Francis McBeth (1933-2012)

I first met Dr. McBeth at the Texas Tech band camp where I played under his direction. Of course I was in awe of him, his music, his skill, and his personality. He was simply an amazing human being in all respects and a musician of the highest order, worth accolades and honors for his remarkable career and his non-stop dedication to music. He is gone now but will be long remembered. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Francis_McBeth

Much will be written about Francis McBeth in the days ahead and I see no need to rehash his illustrious musical career, but I do see a need to give my personal perspective on him and his music. As a composer, Dr. McBeth was decidedly creative, giving all his music a sparkling glow of fresh and unique. A product of his time, some of his early music now sounds a bit dated to our ears but an inside listening reveals unequaled rhythmic energy and melodic invention. His use of rhythm propelled his musical ideas forward, leaving players and listeners breathless with joy at the musical result. While his music for school bands, often at an easier technical level, shines with the McBeth sound of colors, rhythm, and fun, it is his advanced music that his greatest expression comes to the fore. Kaddish and Of Sailors and Whales are two of my personal favorites but I can honestly say I have never heard a McBeth piece I did not like. McBeth's use of orchestration and instrumental colors is matched by his layering of sounds and unpredictable rhythmic variety.

As a conductor, he was superb in all respects, developing and perfecting a system for cueing that I adopted and continue to use today. Deliberate in his physical motions, everything he did on the podium served the music in the best way possible. Always precise and always controlled, his motions and non-verbal communication brought out the best in the ensemble in all settings. As he conducted the band, he would constantly listen and respond to what he heard, crafting and designing the band to the ideal. Commanding but never over-bearing, confidence without arrogance, players always knew he was in charge and that the result would be powerful, personal, and as close to perfect as music can be. Adopting many of his mannerisms, I was a devoted student of his conducting style and have used his ideas throughout my own career.

But as great as his music is and as wonderful a conductor he was, it is his personality that I remember so well. His mental joke encyclopedia was astounding and he was able to pull a joke at any moment for any occasion. He once told me that he enjoyed telling three different levels of jokes to study the reactions of other people. He said he could determine a person's creativity level by the reaction to a certain joke. With a twinkle in his eye, he told me I had passed the creativity test! I have always wondered if he said that to everyone. Francis McBeth's personality was filled with electric energy that affected everyone around him, drawing people to him and changing the social environment for the better. Frequently opinionated, he could move quickly from a serious moment to a comically charged moment, causing emotions to swim in extremes from elation to concern to humor. In spite of his remarkable success, he remained humble and self-deprecating throughout his life, retaining the character traits of a strong Christian, a true gentleman and a gifted musician.

Yes, he will be missed. But he made his impact on the world and that impact will last for many generations.