Douglas Tate, harmonica

Whilst we are working on the finished biography page, here is the text that was supplied to the Times newspaper for their obituary column. There is also more information in the February Edition of Harmonica World magazine, visit the NHL site for more details

Douglas William Richard Tate.

28th October 1934 - 16th November 2005

Douglas was the most complete harmonica player of his generation. The flow of Internet messages and surface mail, which followed the announcement of his death, show his influence had reached all around the world. A tall, quietly spoken, English gentleman, with a delightful sense of humour, who affected many lives in many ways, he was multi-faceted like a polished diamond. He was many different things to many different people, always providing them with the help and information they needed, without promoting himself.

Douglas was a Yorkshireman, born in Yarm, near Stockton-on-Tees, where his father was chief engineer at the ICI ammonia plant in Billingham.

His abilities ranged from concert performer and session player, to harmonica designer and builder, to educator, writer and in his later years to the promotion and organisation of harmonica communities around the world.

Douglas had lessons with Tommy Reilly and he became World Harmonica Champion in the 1960s. He played many concerts with orchestras and for BBC Radio 3, and made over 250 performances at the Windmill and Prince of Wales Theatres in London. He had a great liking for Baroque music and often played the great flute and oboe works. He also performed modern works and pieces written for him by British composers such as Dr Arnold Cooke and his friend Peter Jenkyns. An example of his broad-minded approach to music was his collaboration, Electrio, with rock musician Rod Argent (synthesiser) and Janet Edwards (piano). Their concert repertoire included an arrangement of Bach’s Concerto for Oboe and Violin. Larry Adler regarded him as one of the finest “classical” harmonica players of his time. Once, when Larry caught the wrong train to a concert in St Albans, Douglas responded to one of the few cries ever of “Is there a harmonica player in the house?”, and took over for him. He is one of the elite group who played harmonica on the soundtrack of the BBC long running comedy “The Last of the Summer Wine”, and was present at some early Beatles recordings.

Douglas was always interested in engineering as well as music from the time he started out as an apprentice after leaving school at the age of 18, rising through the ranks to become the Head of Research and Design for what had become the largest computer firm in Europe, ICL. His knowledge of materials, and craft skills led him to tinker with his harmonicas and build several harpsichords. When Tommy Reilly had his first Silver harmonica produced by a silversmith, he took it to Douglas to make it work correctly. This fascination with producing the perfect chromatic was to stay with him to the end. His collaboration with Bobbie Giordano in the USA led to his last design, the Renaissance, possibly the best in the world, but true to form, the development never stopped and he was still improving the design when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in March, 2005. It was then that the partnership with the new young management team from the oldest harmonica company in the world, C.A.Seydel Söhne was forged to hand on and continue the development and production of the Renaissance. In November 2004 Douglas became the Visiting Professor in Harmonica Design at the University of Singapore.

Douglas really wanted to teach and so he retrained and after a few years in a junior school he was headhunted to take over as Head of Music in a school in Dunstable. Soon almost all the children were in voluntary music classes after school, some learning harmonica. He moved on to be head of a Business Studies department and then Head of Computing. He retired in 1996. His interest in teaching and the production of a grade system for harmonica players has also just come to fruition with the recent introduction of an examination procedure by the National University of Singapore following work by a small team including Douglas. He wrote two respected books: “ Make Your Harmonica Work Better: How to Buy, Maintain and Improve the Harmonica from Beginner to Expert”, and “Play the Harmonica Well: Advanced Instruction for the Chromatic Harmonica”. Recently he edited and helped Ena Reilly re-publish Tommy Reilly’s "Studies for the Chromatic Harmonica",

All through his adult life, Douglas was an active participant in the National Harmonica League in the UK and he wrote many articles for their magazines, Harmonica News, and Harmonica World. In 2000 he was invited to become President of SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica, in the USA. He eventually stayed on for a second term until he had to resign when his tumour was discovered. He helped SPAH to become a stronger organisation and built up their Conventions to be the great meeting places they are for artists and players alike. He also helped to develop the use of Internet harmonica communities to improve communication and exchange of information between players.

Douglas was passionately interested in helping children to enjoy music. He always regarded the harmonica as one of the most cost effective ways of starting on this journey. His progress in this endeavour may be what he would most like to be remembered for.

