Non-British composers who were who in 1913

Started by Sydney Grew, Wednesday 12 September 2012, 14:13

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Sydney Grew

Here is the counterpart to the thread "British composers who were who in 1913." Again I hope to go through the book "Who's Who in Music" (1913 edition), and this time pick out the information given there about all the people who are described there as "composers" and do not have a British background. (And as before I think that many of the entries were contributed by the subjects themselves.)

Once more there are many very obscure names, as well as many that remain familiar. I have copied all the information supplied about compositions, as well as any further items which seem to be of interest.

The book itself, which contains much more information about each person, may of course be retrieved HERE. Let us begin, then, with the six composers whose names begin with 'A':

1) Carlo Albanese, pianist and composer.
   b. Naples, 1858.
   Came to London in 1882.
   The list of his compositions comprises besides a great number of piano pieces, a string quartet, a trio for piano and strings, and six piano sonatas, songs and MS. orchestral works.
   [Not in Grove's Dictionary.]

2) Samuel Alman, composer.
   b. in a village near Odessa in 1878.
   Began musical education at the Odessa Conservatoire, and passed into Russian Army in which he served four years; he narrowly escaped the massacre of Kishmeff, and in 1904 fled to England.
   Has recently produced "King Ahaz," the first opera in the Yiddish language, at the New Jewish Theatre in the East End, having written both libretto and music, with great success.
   [Not in Grove's Dictionary.]

3) Karl Joachim Andersen, flautist.
   b. Copenhagen, 1847.
   Proceeding to Berlin, he assisted in founding the Philharmonic Orchestra there; since 1893 has conducted the Palace Orchestra at Copenhagen.
   Has composed a large number of pieces for the flute, including a set of forty-eight studies and a concertstück [sic].
   [Not in Grove's Dictionary.]

4) E. Fernandez Arbos, violinist and conductor.
   b. Madrid, 25th December 1863.
   Both his father and grandfather were military bandmasters.
   Played Bach's Double Concerto with Joachim at the St. James's Hall.
   Has composed a large number of pieces for the violin, and a comic opera, "El Centro de la Tierra," first performed at Madrid in 1895.
   [Grove's Dictionary gives his name as "Enrique Fernández Arbós," and - curiously - states that he was born on the twenty-fourth of December. In 1932 Arbós conducted the first performance in Spain of the Rite of Spring, and he was president of the Spanish section of the ISCM; through his influence the 1936 festival was held in Barcelona.]

5) Antony Stepanovich Arensky, composer.
   b. Novgorod, 1861.
   His father and mother were both excellent musicians.
   His compositions include the opera, "A Dream on the Volga," first performed in Moscow in 1890, opera in one act, "Raphael," composed for the Russian Artists' Club at St. Petersburg, in 1894, and a grand opera, "Nala and Damayanti," 1899; he has also composed a large number of songs, piano pieces and other music.

6) Tor Aulin, violinist.
   b. Stockholm, 1856.
   Leader of opera orchestra in that city since 1889, and of the Aulin Quartette [sic], founded in 1887; he is also conductor of the Stockholm Philharmonic Society.
   [This entry, which I reproduce in full, is noteworthy for the absence therein of the word "composer." Grove's Dictionary gives his year of birth as 1866, which is more likely to be correct, and mentions a number of his compositions, including a String Quartet. opus 1, and three Violin Concertos.]

Moderator's note:
1866 is not 'more likely to be correct' - it is correct!
Alan Howe

isokani

Arensky was dead in 1913. His name, I'm sure, lived on.

Alan Howe

Yes, very odd, "Sydney". 7 years out of date. Hmmm. Andersen wasn't around by then either (d.1909).
May be worth checking their dates before you post any more, otherwise who knows what else might be wrong? Wild goose chases and all that...

Alan Howe

For those who want to check out this possibly interesting, but evidently unreliable source for themselves, it's available here:
http://archive.org/stream/whoswhoinmusicbi00wyndrich#page/n31/mode/2up