ABBA

Violinist and violist who recorded with Frank Sinatra back in the day, on albums such as The Voice of Frank Sinatra, in 1945. In 1947, he was part of a session that included Dinah Shore and Frank Sinatra performing “My Romance” and “Tea for Two”.

As music changed, Hymanson easily adapted to other genres. In 1969, he performed on David Axelrod’s Songs of Experience, inspired by the poetry of William Blake. Axelrod used him again on 1974’s Heavy Axe. In 1975, he appeared on Joan Baez’s Diamonds & Rust, Robert Lamm’s Skinny Boy, and Can’t Take My Eyes Off You: Frankie Valli – Greatest Hits.

He collaborated with a number of friends on Johnny Mathis’s and Deniece Williams’ That’s What Friends Are For, released in 1978. In 1979, he got down with Walter Murphy on Discosymphony and reunited with Frank Sinatra on his boxed set, Trilogy.

He opened the ‘80s on Lee Oskar’s My Road – Our Road. In 1981, he was summoned for violin duties on Earth, Wind & Fire’s Raise! and Jaco Pastorius’s Word of Mouth. Two of his last recordings appear to be Julio Iglesias’s 1100 Bel Air Place and the soundtrack of The Color Purple.

He also wrote a study of Paul Hindemith entitled “Hindemith’s Variations: A Comparison of Early and Recent Works”, in which he attempts to explain the modern composer’s methods regarding theme and variations.

The CD era affords us various opportunities to hear William Hymanson’s viola and violin stylings, on compilations such as Sinatra Rarities: The Columbia Years, The Columbia Years: 1943-1952, The Axelrod Chronicles, on which he served as Concert Master, and The Essential Jaco Pastorius.

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