William J. Weichlein: An Appreciation

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One of the Music Library Association's major crises was resolved when, in 1965, the Association's immediate past President, William J. Weichlein, became its Executive Secretary and moved the Business Office from New York City to Ann Arbor, Michigan. The New York Office, originally set up with a grant from the Martha Baird Rockefeller Foundation in January of 1962, had been the source of great dissatisfaction to MLA officers: the staff was inefficient, tactless, and charged large amounts of overtime because of their medieval systems. During his term as President, Weichlein became convinced the office was a useless appendage to the Music Library Association and proposed moving it to Ann Arbor under the aegis of the School of Music of the University of Michigan.(1) The physical move was accomplished late in 1964. Working with part-time clerical assistance, Weichlein quickly systematized the files, billing, and correspondence; for the next sixteen years his office was the address for inquiries, membership issues, billing, sale of Association publications, etc. Who was Bill Weichlein? Originally a performer - a bassoonist - and then a musicologist. But overarching both interests was his concern, care, and nurture of the Music Library at the University of Michigan. think I considered myself more a librarian [than musicologist], somewhat to the consternation of others in the Music History Department on occasion.(2) Little wonder, perhaps, for Weichlein worked in his local library - Mayville, Illinois - from age 12. One of his duties was to ride around town on his bicycle to collect overdue books and fines! Weichlein was born on 9 May 1917 in Springfield, Missouri, the son of Lily Evans (Pick) and Frank Howard Weichlein, an Episcopal clergyman. Typical of the clergy, the family moved around the midwest during Weichlein's childhood; he graduated from Proviso High School in Mayville, Illinois - northeast of Chicago - and spent the next year in Chicago studying and performing. He was a member of the non-professional training orchestra, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, sponsored by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Some instrumentalists from the Civic Orchestra subsequently became members of the CSO. In the fall of 1935 he was accepted by the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. After two academic years in Philadelphia Weichlein went back to Illinois - Sycamore - where his parents were living. During the next years he played in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the WGN radio station orchestra, the Chicago Opera Orchestra, and the orchestra of the Ballet Theatre conducted in the Chicago Opera House by Alexander Smallens.(3) He found it a very satisfying life. World War II interrupted his professional performance career. On 9 December 1942 he enlisted in the United States Army; he was sent to Texas to a tank destroyer battalion but became ill and was released on 20 February 1943. In August of 1943 he was drafted by the Army Air Forces and assigned to the 560th Army Air Forces Band stationed at the Greenville, North Carolina, Air Force Base. Eventually the Band was sent to India to entertain the troops. While there, Weichlein was principal bassoonist in the Calcutta Symphony Orchestra, Phillipe Sandre conductor.(4) Discharged in May of 1946, Weichlein decided to enter the University of Michigan under the provisions of the GI Bill. He was drawn to Michigan by the prewar activities of Thor Johnson, founder and conductor of the University of Michigan Little Symphony. The Symphony toured twice annually, playing more than five hundred concerts in some twenty-eight states over its seven year existence;(5) to Weichlein, the chance to perform as well as attend college was most attractive. Wayne Dunlap succeeded Johnson as conductor of both the Little Symphony and the University of Michigan Symphony; Weichlein was principal bassoonist in both organizations from 1946-50. A subsequent outlet for his performance skills was the Plymouth (Michigan) Symphony Orchestra, also conducted by Dunlap; Weichlein was principal bassoonist there from 1952-65. …