Edwin Arthur Kraft (January 8, 1883 - July 15, 1962) was an American organist and choir-director.
Kraft at the console of the Skinner organ at Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland.
BiographyEdit
Kraft was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on January 8, 1883. At age 15 he became organist at New Haven's Grace Methodist Church, and soon after became organist and choirmaster at the Church of the Ascension.[1] He studied music at Yale University under Horatio Parker and Harry Jepson before becoming became the organist at St. Thomas's Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. He then went to Europe for three years, studying organ with Grunicke and Edgar Stillman Kelley in Berlin and Alexandre Guilmant and Charles-Marie Widor in Paris. Upon returning to the US he took the position as organist of St. Matthew's Church in Wheeling, West Virginia. In 1907 he was chosen from among 90 applicants as the organist of Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, and gave the dedicatory performance of its new Skinner Organ Co. pipe organ.[2][1] In 1914 he moved to Atlanta to work as municipal organist but he returned to Trinity Cathedral the following year. Kraft also served as director of music at Lake Erie College and as head of the organ department at the Cleveland Institute of Music.[3] He finally retired from his position at the cathedral in 1959. He died on July 15, 1962, and was buried in the Mausoleum of Knollwood Cemetery.[4]
He married Nancy Lovis in December 1909 and had three children, Nanette, Margaret, and Edwin Arthur, Jr. The year after his wife's death in 1925 Kraft married his second wife, mezzo-soprano Marie Simmelink.[5] He was a fellow of the American Guild of Organists.[1]
ReferencesEdit
^ abc"Edwin Arthur Kraft of Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland" (PDF). The Diapason. 34 (3): 1. February 1, 1943.
^Bradley, Alice (1911-11-11). "The Art of Edwin Arthur Kraft". Musical America. p. 27.
^Osborne, William (2004). Music in Ohio. Kent State University Press. p. 532. ISBN0-87338-775-9.
^"Kraft, Edwin Arthur". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
^Ganson Rose, William (1990). Cleveland: The Making of a City. Kent State University Press. pp. 660–661. ISBN0-87338-428-8.
External linksEdit
Kraft's transcription of Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture
Kraft's transcription of Saint-Saëns' Cantabile from Samson and Dalila
Kraft's transcription of Rachmaninoff's Serenade, op. 3
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edwin, arthur, kraft, january, 1883, july, 1962, american, organist, choir, director, kraft, console, skinner, organ, trinity, cathedral, cleveland, biography, editkraft, born, haven, connecticut, january, 1883, became, organist, haven, grace, methodist, churc. Edwin Arthur Kraft January 8 1883 July 15 1962 was an American organist and choir director Kraft at the console of the Skinner organ at Trinity Cathedral Cleveland Biography EditKraft was born in New Haven Connecticut on January 8 1883 At age 15 he became organist at New Haven s Grace Methodist Church and soon after became organist and choirmaster at the Church of the Ascension 1 He studied music at Yale University under Horatio Parker and Harry Jepson before becoming became the organist at St Thomas s Church in Brooklyn N Y He then went to Europe for three years studying organ with Grunicke and Edgar Stillman Kelley in Berlin and Alexandre Guilmant and Charles Marie Widor in Paris Upon returning to the US he took the position as organist of St Matthew s Church in Wheeling West Virginia In 1907 he was chosen from among 90 applicants as the organist of Trinity Cathedral Cleveland and gave the dedicatory performance of its new Skinner Organ Co pipe organ 2 1 In 1914 he moved to Atlanta to work as municipal organist but he returned to Trinity Cathedral the following year Kraft also served as director of music at Lake Erie College and as head of the organ department at the Cleveland Institute of Music 3 He finally retired from his position at the cathedral in 1959 He died on July 15 1962 and was buried in the Mausoleum of Knollwood Cemetery 4 He married Nancy Lovis in December 1909 and had three children Nanette Margaret and Edwin Arthur Jr The year after his wife s death in 1925 Kraft married his second wife mezzo soprano Marie Simmelink 5 He was a fellow of the American Guild of Organists 1 References Edit a b c Edwin Arthur Kraft of Trinity Cathedral Cleveland PDF The Diapason 34 3 1 February 1 1943 Bradley Alice 1911 11 11 The Art of Edwin Arthur Kraft Musical America p 27 Osborne William 2004 Music in Ohio Kent State University Press p 532 ISBN 0 87338 775 9 Kraft Edwin Arthur Encyclopedia of Cleveland History Retrieved 2008 12 05 Ganson Rose William 1990 Cleveland The Making of a City Kent State University Press pp 660 661 ISBN 0 87338 428 8 External links EditKraft s transcription of Tchaikovsky s 1812 overture Kraft s transcription of Saint Saens Cantabile from Samson and Dalila Kraft s transcription of Rachmaninoff s Serenade op 3 This article on an organist is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edwin Arthur Kraft amp oldid 1165656531, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
