Richard Aldrich (July 31, 1863 – June 2, 1937) was an American music critic. From 1902–23, he was music critic for The New York Times.[1]
Richard Aldrich | |
|---|---|
 Aldrich c. 1918 | |
| Born | July 31, 1863 Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Died | June 2, 1937 (aged 73) Rome, Italy |
| Education | Providence High School Harvard College |
| Occupation | Music critic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
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Richard Aldrich was born on July 31, 1863, in Providence, Rhode Island. His father was Elisha S. Aldrich and his mother, Anna E. Gladding. He attended Providence High School and graduated with an A.B. in 1885 from Harvard College, where he had studied music.[2]
Career
editHe began his journalistic career on the Providence Journal. From 1889 to 1891, he was private secretary to Senator Nathan F. Dixon III in Washington, D.C., writing criticisms for the Washington Evening Star. In 1891–92 he was with the New York Tribune in various editorial capacities, assisting Henry Edward Krehbiel with musical criticisms. He was associated with Krehbiel as an American contributor to the revised edition of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians.[3]
Personal life
editIn 1906, he was married to Margaret Livingston Chanler, daughter of John Winthrop Chanler (1826–1877) of the Dudley–Winthrop family and Margaret Astor Ward (1838–1875) of the Astor family.[2] Margaret Livingston Chanler served as a nurse with the American Red Cross during the Spanish–American War.[4] They had two children, a daughter and a son:[1]
- Margaret Aldrich (1911-2011), who married Christopher Rand in 1934.[5] She later married Byron DeMott (d. 1963).[6]
- Richard Chanler Aldrich (1909-1961),[7] who married Susan Cutler (d. 1998),[8] the daughter of John Wilson Cutler and Rosalind (née Fish) Cutler, and the granddaughter of Hamilton Fish II.[9]
Publications
edit- Guide to Parsifal (Ditson, 1904)
- Guide to the Ring of the Nibelung (Ditson, 1905)
- Translator of Lilli Lehmann's How to Sing (Macmillan 1912)
- Musical Discourse (1928)
- Concert Life in New York 1902–1923 (1941)
References
edit- ^ a b c "Richard Aldrich Dies in Rome at 73; Times Music Critic Emeritus, Retired in 1924, Is Stricken on Visit to Brother". The New York Times. June 3, 1937. p. 25. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
- ^ a b Leonard, John William; Marquis, Albert Nelson, eds. (1908), Who's who in America, vol. 5, Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, Incorporated, p. 21.
- ^ Arthur Eaglefield Hull, A Dictionary of Modern Music and Musicians (Dent, London 1924).
- ^ "Margaret Astor Chanler, Heroine of Porto Rico". Milwaukee Journal: 5. September 8, 1898.
- ^ "Aldrich -- Rand". The New York Times. February 13, 1934. p. 24. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
- ^ "Paid Notice: Deaths Demott, Margaret Aldrich". The New York Times. April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- ^ "Aldrich-Chanler Baby Christened". The New York Times. Barrytown, New York (published June 24, 1909). June 23, 1909. p. 7. Retrieved April 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Richard C. Aldrich". The New York Times. November 6, 1961. p. 37. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
- ^ "Paid Notice: Deaths Aldrich, Susan Cutler". The New York Times. September 13, 1998. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- ^ "Richard Aldrich". The New York Times. June 3, 1937. p. 24. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
External links
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- A biographical sketch of composer Jan Albert van Eyken written by Aldrich in a score of van Eyken's Three Sonatas for Organ; from Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection
- A biographical sketch of Paganini written by Aldrich in a score of Paganini's Le streghe (the witches’ dance) for violin and orchestra (or piano); from Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection
- Guide to Richard Aldrich's collection of musical autographs at Houghton Library, Harvard University
- Guide to Richard Aldrich papers at Houghton Library, Harvard University
- Richard Aldrich family letters from colleagues, 1904-1937 at Isham Memorial Library, Harvard University
- Works by Richard Aldrich at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about Richard Aldrich at the Internet Archive
- Works by Richard Aldrich at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
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