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Reginald De Koven

March 22, 2024

Henry Louis Reginald De Koven (April 3, 1859 – January 16, 1920) was an American music critic and prolific composer, particularly of comic operas.

Reginald De Koven in 1904

Biography edit

De Koven was born in Middletown, Connecticut, and moved to Europe in 1870, where he received the majority of his education. He graduated B.A. from St John's College, Oxford in England in 1880.[1]

He undertook piano studies at Stuttgart Conservatory with Wilhelm Speidel, Sigmund Lebert, and Dionys Pruckner. He studied composition at Frankfurt with Johann Christian Hauff, and after staying there for six months moved on to Florence, Italy, where he studied singing with Luigi Vanuccini. Study in operatic composition followed, first with Richard Genée in Vienna and then with Léo Delibes in Paris.

De Koven returned to the U.S. in 1882 to live in Chicago, Illinois, and later lived in New York City. He was able to find scope for his wide musical knowledge as a critic with Chicago's Evening Post, Harper's Weekly and New York World. Many of his songs became popular, especially "Oh Promise Me", with words by Clement Scott, which was one of the biggest song successes of its time and remains a wedding standard.

Between 1887 and 1913, De Koven composed 20 light operas, in addition to hundreds of songs, orchestral works, sonatas and ballets. While Victor Herbert's operettas were heavily influenced by those of continental operetta composers, De Koven's works were patterned after Gilbert and Sullivan.[2] His greatest success was Robin Hood, which premiered in Chicago in 1890 but was performed all across the country.[3] It played in New York at the Knickerbocker Theatre and in London, in 1891, and at New York's Garden Theatre in 1892, and it continued to be revived for many years. His other operettas included The Fencing Master (1892, Casino Theatre, New York); Rob Roy, first produced in Detroit, Michigan, 1894;[4] The Highwayman (1897, Herald Square Theatre, New York);[5] The Little Duchess (1901, Casino Theatre, New York); and The Beauty Spot (1909, Herald Square Theatre).

From 1902 to 1904, De Koven conducted the Washington, D.C., symphony. His wife, Anna de Koven, was a well-known socialite, novelist and amateur historian who published her works under the name "Mrs. Reginald de Koven." The music press doubted that De Koven could compose serious operas. His opera The Canterbury Pilgrims (with a libretto by poet and dramatist Percy MacKaye) premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 1917.[6] He composed a second opera, Rip Van Winkle (also with a libretto by MacKaye), but died before it was performed in 1920 in Chicago.

One obituary asserted that he proved that "the American stage was not dependent upon foreign composers."[7]

Works edit

 
Cover of Rip Van Winkle, 1919

Selected stage works edit

Other compositions edit

  • Prelude in G minor
  • Rosalie: Chansonette (1901)

References edit

  1. ^ Foster, Joseph (1888–1892). "Koven, Henry Louis Reginald de" . Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715–1886. Oxford: Parker and Co – via Wikisource.
  2. ^ "Henry Louis Reginald De Koven, Victorian operettist", US Opera
  3. ^ Vocal score of Robin Hood
  4. ^ Vocal score of Rob Roy
  5. ^ Vocal score of The Highwayman
  6. ^ Vocal score of The Canterbury Pilgrims
  7. ^ Mobile Press Register, January 21, 1920.
  8. ^ Reginald De Koven (22 September 2017). "The Canterbury pilgrims an opera". The Macmillan company. Retrieved 22 September 2017 – via Internet Archive.
  9. ^ Koven, Reginald De (22 September 2017). "Rip Van Winkle: Folk Opera in Three Acts". G. Schirmer. Retrieved 22 September 2017 – via Google Books.
  •  This article incorporates text from a publication that prior to 1923, is in the public domain: The Etude, Philadelphia: Theodore Presser Company {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Reginald De Koven.

