Otto Singer

[cypressdome]

Just wanted to add some additional (though not dramatically helpful) information regarding Otto Singer, Sr. 

F.O. Jones, A Handbook of American Music and Musicians (1886) states the following: "Mr. Singer's compositions are numerous, though few of them have been published. In all of them he shows a decided leaning toward the modern school represented by Liszt. They consist of "The Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers" (1876) cantata, and "Festival Ode," cantata, composed for the dedication of the Music Hall, Cincinnati, in 1878; several symphonies; two concertos for piano and orchestra; variations for two pianos, op. 1; fantasia for piano and orchestra, op. 2; duo for piano and violin, op. 3; a rhapsodie in C; and a number of piano pieces." (page 156).

W.S.B. Mathews, A Hundred Years of Music in America (1889) adds the following: "Few of his works have been published. Among those that have seen the light are andante and variations for two pianos (Op. 1); fantasie in E minor (Op. 2); duo for piano and violin in C minor (Op. 3); rhapsody for piano and orchestra; Shiller's Tower of Song, for chorus and orchestra; several symphonies and piano pieces..." (page 446).

The Fantasie (referred to by Mathews as a piano concerto) was premiered by Singer with Theodore Thomas in New York on April 3, 1869 (Theodore Thomas, A Musical Autobiography vol.2 page 87).

It appears that Singer's connection with Thomas has resulted in the preservation of two marches for orchestra that he composed.  Both are to be found in the Rosenthal Archives of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. One, entitled ''Marcia,'' exists as manuscript parts while the other, entitled ''Central Park Garden Spectacel March,'' exists as a manuscript score and parts. The latter may be the Inauguration March performed by Thomas during his July 23, 1874 concert at Central Park Garden (vol.2, page 128).

Since Singer was for many years a professor at the Cincinnati College of Music perhaps the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati might have some of his scores.

Lastly, and this is probably a long shot, since the two piano version of Singer's ''Rhapsody'' was published by John Church Co. and Theodore Presser Co. acquired Church in 1930 is it possible that parts or a full score might now be at the Library of Congress since it acquired Presser's archive in 2001?

[Gareth Vaughan]

Thank you, Eric, that's very helpful. According to Pazdirek, the Op. 8 PC is by Otto Singer I and the Op. 6 Violin Concert Piece is by Otto Singer II.  But Fleisher gives both as being by Otto Singer II - a bit confusing!

I did make enquiries of the Cincinatti University Library but, alas, they have virtually nothing of interest.

Curiously, the 2-piano printed score of the Rhapsodie for piano & orchestra does not appear in the online catalog of the LC, although LC is given as the source of the scan on IMSLP. These are the sort of irritations that bedevil researchers (Sigh!).

[eschiss1]

The Library of Congress online catalog has several sections, some of which list the contents of their digitized sections (like the digitized parts of "Music Copyright Deposits, 1870-1885" from which the copy of his Rhapsodie derives) and some of which don't, I think?

[Gareth Vaughan]

Thanks again, Eric. Oh and, apologies - I meant to say Thank you, Cypressdome, for your very full and interesting post.

[violinconcerto]

I see that the "Otto Singer topic" is not only complicated for me. I would like to take the chance to ask for information on the two pieces for violin and orchestra by Otto Singer and hopefully someone here can add some information (maybe anyone here holds the scores of the works?):

There is the already mentioned "Concertstück fur Violine and Orchester op.6" published by Leuckart sometime around 1894. But is it a composition by Otto Singer I. (1833-1894) or Otto Singer II. (1863-1931)? Could it be a clue that the publisher is Leuckart and Otto Singer I was in the USA from the 1870s and was mainly published by American houses? So with Leuckart as a publisher it could be a lead to Otto Singer II. ?

Second I also found a note in the book "Brinkman's catalogus van Boeken, Plaat- en Kaartwerken" (1925) by D. Smit on page 683 that mentions a "Concert fur Violine mit Begleitung des Orchester op.13, pub. Alsbach 1924" by a Otto Singer (most likely the second one). Curiously I could not find a library that holds this scores nor any other note about the op.13. Does anyone here holds the score or can give more information?

Best,
Tobias

[Gareth Vaughan]

Dear Tobias,

Pazdirek lists the Op. 6 Concertstuck as by Otto Singer Jnr. Score and parts are in the Fleisher collection.

[violinconcerto]

Yes, I saw that as well, but there is no proof why this should be correct. It seems most likely that the Concertpiece is by Singer II., but a proof would be better.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I would put the question the other way. Have you any reason to suspect that the information given is incorrect?

[violinconcerto]

The only reason why I am uncertain about this information is the fact that the Fleisher Collection is the only source that gives this information. But I will not have sleepless nights if we count that as a "fact". I was just asking if there is other information or a proof out there.

Any ideas where to find the score of the violin concerto op.13?

[eschiss1]

... hrm. A search for "Singer Alsbach" shows an Op.17 that's an -arrangement- by Otto Singer (II) of a cantata ("Weinlese"?) by Rudolf Mengelberg, published by G. Alsbach of Amsterdam perhaps around 1930. Is it possible that the violin concerto in question is one of Singer's many arrangements of a work by someone else?... (Not Rudolf Mengelberg- he wrote a violin concerto, but it's his Opus 18- but someone else around the same time...)

[violinconcerto]

Interesting idea, but I checked my database and found only a few violin concertos with op.13 from the time before 1924 (G. Fitelberg, B. Martinu, G. Strube), but I can't see why these compositions qualify for a reduction by Singer. And isn't the op.13 Singer's very own counting?

So the only chance for a solution is the score. Does anyone know where the archive of Alsbach can be found?

[Gareth Vaughan]

The only reason why I am uncertain about this information is the fact that the Fleisher Collection is the only source that gives this information.

Fleisher is not the only source of the information. Pazdirek lists 3 published works by "Singer Otto (1833)" - including the 2-piano score of the PC, Op. 8, pub. Leuckhart - and 4 published works by "Singer Otto jr (1843)", the first of which is the Op. 6 Concertstuck for violin and orchestra (also pub. Leuckhart): Partitur, Orchesterstimmen, Violin & Piano score, and Violin Stimme.

[Martin Eastick]

For anyone who may be tempted/interested, there are TWO copies of the Op6 Concertstuck available on the Abebooks site (from different sellers!). It would seem that both are full scores consisting of 31 pages. (The cheaper of the two comes to just over £50 including postage).

[Wheesht]

Here's some more information, gleaned from the "Blätter für Musik, Theater und Kunst":

19 June 1855: In the "Prüfungsconcert des Conservatoriums" (Leipzig) on 7 June 1855 one of four movements of a Symphony by Otto Singer from Sora was performed (from the manuscript) and was well liked. Whether that symphony was ever performed in full and printed is another question of course.

and on 13 August 1861 the same paper reports that Singer's Orchesterphantasie was played on 7 August 1861 at the "2. Tonkünstlerversammlung" in Weimar.