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Walter Damrosch
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Walter Damrosch
Walter Johannes Damrosch (January 30, 1862 – December 22, 1950) was a Prussian-born American conductor and composer. He was the director of the New York Symphony Orchestra and conducted the world premiere performances of various works, including Aaron Copland's Symphony for Organ and Orchestra, George Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F and An American in Paris, and Jean Sibelius' Tapiola. Damrosch was also instrumental in the founding of Carnegie Hall. He also conducted the first performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the composer himself as soloist.
Damrosch was born in Breslau, Silesia, to Helene von Heimburg, a former opera singer, and the conductor Leopold Damrosch. His brother Frank Damrosch became a music conductor and sister Clara Mannes a music teacher. His parents were Lutheran, although his paternal grandfather was Jewish.
He exhibited an interest in music at an early age and was instructed by his father in harmony, and also studied under Wilhelm Albert Rischbieter and Felix Draeseke at the Dresden Conservatory. He emigrated with his parents in 1871 to the United States.
During the great music festival given by his father in May 1881, he first acted as conductor in drilling several sections of the large chorus, one in New York City, and another in Newark, New Jersey. The latter, consisting chiefly of members of the Harmonic Society, elected him to be their conductor. During this time a series of concerts was given in which such works as Anton Rubinstein's Tower of Babel, Hector Berlioz's La damnation de Faust, and Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem were performed. He was then only 19 years of age, but showed marked ability in drilling large groups.
In 1884, when his father initiated a run of all-German opera at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Walter was made an assistant conductor. After his father's death in 1885, he held the same post under Anton Seidl and also became conductor of the Oratorio and Symphony Societies in New York.
On May 17, 1890, he married Margaret Blaine (1867–1949), the daughter of American politician and presidential candidate James G. Blaine. They had four daughters: Alice, Margaret (known as Gretchen), Leopoldine, and Anita.
Damrosch was best known in his day as a conductor of the music of Richard Wagner, and in 1894 he founded the Damrosch Opera Company for producing Wagner's works. He was also a pioneer in the performance of music on the radio, and as such became one of the chief popularizers of classical music in the United States.
In June 1891, Damrosch searched for a first violinist for his permanent New York Symphony Orchestra, choosing well-known violinist and composer Julius Conus , who was touring in Berlin.
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Walter Damrosch
Walter Johannes Damrosch (January 30, 1862 – December 22, 1950) was a Prussian-born American conductor and composer. He was the director of the New York Symphony Orchestra and conducted the world premiere performances of various works, including Aaron Copland's Symphony for Organ and Orchestra, George Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F and An American in Paris, and Jean Sibelius' Tapiola. Damrosch was also instrumental in the founding of Carnegie Hall. He also conducted the first performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the composer himself as soloist.
Damrosch was born in Breslau, Silesia, to Helene von Heimburg, a former opera singer, and the conductor Leopold Damrosch. His brother Frank Damrosch became a music conductor and sister Clara Mannes a music teacher. His parents were Lutheran, although his paternal grandfather was Jewish.
He exhibited an interest in music at an early age and was instructed by his father in harmony, and also studied under Wilhelm Albert Rischbieter and Felix Draeseke at the Dresden Conservatory. He emigrated with his parents in 1871 to the United States.
During the great music festival given by his father in May 1881, he first acted as conductor in drilling several sections of the large chorus, one in New York City, and another in Newark, New Jersey. The latter, consisting chiefly of members of the Harmonic Society, elected him to be their conductor. During this time a series of concerts was given in which such works as Anton Rubinstein's Tower of Babel, Hector Berlioz's La damnation de Faust, and Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem were performed. He was then only 19 years of age, but showed marked ability in drilling large groups.
In 1884, when his father initiated a run of all-German opera at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Walter was made an assistant conductor. After his father's death in 1885, he held the same post under Anton Seidl and also became conductor of the Oratorio and Symphony Societies in New York.
On May 17, 1890, he married Margaret Blaine (1867–1949), the daughter of American politician and presidential candidate James G. Blaine. They had four daughters: Alice, Margaret (known as Gretchen), Leopoldine, and Anita.
Damrosch was best known in his day as a conductor of the music of Richard Wagner, and in 1894 he founded the Damrosch Opera Company for producing Wagner's works. He was also a pioneer in the performance of music on the radio, and as such became one of the chief popularizers of classical music in the United States.
In June 1891, Damrosch searched for a first violinist for his permanent New York Symphony Orchestra, choosing well-known violinist and composer Julius Conus , who was touring in Berlin.
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