William Moyer, Boston Symphony Orchestra - RIP

[yeodoug]

Hello friends,

William Moyer, who played second trombone in the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1952-1966, then was personnel manager of the BSO from 1966 until his retirement in 1987, died last month. Bill was a fine player and wonderful person, and his big moment of fame came when he played the Tuba mirum trombone solo in Mozart's Requiem at a Solemn Pontifical Requiem Mass for John F. Kennedy on January 19, 1964. President Kennedy had been assassinated two months earlier, and the Mass, held at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, was broadcast worldwide and heard by over 23 million people. The service was also turned into a 2 LP boxed set by RCA Victor. Bill sounds great on his solo.

I've written a tribute to Bill Moyer with many photos of his time playing in the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and a link to his famous Mozart Requiem performance. You can read it on my blog, here:

https://thelasttrombone.com/2025/01/02/ ... er-played/

Bill Moyer's was a life well lived; he was 95 when he died.

-Douglas Yeo

[SteveM]

That's a beautiful performance of the trombone solo from the Mozart Requiem. What a great trombone section the BSO had during those years! Always gorgeous tone, intonation, balance and, especially, musicality.

[baBposaune]

Wow. Talk about playing under pressure. Lovely solo and so much more challenging to play at that tempo, yet still sounded great.

[WilliamLang]

We should all be so lucky to have someone with so much eloquence and care write about us when we depart. Thank you Doug for the lovely tribute!