Rudolph Ganz: A Musical Pioneer

By Jeanne Colette Collester

Book Overview

Rudolph Ganz (1877-1972) was an eminent musician and a champion of modern music. Throughout his long and prolific career as a pianist, conductor, composer, and educator, this Swiss/American musician represented an incomparable link between the old and new. Personal recollections included Liszt and Brahms and friendships with Busoni, Paderewski, Schweitzer, Toscanini, Theodore Thomas, Rachmaninoff, and Bartok. Ravel, Griffes, and Tcherepnin, among others, dedicated important compositions to him. His programs frequently offered first performances of contemporary music. As late as 1962, at age 85, Ganz continued to pioneer new music at the First International Webern Festival.

This first biography of Rudolf Ganz not only fills an important and missing gap in the history of the "golden age" of pianism, but provides the first balanced appraisal of Ganz's tenure as conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (1921-27). The author also traces Ganz's role as one of America's most imaginative and influential music educators. As conductor of the children and young people's concerts in St. Louis (1922-27), New York (1939-48), San Francisco (1939-48), and Chicago (1944-46), Ganz was responsible for introducing American youth to classical music during the early decades of this century. He extended his influence in education as president of the Chicago Musical College (1934-54) and a member of its faculty (1900-05 and 1928-69). The biography is illustrated and includes extensive endnotes and appendixes.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0810828839
• ISBN13: 9780810828834
• Release Date: March 1995
• Publisher: Scarecrow Press
• Length: 211 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.6" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Biograpny of musical legend

Rudolph Ganz was a musical legend of the 20th century. He knew many of the musical giants of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of particular interest to this reviewer is the information shared of Ganz's adoption of Chicago as his home. The book was written by his step daughter. The book, while very interesting, could have revealed more information about the musician's personal life as well as his role as piano teacher.