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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