The New York Chamber Music Society, 1915-1937: a Contribution to Wind Chamber Music and a Reflection of Concert Life in New York City in the Early 20Th Century
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City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 2013 The New York Chamber Music Society, 1915-1937: A Contribution to Wind Chamber Music and a Reflection of Concert Life in New York City in the Early 20th Century Lisa Kozenko The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2557 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] The New York Chamber Music Society, 1915-1937: A Contribution to Wind Chamber Music and a Reflection of Concert Life in New York City in the Early 20th Century by LISA A. KOZENKO A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts, The City University of New York 2013 © 2013 Lisa A. Kozenko All rights reserved. This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Music in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts. Professor Jeffrey Taylor ___________________ ________________________ Date Chair of Examining Committee Professor David Olan ___________________ ________________________ Date Executive Officer Professor Richard Burke Professor Sylvia Kahan Professor Catherine Coppola Supervisory Committee THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK Abstract The New York Chamber Music Society, 1915-1937: A Contribution to Wind Chamber Music and a Reflection of Concert Life in New York City in the Early 20th Century by Lisa A. Kozenko Adviser: Professor Richard Burke The New York Chamber Music Society, founded in 1915, was one of New York City’s prominent cultural institutions in the early twentieth century. A vital piece of the classical music landscape, the Society played an important role in the city’s development as one of the major artistic capitals of the world. The contributions that the organization made to wind chamber music repertoire and its mission to further the performance of chamber music in New York City are remarkable. The legacy of the New York Chamber Music Society is the works that were premiered or played for the first time in New York, especially those of leading New York City and American composers. The concerts of the New York Chamber Music Society show founder Carolyn Beebe’s visionary, innovative and forward-looking approach to programming as demonstrated by the wide variety of music performed during the Society’s existence. Time and again, the remarkable accounts of the lives of the musicians and their virtuosity prove that she was able to assemble the finest instrumentalists available in New York City at the time. She was able to present new and unusual repertoire tailored to New York audiences, first in the renowned Aeolian Hall for nine seasons and then, switching to more informal salon concerts, in the Grand Ballroom at the Hotel Plaza for twelve seasons. Beebe believed passionately that chamber music was, alongside other fine arts, an important and essential part of a civilized and cultured society. To this end, she made a concerted effort to establish a permanent place for chamber music in the United States and her blueprint for success is still relevant today. Classical musicians of this and future generations can read her story, discover the hidden gems she uncovered, and realize the possibilities of this rich and enduring musical legacy. v Dedication To my parents, Joseph and Patricia Kozenko, who always believed. vi Acknowledgements It is not possible to undertake a massive project such as this without the help, love and support of teachers, friends, colleagues, and, in some cases, perfect strangers. I was extremely lucky to have, arguably, the greatest adviser one can hope for. Richard Burke, whose unerring patience and guidance kept me on the path to sanity and salvation. He kept me on track when things seemed to be “going off the rails.” For this, there are not enough words – especially relevant words – to express my gratitude. The same can be said for my good friend and colleague Sylvia Kahan, who encouraged me to keep going even when all seemed lost. I have known Sylvia for many years, as a pianist, teacher and writer, and I am eternally grateful to have had this special person in my musical and personal life. Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Jeff Taylor, also on the faculty of CUNY, who was instrumental in helping me receive an Baisley Powell Elebash Fund Award during the initial phase of my research, for which I shall be ever grateful. I want to thank Norman Carey for his support and encouragement when I first entered the program. His guidance was invaluable. Over the years I have valued my friendship with the indefatigable Dennis D. Rooney, who listened to my ramblings about what I was learning about classical music in New York City from 1915-1937 and commented and corrected, where appropriate. He is an irreplaceable source of knowledge. This dissertation could not have been completed without the research assistance of David Foil and proofreader and editor, Elizabeth Wright. I was fortunate to know such competent and professional individuals such as these who afforded me the level of respect and comfort that it took to make it through. Other individuals I met along the way were vital to my research. I would like to thank Katherine Lucktenburg, the granddaughter of Ottokar Čadek, first violinist of the New York String Quartet. She provided me with information about her grandfather that could not have found elsewhere. I was fortunate to have found one of the last surviving relatives of Carolyn Beebe, Catherine Tift Porter, who talked with me several times about her recollections of Carolyn Beebe and gave me great insight and context from which to work further. I have to thank James Kopp, whose new book, The Bassoon, was just published last year, and who went out of his way to track down information on an obscure bassoonist named Ugo Savolini. Every vii little fact gets us steps closer to putting the last piece of the puzzle together, so I thank you, James, and perhaps Ugo Savolini does too. Many archives and libraries opened the doors to let me scour the collections and papers that were relevant to my research, including Richard Boursy at the Sterling Memorial Library at Yale University, the New York Philharmonic Archives, and the keepers of the Philip James Collection at Stony Brook University. I also need to thank Joel Lester, whose early conversations helped me put into perspective valuable parts of the process I was missing. I also must thank Sherry Sylar. In the end, the point of this exercise was to become a better oboist, teacher and person. Sherry has been the most wonderful person to have in my life during my time at CUNY. Of course, none of this could have been done without the love, patience and support of my husband, Warren Wernick, who stood by me and was there for me through the dark days of winter and the dog days of summer. viii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................. iv Dedication .......................................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1 – A Reflection of Concert Life in New York City ......................................... 1 Introduction: December 17, 1915 .............................................................................................................................. 1 The Broad Picture – Classical Music in New York City: Public Perception and Criticism ..................................... 3 Chamber Music in New York City Before 1915 ......................................................................................................... 6 Establishment of Chamber Music in New York City, 1915-1937 .............................................................................. 7 Contemporary Music vs. Modern Music in New York City, 1915-1937 and the Effects of “Sacralization” .......... 10 Living in New York: The Musician in New York City, 1915-1937 .......................................................................... 17 Important individuals, institutions and organizations ............................................................................................. 20 Leopold Damrosch (1832-1885) ......................................................................................................................... 20 Walter Damrosch (1862-1950) ........................................................................................................................... 22 Frank Damrosch (1859-1937) and the Institute of Musical Art .......................................................................... 23 Georges Barrère (1876-1944) ............................................................................................................................. 24 Edward J. de Coppet (1855-1916) ...................................................................................................................... 25 Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................................................