Heinrich Gebhard Explained

Heinrich Gebhard
Birth Date:25 July 1878
Birth Place:Sobernheim, Germany
Death Place:North Arlington, New Jersey, US
Occupation:Pianist, composer, teacher

Heinrich Gebhard (July 25, 1878 – May 5, 1963) was a German-American pianist, composer and piano teacher.

Performer

Gebhard was born in Sobernheim, Germany on July 25, 1878.[1] He moved at the age of 10 with his parents to Boston, Massachusetts in the United States, where he studied piano and composition with Clayton Johns until 1895. He went to Vienna, Austria for four years, where he studied under Theodor Leschetizky, and returned to Boston in 1899. He made his piano debut in 1900 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He enjoyed a lengthy career as one of the notable American pianists of the early 20th century. Later in his career, he became a music teacher and taught a number of other famous pianists, most notably Leonard Bernstein.[2] The composers Peggy Stuart Coolidge and Alan Hovhaness also studied with him.[1]

Composer

Gebhard composed music for piano, chamber orchestra and symphony orchestra. His Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra was given its first performance by the New York Philharmonic on November 12, 1925, with the composer at the piano. Among Gebhard's other works are the symphonic poem, Across the Hills (1940), Divertimento for Piano and Chamber Orchestra (1927), Waltz Suite for two pianos, the song cycle, The Sun, Cloud and the Flower and numerous works for piano.[3]

Gebhard's book, The Art of Pedaling, was published posthumously in 1963.[2] [3]

Later life

Gebhard died in North Arlington, New Jersey on May 5, 1963.[3] [4]

References and footnotes

  1. Book: Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians . 3rd . Theodore . Baker . Alfred . Remy . . 301 . 1919 . 2024-07-30 . Internet Archive.
  2. Book: Laird, Paul R. . Paul R. Laird

    . Leonard Bernstein: A Guide to Research . Paul R. Laird . 2002 . . 0-8153-3517-2 . 78 . 2024-07-30 . Google Books.

  3. Book: Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians . 7th . Nicolas . Slonimsky . . 019311335X . 807 . 1984 . 2024-07-30 . Internet Archive . registration.
  4. News: Heinrich Gebhard, Pianist and Teacher . . North Arlington, N. J. . 29 . 1963-05-05 . May 6, 1963 . September 10, 2015 . subscription . Heinrich Gebhard, pianist, teacher and composer, died here today at the age of 84. He had lived with his daughter, Mrs. John Petrick of 5 Millar Place..