Douglas was nursed through his illness by his third wife Barbara. He also leaves behind three daughters from his second marriage - Alison, Helen and Kathy - and his sister Anne

Roger Trobridge
Chairman : National Harmonica League
Editor: Harmonica World
http://harmonica.co.uk


Whilst we are working on the finished biography page, here is the text that was supplied to the Times newspaper for their obituary column. There is also more information in the February Edition of Harmonica World magazine, visit the NHL site for more details Douglas William Richard Tate. 28th October 1934 - 16th November 2005 Douglas was the most complete harmonica player of his generation. The flow of Internet messages and surface mail, which followed the announcement of his death, show his influence had reached all around the world. A tall, quietly spoken, English gentleman, with a delightful sense of humour, who affected many lives in many ways, he was multi-faceted like a polished diamond. He was many different things to many different people, always providing them with the help and information they needed, without promoting himself. Douglas was a Yorkshireman, born in Yarm, near Stockton-on-Tees, where his father was chief engineer at the ICI ammonia plant in Billingham. His abilities ranged from concert performer and session player, to harmonica designer and builder, to educator, writer and in his later years to the promotion and organisation of harmonica communities around the world. Douglas had lessons with Tommy Reilly and he became World Harmonica Champion in the 1960s. He played many concerts with orchestras and for BBC Radio 3, and made over 250 performances at the Windmill and Prince of Wales Theatres in London. He had a great liking for Baroque music and often played the great flute and oboe works. He also performed modern works and pieces written for him by British composers such as Dr Arnold Cooke and his friend Peter Jenkyns. An example of his broad-minded approach to music was his collaboration, Electrio, with rock musician Rod Argent (synthesiser) and Janet Edwards (piano). Their concert repertoire included an arrangement of Bach’s Concerto for Oboe and Violin. Larry Adler regarded him as one of the finest “classical” harmonica players of his time. Once, when Larry caught the wrong train to a concert in St Albans, Douglas responded to one of the few cries ever of “Is there a harmonica player in the house?”, and took over for him. He is one of the elite group who played harmonica on the soundtrack of the BBC long running comedy “The Last of the Summer Wine”, and was present at some early Beatles recordings. Douglas was always interested in engineering as well as music from the time he started out as an apprentice after leaving school at the age of 18, rising through the ranks to become the Head of Research and Design for what had become the largest computer firm in Europe, ICL. His knowledge of materials, and craft skills led him to tinker with his harmonicas and build several harpsichords. When Tommy Reilly had his first Silver harmonica produced by a silversmith, he took it to Douglas to make it work correctly. This fascination with producing the perfect chromatic was to stay with him to the end. His collaboration with Bobbie Giordano in the USA led to his last design, the Renaissance, possibly the best in the world, but true to form, the development never stopped and he was still improving the design when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in March, 2005. It was then that the partnership with the new young management team from the oldest harmonica company in the world, C.A.Seydel Söhne was forged to hand on and continue the development and production of the Renaissance. In November 2004 Douglas became the Visiting Professor in Harmonica Design at the University of Singapore. Douglas really wanted to teach and so he retrained and after a few years in a junior school he was headhunted to take over as Head of Music in a school in Dunstable. Soon almost all the children were in voluntary music classes after school, some learning harmonica. He moved on to be head of a Business Studies department and then Head of Computing. He retired in 1996. His interest in teaching and the production of a grade system for harmonica players has also just come to fruition with the recent introduction of an examination procedure by the National University of Singapore following work by a small team including Douglas. He wrote two respected books: “ Make Your Harmonica Work Better: How to Buy, Maintain and Improve the Harmonica from Beginner to Expert”, and “Play the Harmonica Well: Advanced Instruction for the Chromatic Harmonica”. Recently he edited and helped Ena Reilly re-publish Tommy Reilly’s "Studies for the Chromatic Harmonica", All through his adult life, Douglas was an active participant in the National Harmonica League in the UK and he wrote many articles for their magazines, Harmonica News, and Harmonica World. In 2000 he was invited to become President of SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica, in the USA. He eventually stayed on for a second term until he had to resign when his tumour was discovered. He helped SPAH to become a stronger organisation and built up their Conventions to be the great meeting places they are for artists and players alike. He also helped to develop the use of Internet harmonica communities to improve communication and exchange of information between players. Douglas was passionately interested in helping children to enjoy music. He always regarded the harmonica as one of the most cost effective ways of starting on this journey. His progress in this endeavour may be what he would most like to be remembered for. Douglas was nursed through his illness by his third wife Barbara. He also leaves behind three daughters from his second marriage - Alison, Helen and Kathy - and his sister Anne Roger Trobridge Chairman : National Harmonica League Editor: Harmonica World http://harmonica.co.uk

info@douglastate.com © Barbara Tate 2006

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