Selected Content
from the Obituaries Department 
Content is listed chronologically in the order originally published by "The Etude". To be alerted of new content posted to this department, subscribe to the RSS feed.
Death of Brahms. - May, 1897
The death of Johannes Brahms, on the third of last month, removes from the musical world another prominent figure. Johannes Brahms was born on May 7, 1833, at Hamburg, where his father was contrabassist in the orchestra; from him he... Read More
Oscar Raif. - October, 1899
He has been regarded an interpreter. He made a thorough study of tone and touch. His clever machines and other devices for illustrating his work were the admiration of his pupils. He did not believe in too much dry technical work. He thought that one could acquire a technic far more readily through scale practice than through études. Read More
Frederic Archer. - December, 1901
Frederic Archer, the well-known organist of Carnegie Hall, Pittsburgh, Pa., died October 22d, from cancer of the stomach at the age of sixty-three. He was born in Oxford, England, June 16, 1838, where he received a liberal education. He was... Read More
Antonin Dvoràk. - June, 1904
One of the great figures of modern music was taken from the world of activity, May 1st, when Antonin Dvoràk, the Bohemian composer, died at Prague. Read More
The Remarkable Case of the Late "Blind Tom." - August, 1908
"What was he? Whence came he? Was he the Prince of the fairy tale held by the wicked Enchantress; nor any beauty--not even the Heaven-born Maid of Melody--to release him? Blind, deformed and black--as black even as Erebus--idiocy, the idiocy of mysterious, perpetual frenzy, the sole companion of his waking visions and his dreams--whence came he, what was he, and wherefore?" Read More
Carl Halir - March, 1910
The world of violin playing has sustained the loss of another great violin artist by the death of Carl Halir, the German violinist, whose demise occurred recently at Berlin. Halir occupied a place in the very first rank of German violinists. He was so long associated with Joachim, as a pupil, as a member of the Joachim Quartet, and as a violin teacher in the Hochschule in Berlin, that he possessed all the traditions and ideas of his illustrious master. Read More
The Passing of Carl Reinecke - May, 1910
Remarkable career of one of the most influential musicians of the past century In the last issue of The Etude there appeared what was doubtless the last article of Prof. Dr. Carl Reinecke, the eminent pianist, composer and musical... Read More
The Closing of a Great Career - Gustav Mahler - July, 1911
THE death of Gustav Mahler, on May 18, in Vienna, was a shock to the entire musical world. A biography of this great composer-director was given in the May issue of THE ETUDE in connection with what was doubtless his last statement of musical consequence. Read More
Hans Engelmann. 1872 - 1914 - June, 1914
Composers, like poets, are born and not made. It is possible, of course, for a man to go through an elaborate course of harmony, counterpoint, musical form, etc., and at the end of the course to be able to write music that is "well constructed" and blameless from a theoretical point of view. There are thousands of Doctors of Music in the world to whom the writing of such music is a simple matter. But natural musicians are more rare. Read More
Paolo Giorza - 1838-1914 - June, 1914
News, comes from Seattle of the death of Paolo Giorza, the distinguished composer of masses, ballets, etc. He was born in Dezio, near Milan, 1838, and first studied music with his father, Luigi Giorza, a noted grand opera baritone of... Read More
Carl Koelling - 1831-1914 - June, 1914
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... Read More
Tributes to the Memory of Hans Engelmann - September, 1914
Hans Engelmann as a composer undoubtedly possessed a wonderful gift of melody, supplemented by a thorough practical and theoretical knowledge of music, thus giving to his compositions a character and finish so often lacking in the works of modern composers of salon and dance music. Read More
Rudolph E. Schirmer 1859--1919 - October, 1919
The Etude notes with deep regret the death of Mr. Rudolph E. Schirmer, President of G. Schirmer, Inc., of New York. He was born at New York July 22, 1859. Educated in private schools at New York and Weimar, Germany;... Read More
