Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/134

 DAMROSCH

DAMROSCH

appearance as a violin virtuoso, in Magdeburg, and in the same year, Liszt gave him an engage- ment in the Weimar Court orchestra. He was married to Helena von Heimburg, a songstress, who was very popular with "Weimar audiences. In 18,i8 he was summoned to direct the Pliilliar- monic society of Breslau and soon won di.stinction by pro- ducing works by Wagner, Liszt and Berlioz. In 1860 he resigned this position and undertook sev- eral concert tours with Billow and Taussig. He retained his residence, how- ever, in Breslau and participated in a series of quartet soirees, previously to organizing, in 1863, the Breslau orchestra. Some of the promi- nent soloists co-operated in the entertainments given by this body, and on extraordinary occa- sions Liszt and Wagner honored the performances by conducting their own works. Besides leading the Breslau orchestra he conducted the entertain- ments of a cla.ssical society, directed for two years the representation at the Breslau opera house and made frequent appearances as a violin virtuo.so in Leipzig, Hamburg, and eLsewhere. In 1871 he accepted a call from the Arion society of New York to become its conductor. His first public appearance in America was at Steinway liall, New York, May 6, 1871, in the triple character of conductor, composer and violini.st. He met an enthusiastic welcome. In 1873 he organized the Oratorio society of New York with but twelve singers. A concert given in a private hall .served to attract public attention ; in the second concert the chorus was doubled, and in the third, given in Steinway hall, it was augmented to one hundred, and had the aid of an orchestra. He also organ- ized in 1878 the Symphony society of New York. As conductor he brought before the American public for the first time many important works, among them Berlioz's "Damnation de Faust" and " Messe des Morts"; Wagner's "Siegfried" and " Gotterdiimmerung " ; Rubin.stein's " Tower of Babel"; Bruch's Symphony No. 2, and Saint- Saens's Symphony No. 2, in A minor. He inau- gurated in May, 1882, the first grand musical festival held in New York. In 1884, having been chosen to found a German opera at the Metro- politan opera house, he sailed for Germany, and in five weeks organized a company including such

artists as Frauen Hanfstaengl. Materna, Brandt, and Kraus, andHerren Schott, Staudigl and Rob- inson. He returned to New York in September, opened the operatic season on October 17, and rapidly produced twelve works, all of unusual proportion.s. To "Tannhiiuser," he gave eight representations; to "Lohengrin," nine, to "The Prophet," nine, and to " Die Walkiire," six. At the same time lie carried on his labors as director of the Oratorio and Symphony societies. In 1880, Columbia college conferred upon liim the honor- ary degree of Mus.D. He published a concerto and several minor pieces for violin, a Festival Overture: Buth and Naomi, a Biblical idyll for solos and chorus; twelve books of songs, and left numerous manuscript works including a sym- phony. He died in New York city, Feb. lo, 1885. DAMROSCH, Walter Johannes, musician, was born at Breslau, Pruss'ia, Jan. 30, 1862 ; son of Dr. Leopold and Helena (von Heimburg) Dam- rosch. His early instruction in music was received from his father, with additional train- ing in counterpoint from Ti Urspruch, and in ^-

phrasing and con- ducting from Hans von Billow. He came to the United States with his father in 1871, and when nine- teen years old he was chosen conductor of the Newark, N.J., Harmonic society, producing Rubin-

stein's "Tower of Babel" and Beetho- ven's choral fan- tasie, to which he played the piano part. In the same year tiie musical festival was given by his father, and young Damrosch, as assistant con- ductor, prepared several important sections of the chorus. On the death of Dr. Damrosch in 1885, the Symphony society, the German opera company, and the Oratorio society were left without a conductor. During his father's last illness, Walter had conducted the performances of the opera company with such success that he was appointed assistant conductor and director. He also succeeded his father as musical director of the Oratorio and Symphony societies Under his direction the Oratorio society gave successful performances of Handel's "Judas Maccabeus" and Verdi's " Requiem." In March. 1886. the two societies rendered for the first time in the United States, Wagner's " Parsifal." In the sum- mer of that year Mr. Damrosch visited Europe and was warmly received by the musical elite of the old world. Franz Liszt, in behalf of the

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