Rudolph Reuter (September 21, 1888 - January 4, 1973) was an American pianist and professor.
Lifeedit
Reuter came from a musical family; his father and grandfather were members of the New York Philharmonic.[1] As a child, he performed as a boy soprano for the St. James Episcopal Church in Manhattan, and later as the organist for the North New York Congregational Church in the Bronx.[2] While still a teenager, he traveled to Berlin, where he studied with Karl Heinrich Barth, as well as with Max Bruch.[2] He made his European début in 1908 with the Hamburg Philharmonic, playing the Brahms Piano Concerto no. 1.[2]
In 1909, he was invited to take a position as professor of piano and theory at the Imperial Academy in Tokyo, Japan.[3] Reuter was the first pianist to perform the piano works of Debussy in Japan, playing the Sarabande from Pour le piano in 1909, and the Toccata from the same suite in 1911.[4] He returned to the United States in 1912, being concerned that his geographic distance from the United States and Europe was "endanger[ing]" his "whole musical future..."[5]
He developed an active career as a soloist and teacher based in Chicago. In 1920, he was the first pianist to give a public performance of Charles Tomlinson Griffes’s revised piano sonata; the Chicago Tribune critic praised Reuter’s playing of the piece, citing the pianist’s “enthusiasm and excellent musical understanding,” but dismissed the sonata out-of-hand as “wholly meaningless and useless musical material.”[6] The critic for Musical America offered even more trenchant criticism: “Especially noteworthy was his first performance from manuscript, of a sonata in four divisions, but in one movement, by Charles T. Griffes. This work by the Southern [sic] composer, hardly measures up to his many compositions we have heard, either in thematic worth or harmonic texture. The short thematic materials and the vague harmonic meanderings, leave the hearer in uncertain mood as to the meaning of the entire work. Mr. Reuter played the sonata with virile and straight forward style, but even his excellent performance could not rescue the sonata from its drab dullness.”[7]
^"Rudolph Reuter Appears Here." The Arizona Daily Star, November 17, 1936, 7.
^ abc"Reuter Plays Newer Music." The Ogden Standard-Examiner, November 7, 1920, Section Two-5.
^"To Teach Piano in Tokyo." Washington Post, April 19, 1909, 3.
^Brown, Matthew. Debussy Redux: The Impact of His Music on Popular Culture. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2012, 139.
^"Jottings of Musicians." The Inter-Ocean, December 22, 1912, M9.
^Hubbard, W.L. “This New Sonata Has One Virtue Anyway–It’s Brief.” Chicago Tribune, March 11, 1920, 13.
^M.R. “Two Russian Virtuosi and Local Forces Round Out Chicago’s Weekly Schedule.” Musical America 31, no. 21 (March 20, 1920): 30.
^"Chicago Musical College." Chicago Examiner, August 15, 1913, 8.
^"Memorial rite set for Rudolph Reuter." Chicago Tribune, January 22, 1973, 3-10.
External linksedit
Rudolph Reuter plays Griffes Scherzo op. 6 no. 3 on a 1915 piano roll
Rudolph Reuter plays Cyril Scott Lotus Land on a 1919 piano roll
April 22, 2024
rudolph, reuter, september, 1888, january, 1973, american, pianist, professor, life, editreuter, came, from, musical, family, father, grandfather, were, members, york, philharmonic, child, performed, soprano, james, episcopal, church, manhattan, later, organis. Rudolph Reuter September 21 1888 January 4 1973 was an American pianist and professor Life editReuter came from a musical family his father and grandfather were members of the New York Philharmonic 1 As a child he performed as a boy soprano for the St James Episcopal Church in Manhattan and later as the organist for the North New York Congregational Church in the Bronx 2 While still a teenager he traveled to Berlin where he studied with Karl Heinrich Barth as well as with Max Bruch 2 He made his European debut in 1908 with the Hamburg Philharmonic playing the Brahms Piano Concerto no 1 2 In 1909 he was invited to take a position as professor of piano and theory at the Imperial Academy in Tokyo Japan 3 Reuter was the first pianist to perform the piano works of Debussy in Japan playing the Sarabande from Pour le piano in 1909 and the Toccata from the same suite in 1911 4 He returned to the United States in 1912 being concerned that his geographic distance from the United States and Europe was endanger ing his whole musical future 5 He developed an active career as a soloist and teacher based in Chicago In 1920 he was the first pianist to give a public performance of Charles Tomlinson Griffes s revised piano sonata the Chicago Tribune critic praised Reuter s playing of the piece citing the pianist s enthusiasm and excellent musical understanding but dismissed the sonata out of hand as wholly meaningless and useless musical material 6 The critic for Musical America offered even more trenchant criticism Especially noteworthy was his first performance from manuscript of a sonata in four divisions but in one movement by Charles T Griffes This work by the Southern sic composer hardly measures up to his many compositions we have heard either in thematic worth or harmonic texture The short thematic materials and the vague harmonic meanderings leave the hearer in uncertain mood as to the meaning of the entire work Mr Reuter played the sonata with virile and straight forward style but even his excellent performance could not rescue the sonata from its drab dullness 7 Reuter taught for many years in Chicago first at the Chicago Musical College then at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago 8 9 References edit Rudolph Reuter Appears Here The Arizona Daily Star November 17 1936 7 a b c Reuter Plays Newer Music The Ogden Standard Examiner November 7 1920 Section Two 5 To Teach Piano in Tokyo Washington Post April 19 1909 3 Brown Matthew Debussy Redux The Impact of His Music on Popular Culture Bloomington IN Indiana University Press 2012 139 Jottings of Musicians The Inter Ocean December 22 1912 M9 Hubbard W L This New Sonata Has One Virtue Anyway It s Brief Chicago Tribune March 11 1920 13 M R Two Russian Virtuosi and Local Forces Round Out Chicago s Weekly Schedule Musical America 31 no 21 March 20 1920 30 Chicago Musical College Chicago Examiner August 15 1913 8 Memorial rite set for Rudolph Reuter Chicago Tribune January 22 1973 3 10 External links editRudolph Reuter plays Griffes Scherzo op 6 no 3 on a 1915 piano roll Rudolph Reuter plays Cyril Scott Lotus Land on a 1919 piano roll Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rudolph Reuter amp oldid 1172915292, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
