Ethelbert Woodbridge Nevin (November 25, 1862February 17, 1901) was an American

pianist A pianist ( , ) is a musician who plays the piano. A pianist's repertoire may include music from a diverse variety of styles, such as traditional classical music, jazz piano, jazz, blues piano, blues, and popular music, including rock music, ...

and

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

Early life

Nevin was born on November 25, 1862, at Vineacre, on the banks of the

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

, in Edgeworth, Pennsylvania. There he spent the first sixteen years of his life, and received all his schooling, most of it from his father, Robert Peebles Nevin, editor and proprietor of a

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

newspaper, and a contributor to many magazines. (Robert Nevin also composed several campaign songs, among them the popular "Our Nominee," used in the day of

James K. Polk James Knox Polk (; November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. A protégé of Andrew Jackson and a member of the Democratic Party, he was an advocate of Jacksonian democracy and ...

's candidacy.) Nevin's mother, Elizabeth Duncan Oliphant, was a pianist. The first grand

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

ever taken across the

Allegheny Mountains The Allegheny Mountain Range ( ) — also spelled Alleghany or Allegany, less formally the Alleghenies — is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the Eastern United States and Canada. Historically it represented a significant barr ...

was carted over for Nevin's mother. Other members of the Nevin family showed musical inclinations as well; Nevin's younger brother,

Arthur Arthur is a masculine given name of uncertain etymology. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. A common spelling variant used in many Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages is Artur. In Spanish and Ital ...

, also achieved some renown as a composer, as did his cousins George and Gordon Balch Nevin.

Musical education

From a young age, Nevin was musically inclined. He began playing the piano by the age of four, although he needed cushions piled on the pedals to enable him to reach them. Nevin's father provided for his son both vocal and instrumental instruction. He also took him abroad for two years of travel and music study in

Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...

under Von Böhme. In 1878, he attended Western University, now known as the

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The university is composed of seventeen undergraduate and graduate schools and colle ...

, but left at the end of his freshman year in 1879. Later he studied the piano for two years at

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, under Benjamin Johnson Lang, and composition under Stephen A. Emery.

Musical career

After two years studying in Boston, in 1882 Nevin moved back to Pittsburgh, where he gave lessons, and saved money enough to take him to

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

. There he spent the years 1884, 1885, and 1886, placing himself in the hands of Karl Klindworth. Of him Nevin says: "To Herr Klindworth I owe everything that has come to me in my musical life. He was a devoted teacher, and his patience was tireless. His endeavor was not only to develop the student from a musical standpoint, but to enlarge his soul in every way. To do this, he tried to teach one to appreciate and to feel the influence of such great minds of literature as

Goethe Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on Western literature, literary, Polit ...

Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, philosopher and historian. Schiller is considered by most Germans to be Germany's most important classical playwright. He was born i ...

, and

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

. He used to insist that a man does not become a musician by practising so many hours a day at the piano, but by absorbing an influence from all the arts and all the interests of life, from architecture, painting, and even politics." In 1885,

Hans von Bülow Freiherr Hans Guido von Bülow (; 8 January 1830 – 12 February 1894) was a German conductor, pianist, and composer of the Romantic era. As one of the most distinguished conductors of the 19th century, his activity was critical for establishi ...

incorporated the best four pupils of his friend, Klindworth, into an artist class, which he drilled personally. Nevin was one of the honored four, and appeared at the unique public Zuhören of that year, devoted exclusively to the works of

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period (music), Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, oft ...

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic music, Romantic period. With a diverse List of compositions by Franz Liszt, body of work spanning more than six ...

, and

Joachim Raff Joseph Joachim Raff (27 May 182224 or 25 June 1882) was a German-Swiss composer, pedagogue and pianist.James Deaville'Raff, (Joseph) Joachim' in ''Grove Music Online'' (2001) Biography Raff was born in Lachen, Switzerland, Lachen in Switzerland. ...

. Among the forty or fifty studious listeners at these recitals, Frau

Cosima Wagner Francesca Gaetana Cosima Wagner (; 24 December 1837 – 1April 1930) was the daughter of the Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt and Franco-German romantic author Marie d'Agoult. She became the second wife of the German composer Richard ...

, the violinist

Joseph Joachim Joseph Joachim (28 June 1831 – 15 August 1907) was a Hungarian Violin, violinist, Conducting, conductor, composer and teacher who made an international career, based in Hanover and Berlin. A close collaborator of Johannes Brahms, he is widely ...

