Grasse, Edwin

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Grasse, Edwin

Grasse, Edwin, American violinist and composer;b. N.Y, Aug. 13, 1884; d. there, April 8, 1954. Blind from infancy, he dictated his compositions to an accompanist. He studied violin with Hauser in N.Y, then went to Brussels for study with Thomson at the Cons., where he won 1st prize in 1900, and diplome de capacite in 1901. He toured Europe and America. His works included American Fantasie for Violin and Orch., a Violin Sonata and other violin pieces, and organ pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire