Gales, Weston

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Gales, Weston

Gales, Weston, American organist and conductor;b. Elizabeth, N.J., Nov. 5, 1877; d. Portsmouth, N.H., Oct. 21, 1939. He studied composition with Horatio Parker at Yale Univ. and organ with Gaston-Marie Dethier in N.Y. He held various posts as church organist in Boston, then took additional instruction with Widor and Vierne in Paris. Returning to America, he was active as a choral conductor. In 1914 he organized the Detroit Sym. Orch., which he conducted until 1918. In 1924 he became assoc. conductor of the N.Y. State Sym. Orch. In 1928 he was made répétiteur at the Bayreuth Festivals, returning to the U.S. in 1933.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire