His
first teacher was his mother's sister, who was a pupil of Bozzini and
prominent as a pianist and vocalist. In 1877 he went to Leipsic to
complete his schooling in music. He was accepted as a pupil at the
Royal Conservatory and was one of thirty who passed. He studied
faithfully three or four years, piano with Carle Reinecke and Louis
Maas; theory with Ernest and Alfred Richter; composition with
Reinecke, Rust and Jasassohn. The director of the conservatory, Conrad
Schleints, a warm personal friend of Mendelssohn, gave solicitous
attention to the promising young American and bestowed upon him at
graduation the coveted Hilbig prize, which had been won but twelve
times in the history of the conservatory. After returning to America,
he taught four years near Chicago, one year at the Dana Institute in
Ohio, and one year as head of the piano department of the Boston
Conservatory. He left Boston on account of ill health. After directing
for three years the Garfield University at Wichita, Kas., he came to
Oakland, Cal., where he still resides, and we are proud to claim him
as one of California's composers and renowned teachers of the
pianoforte. I feel honored to sing his songs and teach them to my
pupils. I append what I consider one of his best:
ABSENCE
Sometimes between long shadows on the grass
The little truant waves of sunlight pass,
My eyes grow dim with tenderness the while,
Thinking I see thee, thinking I see thee smile.
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