TromboneChat

The Waukeegan (Illinois) High School Orchestra of 1909.

I don't know what became of trombonist Clifford Forrester, but violinist Benny Kubelsky (lower left) went into vaudeville and later emerged as the violin-toting comic, Jack Benny.

Any ideas what Clifford has there for a trombone?

That is one modest HS music program. Looks like fun though.

What did they play, Castello and Buxtehude? Or did they go for Mahler, Symphony for a Thousand

harrisonreed wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2026 3:09 pm What did they play ... Mahler, Symphony for a Thousand?

In addition to being wildly shorthanded for the work, the group would have had to be pretty precocious - Mahler's 8th Symphony wasn't premiered until September 1910!

harrisonreed wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2026 3:09 pm What did they play, Castello and Buxtehude? Or did they go for Mahler, Symphony for a Thousand

I don't know what they played, but there was then a substantial business publishing music slimmed down for small ensembles, like a small-town theater orchestra.

Think Viennese waltzes, melodies from opera and light classics, ragtimes. Maybe with lots of cue notes to cover missing instruments.

It's possible that their director did some arranging for them.