Music in the Forman Family

Ivan, Mildred, Ross, Ward

 Music played a large role in the Forman family. Edgar Charles Forman (1896-1981) worked for RCA in the classical music production and marketing area for over 50 years. His wife Annie Baragwanath Forman (1890-1968) fell in love with music and devoted much of her life to her cello. According to Alma Forman (wife of E. Ross), Annie took up the cello after her youngest, Mildred, was born with a hip problem, and dancing and cello lessons commenced to help with her rehabilitation. Annie took up the cello along with her daughter.

  All four of Ed and Annie’s children were put into music lessons. Ross, the eldest, played the piano. Ivan took up the violin. Ward learned the clarinet, and of course, Mildred had her cello. This ensemble appeared on local school stages and on Camden Radio station WCAM. The family sacrificed during the depression to have all 4 children in music lessons. Annie raised chickens and sold the eggs to help defray the costs.

1933 Ivan, Ward, Mildred

All the children continued to play their instruments through high school in their school orchestras. Ward also played in his school’s band. In college after the war, he formed a band – the Hungry Five Quartet. He played with the Elk’s band and the Shriner’s band in Atlantic City. In his high school year book he said he was interested in being first chair clarinetist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. He gave up his clarinet after he married. He used his musical talents as the Sunday School Music Leader in the Tulare Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for several years. He organized the fund raisers to buy the ward an organ since up until then there had only been a piano in the church. At the same time, he bought a duplicate organ and had 3 of his girls take lessons. All of Ward’s daughters can play the organ and piano (to varying degrees!) Most of his grandchildren had music lessons as they grew up. Many piano players and some talented singers came from this generation. Quite a few tried their hand at different instruments in school: saxophones, clarinets, flutes, violins, recorders, guitars, oboes, but no cellos. Ross, the oldest of Annie's children, studied the flute in high school in order to play in the band, which qualified him for free admittance to the football games! He continued his musical studies through college where he played in the Drexel Orchestra and studied the piccolo. He continued to study both instruments after graduation. Mildred and Ivan weren’t great fans of the classical music they’d always played and didn’t continue lessons after high school. Ivan’s daughter, Jamie, is a talented organist and taught music in schools for years.

Even after the children were gone, Annie continued her cello lessons for the rest of her life. When the children were still home they were not allowed in the house when she had her lessons or was practicing as she was not to be interrupted! Her relationship with her cello was sacred and gave meaning to her life. She studied with accomplished teachers as she honed her craft, and played in the Fleischer Symphony for a time. She even had a lesson the day before she passed away. If we go back a generation we can find evidence of musical interest or talent in Edgar’s father, William Charles Forman (1859-1938.) We know he was involved with the Merchantville (NJ) Band, as the recording secretary from 1890-1892. No indication if he played an instrument, but it’s likely. The family had the minute book that he kept but donated it to the Camden County Historical Society. We don’t know any other details of his musical interests. Thanks to Alma K. Forman for her compilation of family stories that help to keep them alive for future generations.