Gustav Strube (3 March 1867 – 2 February 1953) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

-born

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Biology and medicine * Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear * Conduction aphasia, a language disorder Mathematics * Conductor (ring theory) * Conductor of an abelian variety * Cond ...

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 ...

. He was the founding conductor of the

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore SO has its principal residence at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where it performs more than 130 concerts a year. In 2005, ...

in 1916, and taught at the

Peabody Conservatory The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University is a private music and dance conservatory and preparatory school in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1857, it became affiliated with Johns Hopkins in 1977. History Philanthropist and ...

. He wrote two

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

s, ''Ramona'', which premiered in 1916, and ''The Captive'', which premiered at the Lyric Theatre in Baltimore in February 1938. He was also a member of Baltimore's famous Saturday Night Club with

H. L. Mencken Henry Louis Mencken (September 12, 1880 – January 29, 1956) was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, ...

. Strube was born in the Harz Mountains of Ballenstadt in 1867 and came from a musically gifted family. By the age of 10, Strube was in his father's symphony, and at the age of 16 he entered the

Leipzig Conservatory The University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig () is a public university in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelssohn as the Conservatorium der Musik (Conservatory of Music), it is the oldest music ...

. Strube used to earn pocket money by making dance music for Saturday night dance parties. Upon graduation he entered the Gewandhaus Orchestra, and played under

Johann Strauss Johann Baptist Strauss II (; ; 25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also known as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (), was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas as well as a violinist. He compose ...

, the younger, while teaching at the Mannheim Conservatory. In 1889 Strube and conductor Artur Nikisch immigrated to the United States to play in the

Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...

, he said. Strube played in the Boston Symphony Orchestra for 23 years, and eventually became concert maestro. Strube was one of the first conductors of the

Boston Pops The Boston Pops is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in light classical and popular music. The orchestra's current music director is Keith Lockhart. Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Symphony Orc ...

, formed because of the success of "march master" John Philip Sousa, according to the Boston Pops Homepage. He was a National Patron of

Delta Omicron Delta Omicron () is a co-ed international professional music honors fraternity whose mission is to promote and support excellence in music and musicianship. History Delta Omicron International Music Fraternity was founded on September 6, 1909 a ...

, an international professional music fraternity.Delta Omicron
Composition manuscripts, personal photographs, concert programs, and newspaper features are in the holdings of the Gustav Strube Collection at the Peabody Institute Archives in Baltimore, MD. http://musiclibrary.peabody.jhu.edu/content.php?pid=225964&sid=1871497

Selected works

;Opera *''Ramona'' (1916) *''The Captive'' (1938) ;Orchestra *''Lorelei'' (symphonic poem) *''Narcissus and Echo (Malfilâtre)'' (symphonic poem) *''A Peace Overture'' (1945) *''Puck'' (1910, comedy overture) *''Sinfonietta'' (little symphony) *''Symphonic Prologue'' * ''Symphony in B minor'' (1910) *''Eine Walpurgisnacht'' (symphonic poem) *''Gethsemane'' (symbolic rhapsody; lyrics by Helen A. Clarke) ;Concertante *''Longing'' for viola and orchestra (1905); after the poem by William Lyman Johnson; dedicated to and premiered by Émile Férir with the

*''Fantastic Dance'' for viola and orchestra (1906); dedicated to and premiered by Émile Férir with the Boston Symphony Orchestra *Concerto in F minor for violin and orchestra (1907) *Concerto in B minor for violin and orchestra (1927) *Concerto for violin and orchestra (1943) *''Élégie'' for cello and orchestra (1907) *''Romance'' in B major for violin and orchestra (1903) ;Chamber music *''Berceuse'' for viola and piano (1908) *''Elegy and Serenade'' for string quartet (with double bass ad libitum) or string orchestra, Op.9 (1902) *''Concertino'' in D major for violin and piano (1909) *''Legato, Tempo di Valse'' for piano (1902) *''Mirages'', 6 Pieces for violin and piano (1914) *''Rêverie'' in A minor for violin and piano (1906) *Sonata in E minor for violin and piano (1924) *Sonata in D minor for viola and piano (1925) *Sonatina for viola and Piano (1943) *''Ein Tanz'' (A Dance) in D minor for violin and piano (1906) *Trio for violin, cello and piano (1928) *''Two Pictures'' for violin and piano (1924) *''Vier kleine Stimmungsbilder'' (Four Little Mood-Pictures) for violin and piano (1908) #''Abendglocken'' (Sunset Chimes) #''Mondscheinzauber'' (Magic Moonlight) #''Ein Märchen'' (A Fairy Tale) #''Morgen'' (Morning)

References

External links

Kentucky Kernel
– article with Gustav Strube biographical information * {{DEFAULTSORT:Strube, Gustav 1867 births 1953 deaths People from Ballenstedt People from the Duchy of Anhalt American classical composers American conductors (music) American male conductors (music) American opera composers German conductors (music) German male conductors (music) German male classical composers German opera composers American male opera composers Emigrants from the German Empire to the United States Music directors of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra