Damrosch

(dim/-résh), (1) Dr. Leopold, Posen, Pru ia, Oct. 22, 1832 —New York, Feb. 15, 1885; 1854, M.D.; took up music as solo-violinist; then as cond. at minor theatres; 1855, solo violinist Grand Ducal Orch., at Weimar; here he m. Helene von Heimburg, a singer; 1859-60 cond. Breslau Phil. Soc., etc.; 1871, invited to New York to conduct the Arion Society, made his first appearance as conductor and composer and violinist; 1873, founded the Oratorio Society, 1878 the Symphony Society; 1880 Mus. Doc. Columbia Coll.; 1884, cond. German opera at Met. Op.; c. 7 cantatas; symphony; music to Schiller’s ‘Joan of Arc,” etc. (2) Frank, Breslau, June 22, 1859— New York, Oct. 21, 1937; son and pupil of above; pupil of Pruckner, Jean Vogt, and von Inten (pf.), Moszkowski (comp.); 1882-85, cond. Denver (Col.) Chorus Club; 1884-85 supervisor of music in public schools, also organist in various churches; 1885-91, chorusm. Met. Op.; till 1887 cond. the Newark Harmonic Society; 1892 organized the People’s Singing Cla es; 1897, supervisor of music, N. Y. City public schools; cond. 1898-1912, 1893-1920, Oratorio Society, Mus. Soc. ‘c Y.), Oratorio Soc., Bridge port Conn.), “Orpheus” and “Eurydice” Phila., etc.; for nearly 30 years from 1905 he was the first and sole dir. of the Inst. of Music. Art, noted New York school, which was later merged with the Juilliard School of but still functions; he wrote treatises; Mus. D., Yale Univ., 1904; pub. songs and choruses, and a method of sight-singing. (3) Walter (Johannes), b. Breslau, Silesia, Jan. 30, 1862; son and pupil of (1); pupil of Rischbieter and Draeseke (harm.), von Inten, Boekelman, and Max Pinner, (pf.), von (conducting); 1885-99 cond. N. Y. Oratorio and Symphony Societies; 1892 founded the N. Y. Symphony Orch.; 1894, organized and cond. the Damrosch Opera, Co.; 1899, cond. at Philadelphia; 1902, cond. N. Y. Philh. (vice Paur); he toured Europe with the N. Y. Symphony, 1920, and remained its permanent cond. for more than 40 years; during this time he developed esp. popularity as a cond. and lecturer at children’s orch. concerts; he resigned this post in 1926 to become musical counsel of the Nat’l. Broadcasting Co., and annually led a notable series of “music appreciation’? concerts for the school children of the country over this radio chain. He is the recipient of many honours, incl. the Legion of Honour and a half-dozen from. American univs. Pub. his memoirs, “My Musical Life” (1930); prod. opera, ‘‘The Scarlet Letter’ (Boston, 1896), text by Geo. Parsons Lathrop; c. also ““The Dove of Peace’’ Be, “Cyrano de Bergerac’’ (text by W. J. Henderson play, Met. O “3 1913); “The Man Without a Country’ (libretto by Arthur Gui term an), Met. Op. 1937; choruses, songs, etc. Da’na, Chas. Henshaw, West Newton, Ma ., 1846—Worcester, 1883; pianist, organist and composer.