Harry Fuchs

Harry Fuchs (1908–1986) was a prominent American cellist, member of The Cleveland Orchestra for forty years, and a brother of violist Lillian Fuchs and violinist Joseph Fuchs. Perhaps not as famous as his siblings, Harry was just as talented, with his incredible gift evident since early childhood. Trained both as violinist and cellist in his youth, Fuchs chose cello for the professional career. In 1932, he admitted to the Juilliard School on a 3-year graduate fellowship to study with Felix Salmond. After graduating in 1935, Harry Fuchs joined Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for two seasons. In 1937, Artur Rodzinski invited Fuchs to join the cello section of The Cleveland Orchestra. Harry remained with the Orchestra for over four decades, working under five different Musical Directors throughout his tenure. In 1943, Harry Fuchs became a Principal Cello, taking over Leonard Rose who joined The New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Fuchs remained at this position for four seasons, until George Szell selected Ernst Silberstein as a new principal cellist in 1947. At this time, Harry Fuchs decided to leave the orchestra and pursue a business opportunity related to a different passion of his – pets. An avid animal lover, Harry had eight cats and a few large dogs at his house. Apparently, Fuchs developed a special lotion formula to ease dog's skin irritation, which he patented and successfully marketed under Fox Salve brand, turning it into a rather profitable enterprise. In 1949, Harry Fuchs returned to the Cleveland Orchestra as Assistant Principal Cello, and continued playing with the ensemble until his retirement in 1979. In 1951, Harry Fuchs recorded Beethoven's Trio in C Minor (Op. 9, No. 3) with Joseph and Lillian, released by Decca label to a huge critical success. He also participated in the recording of Albert Roussel's Trio For Flute, Viola And Cello, Op. 40 with Lillian Fuchs and Julius Baker on flute, again for Decca, in 1955. While being relatives, Fuchs' were not necessarily the most compatible performers; a few recording sessions came to a halt and weren't finished due to a heated argument between brothers and sister, and unresolvable disagreement over Beethoven's interpretation. In addition to a long-running orchestral career, Harry was one of the original members of The Cleveland Orchestra String Quartet, and had been teaching at Cleveland Institute of Music and Cleveland Music School Settlement, as well as privately. In May 1986, Alan Shulman premiered his Elegy – In Memoriam: Felix Salmond in New York City. Written in honor of Harry's teacher and mentor, it was also dedicated to seven outstanding cellists. Harry Fuchs, who died in January 1986, was mentioned along with Fortunato Arico, Jascha Bernstein, Pierre Fournier, Frank Miller (3), Leonard Rose, and Mischa Schneider.