, and many other celebrities were frequently present. Nevin returned to America in 1887, and took up his residence in Boston, where he taught and played at occasional concerts. In 1892 he went to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, where he taught singing, and he coached many American and French artists for the operatic stage. In 1893 he moved on to Berlin, where he worked so hard at composition that his health collapsed, and he spent a year in

Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...

. The early months of 1895 he spent in concert tours through this country. As Klindworth said of him, "he has a touch that brings tears," and it is in interpretation rather than in

bravura In classical music a bravura is a style of both music and its performance intended to show off the skill of a performer. John Alexander Fuller-Maitland, ''A dictionary of music and musicians (A.D. 1450-1889)'p. 271-272/ref> Commonly, it is a vir ...

that he excels. Seeking solitude and the right atmosphere for composition, he went to live in

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, where he composed his suite ''May in Tuscany'' (Op. 21). After a year in

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

Nevin made Paris his home for a year, then returned to America, where he remained until his death. His best-remembered compositions are the piano piece " Narcissus" from ''Water Scenes'' and the songs "The Rosary" and " Mighty Lak' a Rose" (lyrics of the latter by Frank Lebby Stanton).

Personal life, death and commemoration

Nevin was married to Anne Paul Nevin, with whom he had two children. The Nevin summer home, 'Arcady', in

Blue Hill, Maine Blue Hill is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States, located on Blue Hill Bay. The population was 2,792 at the 2020 census. It is home to the Blue Hill Public Library, Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, George Stevens Academy, the Blue Hill ...

is still owned by his descendants. Despite being a prominent composer, Nevin had recurring debt towards the end of his life. This situation plagued Nevin with ongoing depression, accompanied by heavy drinking. He overworked himself at times, steadily deteriorating his health. On the night of February 15, 1901, while in New Haven, Connecticut, Nevin had attended a recital given by

Harold Bauer Harold Victor Bauer (28 April 1873 – 12 March 1951) was an English-born pianist of Jewish heritage who began his musical career as a violinist. Biography Harold Bauer was born in Kingston upon Thames; his father was a German violinis ...

. After returning home, however, his health worsened. He had shown symptoms of numbness in his hands, altering his ability to play the piano. On the morning of February 17, he was confined to his bed as his health was becoming more unpredictable. He died later that day on February 17, 1901 in

New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is List ...

, aged just 38. Nevin was commemorated by being pictured on a 1940 ten cent U.S.

postage stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail). Then the stamp is affixed to the f ...

, one of the " Famous Americans" series.

Piano pieces

* ''Lilian Polka'' (1874) * Op. 2 ''Sketchbook'' (1888) ** 1 Gavotte ** 3 Love Song ** 5 Berceuse ** 7 Serenata ** 9 Valse Rhapsodie * Op. 6 ''Three Duets'' (1890) ** 1 Valse Caprice ** 2 Country Dance ** 3 Mazurka * Op. 7 ''Four Compositions'' (1890) ** 1 Valser Gentile ** 2 Slumber Song ** 3 Intermezzo ** 4 Song of the Brook * Op. 8 ''Melody and Habanera for Violin and Piano'' (1891) * Op. 13 ''Water Scenes'' (1891) ** 1 Dragon Fly ** 2 Ophelia ** 3 Water Nymph ** 4 Narcissus ** 5 Barcarolle * Op. 16 ''In Arcady'' (1892) ** 1 A Shepherd's Tale ** 2 Shepherds All and Maidens Fair ** 3 Lullabye ** 4 Tournament * Op. 18 ''Two Études'' (1892) ** 1 In the Form of a Romance ** 2 In the Form of a Scherzo * ''Barcarolle for Violin and Piano'' (1893) * ''La Guitare'' (1896) * Op. 21 ''May in Tuscany'' (1896) ** 1 Arlecchino ** 2 Notturno ** 3 Barchetta ** 4 Misericordia ** 5 Il Rusignuolo ** 6 La Pastorella * Op. 25 ''A Day in Venice'' (1898) ** 1 Alba ** 2 Gondolieri ** 3 Canzone amorosa ** 4 Buona Notte * Op. 30 ''En Passant'' (1899) ** 1 A Fontainebleau ** 2 In Dreamland ** 3 Napoli ** 4 At Home * ''O'er Hill and Dale'' (1902) ** 1 'Twas a Lover and His Lass ** 2 The Thrush ** 3 Love Is A-Straying, Ever Since Maying ** 4 The Lark Is on the Wing

