in MEMORIAM bass trombone player. In operas that required four trombones, Gerry would play 3rd while Dai would play the 4th or contrabass trombone part on the G bass trombone. It was at some point during this freelance period that Gerry made the move from the G trombone to the newly designed B flat, F and E Reynolds Contempora. This was quite a groundbreaking thing to do, as many of his contemporaries at that point still continued to play the G trombone. In 1969, Gerry became a member of the Royal Opera House Orchestra, Covent Garden, joining Harold Nash (principal), Dave Chandler (coprincipal), John Edney (2nd), Dai Trotman (bass) and Bob Brookes (tuba). With the encouragement of Sir Georg Solti, Gerry purchased a contrabass trombone made by Max Enders of Mainz in Germany. This was apparently the first contrabass Max Enders had made, and it’s very likely that Gerry was the first person in this country to play such an instrument. This wonderful beast, which has a single slide, is in F with two independent rotary valves, which put it into E flat,
Haydn (Dai) Trotman and Gerry McElhone, both in Irish Guards uniform.
double B flat, and then a slightly sharp double A flat with both valves down. The instrument was used mainly for Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen and some of the Puccini operas. Harold Nash, who was the principal trombone at the time, said of the contra: “In due course it arrived, and the lower brass took on a whole new perspective on its visits to Valhalla; and also in some Verdi and Puccini scores. In fact, Gerry’s rendition of the ‘scarpia’ motif
Royal Opera House trombone section in 1964. L-R Frank Stead (assistant orchestra manager), Harold Nash, Haydn (Dai) Trotman, David Chandler, Gerry McElhone (extra player). in Sir Colin’s [Davis’] Tosca recording is legendary not only among musicians, but also amongst HiFi addicts.” By the time Gerry retired from the Opera House in 1990, various players had come and gone from the section. At the time of his retirement, the section was Harold Nash and John Iveson (principal), Tom Winthorpe and Dave Chandler (2nd), Dave Petken (bass) and George Wall (tuba). As well as being a wonderful player, Gerry was also an inspirational teacher, teaching at the Royal College of Music in London from 1972 until the end of the summer term in 1989. The way he taught was seemingly unstructured, perhaps because he himself had very little in the way of formal teaching, and yet somehow he was able to pass on so much knowledge, sometimes I’m sure without even realising. Lessons would often begin by him asking what you had brought along to play, rather than him having set things each week. He would listen to whatever you had prepared, and then go through it in detail. The whole time his main emphasis was on sound, intonation, and articulation, and of course style. All the things that, in fact, made him such a great player. After that, out would come the orchestral excerpts, which more often than not took up most of the lesson. He had an amazing ability to remember what he had said about a particular excerpt, maybe weeks previously, and if you hadn’t done, or at least tried to do what he had suggested, he would show his displeasure! One particular thing that he taught was playing legato without using any tongue, even when very long shifts are involved - not unusual for valve players, but much more so for trombonists. It can only be achieved if the slide shifts
are very fast and accurate (without being jerky) and if the air column is continuous. The effect, if it comes off, is the most beautiful legato. He would demonstrate this and anything else he needed to on our instruments, as he very rarely brought his trombone into college. Whatever he played on, he always sounded amazing. Occasionally, to great excitement, he would bring the contra along to lessons, only to bring out the 3rd and 4th trombone parts for Der Ring or some fiendish Verdi opera. The student would then play third whilst Gerry sorted out his contra playing for that work’s impending arrival at the Royal Opera House. Gerry’s unique personality was always evident when he taught. He very often used the most colourful language, and yet was never offensive. He used a lot of sporting analogies to explain things, for example comparing starting a note to hitting a golf ball, and describing light staccato playing like bouncing a tennis ball. He had a great passion for playing both golf - a hobby he shared with his late wife, Ulla - and also snooker. It was a proud moment when his nephew, Dennis Taylor, became World Snooker Champion in 1985! I remember having telephone conversations with him years after he retired from playing, and his enthusiasm for music and the business in general was ever infectious, and I would always come away from our conversations feeling uplifted. Gerry was a great character and also a perfect gentleman (especially when ladies were present). He was much liked and respected by colleagues and pupils - a unique and private man, who will be greatly missed. Ian Fasham
THE TROMBONIST | SUMMER 2011 | PAGE 9