The death of Carl Koelling took place on Sunday evening, May 3d. Mr. Koelling has written a great number of pieces which have been well liked by innumerable readers of The Etude. The deepest sympathies of all will go out to those who were near and dear to him. The following brief sketch, which appeared in the Gallery of Musical Celebrities published in The Etude for February, 1913, will be of interest at this time:
Koelling was born in Hamburg, Feb. 28, 1831. He was the son of an excellent flute player, and took to music early in life. He became a pupil of J. Schmitt, and appeared in public at the age of eleven. He met with the favor of the reigning sovereign of Bűckeburg, a blind man, who became much interested in the boy, and offered to defray the expenses of his education. The boy’s mother was obliged to refuse the offer as she needed his assistance. Upon returning to Hamburg he again went to Schmitt for instruction and also to Marksen, the teacher of Brahms. He became leader of the band of the Eighth Battalion of the army, stationed at Hamburg, and also leader of many singing societies, several of which he founded. In 1878 he came to Chicago where he has remained ever since, teaching and composing. He has been one of the most prolific of writers, and his works include many well-known piano pieces. The opera, Schmetterlinge, was produced in Hamburg in 1891, and other works in the larger forms have also obtained a hearing. Most of his compositions, however, have been teaching pieces, in providing which he has been a “good angel” to many a student plodding along the road of technical efficiency. Among these pieces may be mentioned Hungary, Two Flowers, Eight-Measure Studies in all Keys, Teacher and Pupil Ducts, From Norway, Flying Leaves, Chasse Infernale, and many others.
