Philip Greene
Clarinettist and saxophonist who made indelible mark on the UK music scene
Philip John Carter
Greene, musician AGSM / LGSM teachers / ARCM / FTCL clarinet / FTCL saxophone.
Born: 22 April 1935 in Wanstead, Essex.
Died 21 December 2020 in Aberdeen, aged 85
Philip Greene was a prolific musician, soloist and performer, teacher, poet and artist. A late starter on clarinet, his musical career began at 18. Shortly before call-up for National Service, he read an advertisement in the Melody Maker: “Earn while you learn in the Band of the 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers”. He took his father’s advice to fruitfully spend the time in the Services learning a skill for life, a decision he never regretted.
After military service he left the band as solo clarinettist and won a scholarship to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, under the tutelage of Pamela Weston and Wilfred Kealey. Winner of the Chamber Music Prize and Orchestral Prize, he represented the college with pianist Jennifer partridge in a concert tour of northern ireland, where they gave the first performance there of the Poulenc clarinet sonata. Upon recommendation from the Guildhall, he was awarded a scholarship to further his studies with Jost Michaels at The Northwest German Music Academy Detmold, Germany. In 1965 he came to Scotland, joining a former Guildhall colleague, eminent flautist David Nicholson, with whom he formed a strong friendship and musical association.
Philip appeared with many of the major british orchestras on both clarinet and saxophone, including the LSO, RLP, RSNO, BBC Scottish Orchestra and was the principal clarinettist of the Reid Orchestra and Scottish Chamber Orchestra. He was Leonard Friedman’s clarinettist in The Scottish Baroque Ensemble, with whom he played for scottish opera, touring extensively. For 30 years he was called upon by June Gordon, Lady Aberdeen, as principal clarinet for a week of opera and oratorio at Haddo House – described by many as Scotland’s Glyndebourne.
Basing himself in Edinburgh, Philip pursued a thriving chamber music career with the Amphion Wind Quintet, Trio Concordia and the Bernicia Ensemble, all of whom gave regular broadcasts for the BBC. New works especially written for those groups helped rising Scottish composers find a platform, most notably compositions by Isabel Dunlop, Rory Boyle, John Mcleod and Thea Musgrave, all of which received first broadcast performances.
Philip collaborated on numerous occasions with the Edinburghstringquartet,performingmozart,weberandbrahms quintets at The Edinburgh Festival. he gave what is believed to bethefirstperformanceinbritainofthethreemozartquartets discovered by Dieter Klocker and the first broadcast performance of the quintet by Hans Gal. His friendship with Gal led to performances of several of the composer’s works involving clarinet.
In 1976 Philip founded The Scottish Saxophone Quartet along with John Grundy, David Miller and ronnie mackie, with whom, as soprano saxophonist, he championed the cause of the classical saxophone. they were Britain’s sole representatives at the 1980 6th World Saxophone Congress in Chicago and gave concerts in the USA. With duo partner Sandra Brown, Saxophone Classique gave the first full-length saxophone recital for the BBC in Scotland, which included the first broadcast of the suite by Gal.
Philip gave solo concerto performances on the clarinet, basset horn and saxophone throughout the country and freelanced extensively. His interest in the basset horn led to performances with the Pro Arte Orchestra of the concerto by Rolla in eight English cities. On later tours he played the Mozart clarinet concerto and Glazunov saxophone concerto. He also recorded the Glazu-nov for radio with cantilena led by Adrian Shepherd. He played the basset horn for a broadcast concert in St Martin’s in the Field with members of the BBC Scottish Orchestra. For performances of mozart’s la clemenza di Tito he was called upon to play the famous obligato parts for both clarinet and basset horn with the scottish baroque Ensemble at Ledlanet House.
Constantly in demand as an orchestral saxophonist, he broadcast with the bbc scottish most of the repertoire requiring soprano, alto or tenor saxophones. The saxophone in the orchestra is not always welcomed with open arms and the French conductor Louis Frémaux once said to Philip: “Mr Saxophone you are too loud” – this was before he had played a note, as he was getting his instrument out of its case for the first rehearsal. Having worked for some years under Sir alexander gibson with scottish Opera, Philip knew that he was playing well when, rehearsing with the SNO, Sir Alex said: “I very much admire your ability to play quietly on the saxophone but could you please play this passage a little louder!”
Encouraged by Sir Alexander he applied to the Sean Connery International Trust and Scottish Arts Council for grants to enable him to study the teachingmethodsofthevirtuososaxophonistandrespectedteacher Professor Eugene Rousseau at Indiana University, USA. Much inspired by this association he wrote an extensive article on “The Teaching Methods of Eugene rousseau ”forcass (the Clarinet and saxophone society of Great Britain) magazine.
A later chamber music venture, Ebony & Rosewood, a duo for the unusual combination of clarinet and marimba formed with his elders on mark, proved to be very popular with Scottish music clubs and produced a well-reviewed CD. As well as writing original works for the duo, his arrangements of the Saint-saens clarinet sonata and Beethoven’s piano sonata no.10 in Bb received enthusiastic responses. Some of Philip’s compositions and arrangements have been on sale through Emersons Wind Music, including the much admired arrangement sonata in Bb by Mozart, originally for violin.
Much in demand as a teacher, coach (Scottish Youth Orchestra and Edinburgh Youth Orchestra) and adjudicator, his positions included: Edinburgh University, University of Standrews and st mary’s music School Edinburgh. He started the first saxophone classes at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and Napier University. For many years he was Head of Wind at The Edinburgh Academy where he taught clarinet and saxophone. Through the interest of James Craig, he developed a Big Band which produced such fine players as the Bancroft twins Tom and Phil, who set the scottish jazz scene a light. James became baritone player in the Buddy Rich Band. Former pupils include saxophonist Tommy Smith and clarinettist Eileen macaulay. as conductor he worked with an Edinburgh rehearsal orchestra and Edinburgh Pops Orchestra and was for several years conductor of the Orkney Summer School of Music and the wind band of the Scottish Independent Secondary Schools Orchestra.
Although he retired from his teaching position at the Edinburgh Academy at the age of 60 in 1995, he continued to teach part time at standrew’s university and privately. And he still performed, with Michael Lester-cribb his partner in Saxophone Classique. As Cantabile the duo also performed works for clarinet and piano. In June 2000 The Edinburgh Society of Musicians honoured him with a gift in recognition of his musical contributions to Edinburgh. After retirement, Philip pursued his interests in poetry and painting. He created his own technique, Prismatic Shapeism, and exhibited n Edinburgh, Burnley and Aberdeen.
Philip continued to perform until 2018, including several annual concerts at the Aboyne Festivals. His 2018 concert “A Robert burns tapestry” ,which featured his arrangements of Burns’ songs given in St Thomas’s church, aboyne, heregarded as a most fitting swan song. Of his final concert he wrote: “It has been a long journey with many high sandlows, but music has been with me throughout and the dear old 1010 shave been there carrying me through. It is fitting that the last concert featured all Scottish melodies.” The 1010s he referred to are a pair of boosey and hawkes 1010 clarinets, the pre-warmodels of which were particularly close to his heart for their sound.
Philip was a kind man and a gentleman who touched the lives of a great many people, enriching them with his talent, warmth, patience and good humour. He is greatly missed. He is survived by wife Joanne, children mark, carl, sean, danielle and Esther and grandchildren Morven, Archie, Jacob, Oliver and Lucas.
A service for family only was recorded. A link can be provided by contacting them. It is hoped a memorial concert will be held once restrictions ease.