Songs

* ''Bed-Time Song'' (1887) * Op. 2 ''Sketchbook'' (1888) ** 2 Im Wunderschönen Monat Mai ** 4 Du Bist Wie Eine Blume ** 6 Lehn Deine Wang' an Meine Wang' ** 8 Oh! That We Two Were Maying ** 10 In Winter I Get Up at Night,
Of Speckled Eggs the Birdie Sings,
Dark Brown Is the River * Op. 3 ''Three Songs'' (1888) ** 1 Deep in a Rose's Glowing Heart ** 2 One Spring Morning ** 3 Doris * Op. 5 ''Five Songs'' (1889) ** 1 Herbstgefuhl ** 2 La Chanson des Lavandieres ** 3 'Twas April ** 4 Raft Song ** 5 Before the Daybreak * Op. 9 ''

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod" is a poem for children written by American writer and poet Eugene Field and published on March 9, 1889. The original title was "Dutch Lullaby". The poem is a fantasy bed-time story about three children sailing and fishi ...

'' (1890) * Op. 12 ''Songs for Soprano or Tenor'' (1891) ** 1 A Summer Day ** 2 Beat Upon Mine, Little Heart ** 3 In a Bower ** 4 Little Boy Blue ** 5 At Twilight * Op. 17 ''Three Songs'' (1892) ** 1 Hab' ein Roslein ** 2 Le Vase Brise ** 3 Rappelle-toi * Op. 20 ''A Book of Songs'' (1893) ** 1 A Fair Good Morn ** 2 Sleep, Little Tulip ** 3 Every Night ** 4 Airly Beacon ** 5 When the Land was White with Moonlight ** 6 A Song of Love ** 7 Nocturne ** 8 Dites-moi ** 9 Orsola's song ** 10 In der Nacht * ''The Rosary'' (1898) * Op. 28 ''Songs from Vineacre'' (issued separately) ** 1 A Necklace of Love (1899) ** 2 Sleeping and Dreaming (1899) ** 3 Mon dèsir (1899) ** 4 The Nightingale's Song (1899) ** 5 Dream-maker man (1900) ** 6 La lune blanche (1900) ** 7 Ein Heldenlied (1900) ** 8 Ein Liedchen (1900) * ''An African Love Song'' (1901) * '' Mighty Lak' a Rose'' (1901)
lyrics by Frank Lebby Stanton (1894)

Ethelbert Nevin Collection

The

Ethelbert Nevin collection archives consist of the collection of

manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand or typewritten, as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in some indirect or automated way. More recently, the term has ...

recording A record, recording or records may refer to: An item or collection of data Computing * Record (computer science), a data structure ** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity ** Boot sector or boot record, re ...

memorabilia A souvenir (French language, French for 'a remembrance or memory'), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memory, memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collecte ...

, and original hand-written scores that document his life, work and influence. The archives contains correspondence, commissioned commercial musical compositions, scores, recordings.

Publications

* Rupert Hughes, ''Contemporary American Composers'', Boston, 1900. * Vance Thompson, ''The Life of Ethelbert Nevin'', Boston, 1913. * John Tasker Howard, ''Ethelbert Nevin'', New York, 1935. *

Ngaio Marsh Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh ( ; 23 April 1895 – 18 February 1982) was a New Zealand mystery writer, writer. As a crime writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Marsh is known as one of the Detective fiction#Golden Age detective novel ...

, Overture to Death, 1939, mentions a "Venetian Suite" by Nevin

Legacy and honors

The

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Liberty Ship Liberty ships were a ship class, class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Although British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost cons ...

was named in his honor.

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

* online book
Narcissus MIDI file

Ethelbert Nevin - Pittsburgh Music History

New York Times obituary
* *
Ethelbert Woodbridge Nevin recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database catalog of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The 78rpm era was the time period in which any flat disc records were being played at ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Nevin, Ethelbert Woodbridge 1862 births 1901 deaths People from Edgeworth, Pennsylvania American male composers American composers Musicians from Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh alumni 19th-century American male musicians