March 22, 2024
reginald, koven, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, november, 2022, learn, when, remove, this, template, message,. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations November 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Henry Louis Reginald De Koven April 3 1859 January 16 1920 was an American music critic and prolific composer particularly of comic operas Reginald De Koven in 1904 Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 2 1 Selected stage works 2 2 Other compositions 3 References 4 External linksBiography editDe Koven was born in Middletown Connecticut and moved to Europe in 1870 where he received the majority of his education He graduated B A from St John s College Oxford in England in 1880 1 He undertook piano studies at Stuttgart Conservatory with Wilhelm Speidel Sigmund Lebert and Dionys Pruckner He studied composition at Frankfurt with Johann Christian Hauff and after staying there for six months moved on to Florence Italy where he studied singing with Luigi Vanuccini Study in operatic composition followed first with Richard Genee in Vienna and then with Leo Delibes in Paris De Koven returned to the U S in 1882 to live in Chicago Illinois and later lived in New York City He was able to find scope for his wide musical knowledge as a critic with Chicago s Evening Post Harper s Weekly and New York World Many of his songs became popular especially Oh Promise Me with words by Clement Scott which was one of the biggest song successes of its time and remains a wedding standard Between 1887 and 1913 De Koven composed 20 light operas in addition to hundreds of songs orchestral works sonatas and ballets While Victor Herbert s operettas were heavily influenced by those of continental operetta composers De Koven s works were patterned after Gilbert and Sullivan 2 His greatest success was Robin Hood which premiered in Chicago in 1890 but was performed all across the country 3 It played in New York at the Knickerbocker Theatre and in London in 1891 and at New York s Garden Theatre in 1892 and it continued to be revived for many years His other operettas included The Fencing Master 1892 Casino Theatre New York Rob Roy first produced in Detroit Michigan 1894 4 The Highwayman 1897 Herald Square Theatre New York 5 The Little Duchess 1901 Casino Theatre New York and The Beauty Spot 1909 Herald Square Theatre From 1902 to 1904 De Koven conducted the Washington D C symphony His wife Anna de Koven was a well known socialite novelist and amateur historian who published her works under the name Mrs Reginald de Koven The music press doubted that De Koven could compose serious operas His opera The Canterbury Pilgrims with a libretto by poet and dramatist Percy MacKaye premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 1917 6 He composed a second opera Rip Van Winkle also with a libretto by MacKaye but died before it was performed in 1920 in Chicago One obituary asserted that he proved that the American stage was not dependent upon foreign composers 7 Works edit nbsp Cover of Rip Van Winkle 1919Selected stage works edit The Begum 1887 operetta libretto by Harry B Smith Robin Hood 1890 operetta libretto by Harry B Smith The Fencing Master 1892 operetta libretto by Harry B Smith The Algerian 1893 operetta libretto by Glen MacDonough Rob Roy 1894 operetta libretto by Harry B Smith The Mandarin 1896 operetta libretto by Harry B Smith The Highwayman 1897 operetta libretto by Harry B Smith The Three Dragoons 1899 operetta libretto by Harry B Smith The Man in the Moon 1899 musical music by De Koven Ludwig Englander and Gustave Kerker book and lyrics by Louis Harrison and Stanislaus Strange Papa s Wife 1899 musical lyrics by De Koven book by Harry B Smith lyrics by Smith and De Koven Broadway to Tokio 1900 musical book and lyrics by Louis Harrison and George V Hobart Foxy Quiller In Corsica 1900 operetta libretto by Harry B Smith The Little Duchess 1901 musical book and lyrics by Harry B Smith Maid Marian 1902 musical book and lyrics by Harry B Smith Red Feather 1903 operetta book by Charles Klein lyrics by Charles Emerson Cook The Jersey Lily 1903 musical book and lyrics by George V Hobart Happyland or The King of Elysia 1905 operetta libretto by Frederic Ranken The Student King 1906 operetta libretto by Frederic Ranken and Stanislaus Stange The Golden Butterfly 1908 operetta libretto by Harry B Smith The Beauty Spot 1909 musical book by Joseph W Herbert lyrics by Terry Sullivan The Wedding Trip 1911 operetta book by Fred de Gresac lyrics by Harry B Smith The Canterbury Pilgrims De Koven 1916 opera libretto by Percy MacKaye 8 Rip Van Winkle 1919 opera libretto by Percy MacKaye 9 Other compositions edit Prelude in G minor Rosalie Chansonette 1901 References edit Foster Joseph 1888 1892 Koven Henry Louis Reginald de Alumni Oxonienses the Members of the University of Oxford 1715 1886 Oxford Parker and Co via Wikisource Henry Louis Reginald De Koven Victorian operettist US Opera Vocal score of Robin Hood Vocal score of Rob Roy Vocal score of The Highwayman Vocal score of The Canterbury Pilgrims Mobile Press Register January 21 1920 Reginald De Koven 22 September 2017 The Canterbury pilgrims an opera The Macmillan company Retrieved 22 September 2017 via Internet Archive Koven Reginald De 22 September 2017 Rip Van Winkle Folk Opera in Three Acts G Schirmer Retrieved 22 September 2017 via Google Books nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication that prior to 1923 is in the public domain The Etude Philadelphia Theodore Presser Company a href Template Citation html title Template Citation citation a Missing or empty title help External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Reginald De Koven Reginald De Koven at the Internet Broadway Database Reginald De Koven at the Songwriters Hall of Fame De Koven at the Guide to Light Opera and Operetta Free scores by Reginald De Koven in the Choral Public Domain Library ChoralWiki Free scores by Reginald De Koven at the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP Sheet Music for Oh promise me G Schirmer Inc 1889 Reginald De Koven sheet music from the Frances G Spencer American Popular Sheet Music Collection at Baylor University Reginald De Koven collection at Brandeis University Works by or about Reginald De Koven at Internet Archive Reginald De Koven recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reginald De Koven amp oldid 1208237700, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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