Jack Bell Percussion

Life

Harold Edward Firestone was born October 27, 1907. He was adopted by Frank and Minerva Firestone. Frank worked as a pattern maker for the New York Central Railroad and Minerva was a housewife. Harold grew up in Elkhart, Indiana.

Mr. Frank Firestone took his seventeen-year old son to the grand opening of the Lerner Theater on November 24, 1924. While waiting in line for admittance, the manager of the theater, who knew the Firestones, walked out to the lobby and asked if Harold could go to the pit and sit in for the drummer, who had not shown up. He did go and perform with the pit orchestra, so that the vaudeville show could be presented. That evening began his professional career.

Harold went to school in Elkhart and was graduated from Elkhart High School. Following high school, he attended and was graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Engineering. (His passion was flying, but his poor eye-sight kept him from getting his degree in aeronautical engineering).

After college, he returned to Elkhart and began giving private music lessons and playing with area music groups. He played in the pit orchestra at the Lerner Theater (now the Elco) for vaudeville productions. That experience of working with the touring vaudeville entertainers added more knowledge of music and performing to his background and he incorporated that knowledge into his private teaching. During that same time, he also played in the orchestra at the Bucklen Opera Theater and found time to play with Bob Stewart’s dance orchestra, as well. In addition to his teaching and performing, Harold managed to work in the sales division of Leedy & Ludwig when the factory was in Elkhart, Indiana.

He was drafted in 1942 and served four years in Germany in the 84th division of the field artillery. His primary job was to survey and put out the stakes to be used as aiming points for the artillery.

During the Battle of the Bulge, he was hit with shrapnel. His life was spared because he had placed a record in the chest area of his uniform prior to when the fighting began. The record had been sent to him by a student (Betty Helfrick) who wanted him to hear a performance of her playing at an event which he, of course, could not attend. He later apologized for not having the record when he returned home. It had been shattered while saving his life!
Harold never married. However, he was quite fond of a young lady he had met in New York before his boat sailed for Germany. They corresponded throughout the war and dated for a while after WW II ended, but Harold’s parents discouraged his romantic interests in this young lady. After that, he immersed himself in his music.

Harold Firestone was an accomplished pianist and percussionist. After WW II, he devoted his life to teaching others to be exceptional musicians. He was extremely innovative and used his engineering background and his love of photography to enhance the private lessons.

He preserved each student’s progress in moving pictures and on tape, which he later transferred to 33 1/3 rpm records.

Therefore, students not only had written lesson sheets, but had film and records to document their evolvement in percussion.

Many of his students went on to impact many others with their musical abilities and talents.

Death

It was a cold, snowy, early weekend afternoon in 1960.  I was the first to arrive for our group ensemble percussion rehearsal. Being a teenager, after knocking on the front door with no response, I took a ladder from the barn behind his house and climbed up onto the snowy roof to try peering into the second story frosted window. I could not see through it and no one answered when I went back to knock on the front door again.

His adopted sister, Arlene Trafford, and many other students had now arrived at his home. I was directly behind Arlene as we entered the house and quickly ascended the stairs to the upstairs room.

Arlene screamed and reeled back into me, almost knocking me over the banner. We found Mr. Firestone lying on the floor in an old room with his eyes wide open, staring directly at me. Apparently, he had tried to reach the entrance to the room as he died from the heart attack. How could it be that of the more than 500 students Harold taught over a 30 year period, I was the only one to experience the very moment of his death, the only one to see him before Arlene started pushing everyone back down the stairs to the parlor? That one moment, the forever vision of him seemingly looking at me alone and the influence Firestone had on me from my sixth grade year until his death in the middle of my tenth grade year, shaped much of my career for well over the next thirty years.

As Principal Percussionist with the Atlanta Symphony for 32 years and a Professor at Georgia State University for 34 years, my basic techniques and concepts actually evolved out of what I had learned from Harold Firestone on snare drum, marimba and timpani between sixth and tenth grade! So, In addition to my work with ASO and GSU, I also maintained a 20 student private studio from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm Monday through Friday for over 32 years!

Jack Bell

A Tribute

by Jack Bell

My percussion lessons with Harold Firestone began on July 22, 1954. I was 9 years old and student # 290.

Each week, Mom and Dad would carry a heavy reel to reel tape recorder to my lesson.

When I got home from the lesson, I would lay on the bedroom floor with my ear pressed against the speaker hitting replay over and over trying to absorb all of the information he had given me.

When lesson solos were completed, Harold would record and transfer the recorded solos to 33 rpm records. Each recording was always preceded with my memorized announcement into the microphone that included: my name, lesson number, the date, the selection, and what seemed at the time ‘dozens’ of other pieces of information before the “Olympic Recording Moment” occurred. (Only one moment in time and one chance to get it right!).

After almost 60 years, I still have about 30 of those old worn little records in my collection! I have preserved all 5 years of those lessons from the records, to tapes and finally onto two CDs, had a great studio “clean” them up as much as possible and can now offer them for sale as a historical archive of five years of private lessons with one of the greatest private percussion teachers to have ever shared his knowledge and experience! Back to the lessons:

To improve my awareness of pulse, he rocked me back and forth with his hand on my shoulder as I tried to read the music standing as stiff as a toy soldier. I did not enjoy having to stand up straight with my knees locked and the music a blur, but the rocking worked! I hated sight reading on snare drum and marimba and would panic each time I saw him get out another new sheet. New sight reading sheets were in a never ending supply in Harold’s studio. I learned to sight read!

When I would mistakenly play traditional grip with “Rabbit Ears” Harold would slap the back of my left stick to knock it out of my hand. One time the stick flew through the air and knocked the glasses off of his face! He no longer slapped my left stick. My left hand grip improved immediately. Years later that memory made it difficult to resist doing the same thing to a member of the famous Nexus Ensemble before an ASO concert. It worked…He will remain unnamed.

Now that I reflect back on those lesson times with Harold Firestone, I understand the significance of his influence on my life. He was a gifted artist, teacher and friend who started me on my musical journey of discovery and creativity. He kept a watchful eye on my progress until his sudden death during my 10th grade year. He was a man of empathy and patience. He taught me to work hard and to understand integrity and professionalism. He taught me to love my students. I am honored to have been a part of his studio and his life. His mentoring gave my young life the principles of systematic thinking, self-discipline, and goal setting.

Harold Firestone was such a positive influence in the life of so many young people, that he changed a small part of the world he influenced. His former students are now and will forever more be more musical, dedicated and wiser. May his legacy continue forever!

I dedicate this performance of his original rudiment sheets in fond remembrance of Harold Firestone.

Jack Bell