Walter Johannes Damrosch

Walter Johannes Damrosch 1862-1950, German-American conductor and composer; son of Leopold Damrosch. At his father's death in 1885, he finished the season as conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, New York City, and conducted there with Anton Seidl until 1891. In 1894 he organized the Damrosch Opera Company, which introduced opera in many American cities. In 1900 he returned to the Metropolitan for two seasons. After a season with the New York Philharmonic, he conducted the New York Symphony. When the two orchestras merged, he stayed on as the director, leaving in 1927 to devote his time to radio broadcasting. His outstanding contribution in that field was his series of children's concerts during school hours. He also composed music for the theater and several operas, notably Cyrano de Bergerac (1913) and The Man Without a Country (1937).

Damrosch, Walter (Johannes) (b Breslau, 1862; d NY, 1950). Ger.-born Amer. conductor and composer, younger son of Leopold Damrosch. Succeeded father as cond. NY Oratorio Soc. 1885–98 and ass. cond. Ger. opera, NY Met 1885–91. Cond. first concert perf. in USA of Parsifal, 1886. Formed and cond. Damrosch Opera Co. in NY 1894–9 when it disbanded. Toured USA performing mainly Wagner's operas. Returned to Met 1900–3. In 1903 reorganized NY Sym. Soc. as permanent orch., remaining cond. until merger with NYPO in 1928. Introduced many 20th-cent. works to USA and cond. f.ps. in USA of Bruckner's 3rd and Mahler's 4th syms. Comp. 4 operas, incl. The Scarlet Letter (1896) and Cyrano de Bergerac (1913); choral works incl. The Canterbury Pilgrims, and Dunkirk, bar., male ch., orch. (1943).