From David (& True) Tang Charlotte, NC

Carol -

Although I carry him with me every day and with every note, I will see the world a little bit differently, now that it is without him.
He was, perhaps more than any other, my musical father, brother and friend.
I will always treasure your presence at our wedding and his music.
Know that my thoughts and prayers turn to you often and that both I and mine are with you as you put on the mantle of his absence.

Always,

David (& True) Tang
Charlotte, NC

From Steve "The Whistler" Herbst, UGC '78, Penn '67

Hello,

It was a great pleasure to receive autographed sheet music of and to perform "Fern Hill" and/or the debut of "Poem In October" for Fenno. You may not be aware but Bruce Montgomery of Penn passed away in June much to the great dismay of all Penn Glee Club alumni -- so I can well appreciate how Yalies are feeling now. In any event, I just wanted to extend my condolences and share my sentiments.

Sincerely,

Steve "The Whistler" Herbst, UGC '78, Penn '67

From Mitchell Hammond

Dear Heath family,

Please accept my condolences for the passing of a wonderful family member
and friend. Thank you too for sponsoring a way for us to reflect on
Fenno's contribution to so many families of blood, song, and spirit.

I shared some of the moments that other posters have recounted. As class
of '90 I remember the commissioning of Fenno's portrait and the picture of
it with three "back row altos" (who were every bit the menace Karen
Sherman implied). Fenno knew how to draw the best from us with his unique
brand of coaxing, wheedling, and faux-berating. I say "faux" because it
seemed in rehearsal, as passionate as he was, Fenno was incapable of
really getting angry, no matter what slings and arrows he faced: sopranos
with flying knitting needles; basses blundering headlong into the start of
"Chariot;" tenors wandering off key into outer space or, in my case,
bleating out the yodel; altos muttering in the back row. This was
especially true on Sunday mornings when the "choir for hire" stumbled into
Battell Chapel (or BATTell, as Fenno pronounced it), bleary-eyed, looking
miserable and sounding even worse. He would let us know all at once that
we were a sorry lot and that he cared about us immensely. And then he
would dust us off and propel us forward to musical offerings such as "A
Winter Prayer," and Randall Thompson's incomparable "Alleluia."

I must also say that Fenno could not have been Fenno without Georgia
Whitney, in her office perch at the back of Hendrie 201, or Carol, "Mrs.
Fenno," in her perch in the front row of the first balcony. Both of you
were so much more than that--thank you. Fenno was a blessing and his music
and memory will remain so.

Mitchell Hammond

From BOB (MISSING) LINK

Dear Carol and Heath Family,

I never served in the Glee Club under Fenno; Barty was our leader when I was there. But in the early fifties I found myself taking the long walk from Elm Street to Freshman Commons with Sam Carter (I've decided it was Sam Carter, not Sam Babbitt). I asked him, "How is Fenno filling the shoes of The Master?" Matter-of-factly and without hesitation he replied, "Oh, he's better." I know you've heard this before, but this is for the record. (Nevertheless, I treasure my time under Barty.)

Last time the SLOTs sang at Essex Meadows, I accepted the pleasant task of hawking our CD, ultimately selling twelve, which Kem thought was pretty good. It seemed to be going rather quietly until I posted an ad in the elevators, after which it picked up.


With great affection and admiration,

BOB (MISSING) LINK

From Tenney Walsh 1/4/09

dear carol,
i wanted to express my heartfelt condolences on Fenno's passing!
I first met Fenno in 1972 or thereabouts when I was 9 and was picked to sing in a children's choir to sing the Saint Matthew Passion with the Yale Glee Club and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra..I was attending St,Thomas Day School in New Haven at the time....I rehearsed at Hendrie Hall with the glee club and it was a formative experience for me as a child singing with Yalies under Fenno's wonderful direction.....it was with great pride and nerves that I auditionned several years later for Fenno my Freshman year at yale to join the Freshman chorus and then the Glee Club and was grateful to be chosen......I was always inspired by Fenno's enthusiasm and energetic direction....he was always in the moment...i particularly enjoyed singing his song cycle "Fern Hill "set to the poems of Dylan Thomas: "now as I was young and easy under the apple boughs"...that music was haunting and beautiful and daring! Even 25 years later I still remember how moved I was when singing those pieces...all my best to you and your family...I don't think Terry would remember me but I attended Hammonassett school my Freshman year when he was a sophomore....all the best,,,

tenney walsh..taos, new mexico

Love, Frederica von Stade Gorman 1/4/09

Please forgive such a late note to say how sorry I am to hear about your Dad. He was a bright shining light to so many of us and blessed us all with this presence, knowledge, wit and joy of making music. I am so grateful that I had the chance to know him a little in my life. I send love and prayers to you and all of your family. love, FLicka von Stade Gorman