milton Lewis Granger (born 1947), piano Album cover art: Fred Hemke Notes by Alan Burrage Stout (born 1932) Concerto, for alto saxophone, by Ingolf Dahl Farewell, by Warren Benson Concerto, for alto saxophone, Karel Husa Aeolian Song, by Warren Benson
Music for Tenor Saxophone (1971) and The American Saxophone (1971) was Re-issued as a compilation under the title: The American Saxophone, EnF Records 1203-2 (CD) (2006);
Simple Gifts, EnF Records (CD) (2006); Douglas Cleveland, organ Recorded at Alice Miller Chapel, Northwestern University on the Æolian-Skinner Organ and at Trinity United Methodist Church, Wilmette, Illinois, on the 2001 Reuter Organ
Fascinating Rhythm, Sins Of My Old Age, EnF Records (CD) (2010); The Music of George Gershwin Hemke, Alto Saxophone Figard String Quintet: Tracy Figard, violin; Catherine Price, violin; Kristin Figard, viola; Sam Norlund, cello; Douglas Nestler, double bass Notes by Jonah L. Blum (born 1976) (in English) and Hemke Cover art by Hemke
Premier, February 27, 2014, Augusta Read Thomas, Hemke Concerto, Prisms of Light, for solo alto saxophone and orchestra "Illuminations" () "Sunrise Ballad" "Chasing Radiance" "Solar Rings" Hemke, saxophone, with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, William Boughton, conducting Recorded at Woolsey Hall, New Haven, Connecticut, February 27, 2014 Commissioned as a retirement gift to Fred Hemke by current and former students; the composer, Thomas, had been Hemke's colleague at Northwestern From the album, A Portrait of Augusta Read Thomas, Nimbus Records (CD) (2014);
Ensemble recordings Hemke has recorded with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, and The University of Chicago Contemporary Chamber Players.
Symphony No. 16, by Allan Pettersson, Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Yuri Ahronovitch conducting, Swedish Society Discofil (LP) (1985); and (CD) (1994) Recorded at the Stockholm Concert Hall, October 17 & 18, 1984
Winds of Change – American Music for Wind Ensemble From the 1950s to the 1970s, New World Records NW-211 (LP) (1977); , Northwestern University Wind Ensemble, John Philip Paynter (1928–1996) (nl) conducting Recorded November 1976 4th work: Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra of Wind Instruments, by Ross Lee Finney, Hemke, alto saxophone
Music by Warren Benson, CRI Records SD-433 & SD 418 (LP) (1981); Hemke, E alto saxophone With the Kronos Quartet: David Harrington, violin; John Sherba, violin; Hank Dutt, viola; Joan Jeanrenaud, cello Recorded November 27, 1978, Kresge Recording Studios, Eastman School of Music First work: The Dream Net, quintet for saxophone and string quartet, commissioned by Hemke "Slow" (audio) "Quick" (audio) "Flexing" (audio)
Incantations (in four movements), by Ralph Shapey, CRI Records 232 (LP) (1969); , Notes by Carter Harman For soprano, violoncello, trumpet, E alto saxophone, French horn, piano, tympani, cymbals, tomtoms, irons, and gongs Bethany Beardslee, soprano, Contemporary Chamber Players of the University of Chicago Ralph Shapey conducting Re-released CRI Records (CD) (1995); Re-released CRI Records (CD) (2007);
Concerto for Saxophone and Winds by Paul Creston, Interlochen Arts Academy Records (1978) Interlochen Arts Academy Wind Ensemble, Dennis L. Johnson (born 1946) conducting 33rd Annual Midwestern Conference on School Vocal and Instrumental Music Performed live, January 21, 1978, Hill Auditorium, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Concerto for Saxophone and Wind Orchestra by Ingolf Dahl, University of Wisconsin–Madison Records (1972); University of Wisconsin–Madison Wind Ensemble, (H. Robert Reynolds) conducting
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Pictures at an Exhibition, by Mussorgsky, orchestrated by Ravel, Ozawa conducting (1968);
L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 and 2, by Bizet, RCA Red Seal LSC-2939 (LP) (1967); Jean Martinon conducting Re-released RCA Camden Classics Victrola CCV 5011 (LP) (1971) Re-released RCA VICS 1593 (LP) (1971); Re-released RCA (LP) (1977); Re-released RCA LPS 9845 (LP)
Age of Gold (ballet suite), by Shostakovich, RCA Red Seal GL 42916 (LP) (1968); Stokowski conducting Recorded February 20–21, 1968, Medinah Temple, Chicago Re-released RCA Red Seal LSC 3133 (LP) (1970); Re-released RCA Red Seal (LP) (1975); Re-released RCA Red Seal (LP) (1979); Re-released RCA Red Seal (CD) (1997); Also re-released with several various compilations Boléro, by Ravel, Quintessence PMC 1017 (1977); Martinon conducting
Boléro, by Ravel, Decca Matrix N° ZAL 14720 (LP) Solti conducting Recorded May 1976, Medinah Temple, Chicago Original release Decca (1977)