Reginald Kell

Reginald Clifford Kell (8 June 1906 – 5 August 1981) was an English clarinettist. He was noted especially for his career as a soloist and chamber music player. He was the principal clarinettist in leading British orchestras, including the London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, and Royal Philharmonic, and was also active as a solo recording artist.

Kell was influential as one of the first clarinettists to employ continuous vibrato to enhance the expressive quality of the instrument. He was also a noted teacher, serving two different appointments at his alma mater, the Royal Academy of Music in London. In 1948 Kell moved to the United States where he pursued a solo career and taught, with pupils including the jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman.

Born in York, England, Kell was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London in 1929, where he studied with Haydn Draper until 1932. While still a student he was engaged as principal clarinettist of the orchestra of the Royal Philharmonic Society. After graduation he was Sir Thomas Beecham's choice as first clarinet for the London Philharmonic when the orchestra was formed in 1932. He left the LPO in 1936 and was succeeded as first clarinet by Bernard Walton. Kell was Arturo Toscanini's principal clarinettist in the Lucerne Festival Orchestra in 1939, and was invited, but declined, to take the same position in Toscanini's NBC Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to his orchestral work Kell taught at the Royal Academy between 1935 and 1939, and played in chamber music. His solo repertoire extended from Corelli and earlier to twentieth century works. He was the first prominent clarinettist to apply vibrato consciously and consistently to his tone, in which respect he modelled himself on the oboist Léon Goossens. (Kell's contemporary Jack Brymer was another pioneer of vibrato on the clarinet, but came to prominence later than Kell.) Inspired by the great singers with whom he came in contact, notably Kirsten Flagstad, Kell sought to emulate their warm expressive sounds on the clarinet.

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