Herrman S. Saroni
Herrman S. Saroni (February 1824 in Bernburg, Germany – August 29, 1900 in Marietta, Ohio) was an American composer, author, and publisher.[1]
Biography
Saroni was born and educated in Germany, and referred to himself as a student of Mendelssohn.[1]
In 1844 he applied for naturalization in New York city, where he later edited Saroni's Musical Times between 1849 and 1851. He organized a successful series of chamber music recitals during those years, featuring performers such as Theodore Eisfeld, Julia Northall, and Otto Dresel. Through critical writing and translating, he helped to spread German pedagogical approaches to American music education and appreciation.[1] Despite the resulting "vogue of Mendelssohn in America", Saroni's influence remained obscure and only vaguely identifiable in its development for many years.[2]
After 1851 he moved to Georgia, where he founded the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (1855).[3] He later lived in Alabama, but eventually settled in Marietta, Ohio, where he taught piano[4] at Marietta College.[1] He died there in 1900. His wife died the following year, on September 16, 1901. Her obituary mentions four granddaughters: three in Marietta (Mrs. W. B. Gaitree, Miss Small, and Miss Kittie Small) and a fourth in Knoxville, Tennessee.[5]
A “Brief Account of His Life and Work” in the August 30, 1900, Marietta Daily Leader, mentioned that he “made and lost several large fortunes” in America, “but in his later years he was in comfortable circumstances.” “Those who knew him best, knew him as a kind-hearted, well-educated and refined man.”[6]
Music
Saroni composed parlor songs in English. These songs "demonstrate a shift away from bel canto traditions towards a lied-influenced style in this genre."[1]
He also composed light piano pieces, two operettas, The Twin Sisters (1860) and Lily-Bell, the Culprit Fay (1868), and a Centennial Ode (1888).
Writings
- Saroni's Musical Times, editor, 1849-1851
- English translation of Theory and Practice of Musical Composition by Adolph Berhard Marx (1852)[7]
Music
Larger works
- Centennial Ode (1888)
- Lily-Bell, the Culprit Fay, operetta (John Church Co.), 1868
- The Twin Sisters, operetta (Oliver Ditson), 1860
Piano music
- The Atlantic: Grande Valse Brilliante (Firth, Hall & Pond), 1847
- Autumn: Grand Waltz(Firth, Hall & Pond), 1847[8]
- La Belle Georgianne: Grand Waltz (Horace Waters), 1855
- Bohemian Grand March (John F. Nunns), c. 1845[9]
- Comorn Grand March (Samuel C. Jollie), 1850
- The Ivy Green Waltz (Firth, Hall & Pond), 1844
- La Vivandiere: Grand Valse (Stayman & Bros.), 1851
- Mount's Quick Step: as performed by the New York brass band (Millet's Music Saloon), 1844
- North Carolina Grand March (William Venderbeek), 1846
- Twilight Waltz (F. W. Ratcliffe), 1851
- Un Souvenir, for the Piano. Op. 185 (Oliver Ditson), 1899
- Summer Blossom Polka (G. W. Brainard & Co.), 1851
- Vive la Republique (arr. of La Marseillaise) (William Hall), 1848[10]
- The Wild Brier Polka (G.W. Brainard), 1851
Vocal music
- The Awakening of Italy (Italian text by G.F. Secchi di Casali) (William Hall), 1848
- Bingen on the Rhine (G. P. Reed), 1847
- Full Many Years Ago (text by Rev. Sidney Dyer) (G. W. Brainard & Co.), 1851
- The Gipsy in the North (Eugene Liés), (Firth, Hall, & Pond), 1846[11]
- The Heart's Despair, 1848[12]
- I Wandered in the Woodlands (William Hall), 1849[12]
- Jingle, Jingle, Clear the Way (1844)[13]
- Let Me Perish in the Early Spring (1845)[12]
- Memory of the Past (J. L. Cummings), 1847
- Music From Afar (vocal duet) (Firth, Hall, & Pond), 1846
- My Cynosure (John F. Nunns), 1845
- O'er the Wildly Heaving Sea (Firth Hall & Pond), 1845
- Oh! my Heart is Weary Waiting (Summer Longings) (Edward L. Walker), 1849
- Our Childhood's Home (text by Henry John Sharpe) (William Hall), 1848
- The Pequote Brave (1844)[13]
- Slumber, Infant! Slumber (Duet for two sopranos) (John F. Nunns), 1845
- Speed Away: a song founded on a beautiful Indian superstition (Firth, Hall & Pond), 1847
- The Saw Mill (Die Säge Mühle) (William Hall), 1848[12]
- They Tell Me Thou art Gay Once More! (P. K. Weizel), 1848
- Thou'rt Weeping Still (Peters, Webb & Co.), 1851
- Winter Flowers (1850)[12]
Footnotes
- 1 2 3 4 5 David Frances Urrows, Grove online
- ↑ Grace D. Yerbury, Song in America, p. 244
- ↑ Mentioned on the symphony's web site
- ↑ Yerbury, p. 250
- ↑ Marietta Daily Leader, September 17, 1901
- ↑ Marietta Daily Leader, August 30, 1900
- ↑ Yerbury, p. 247
- ↑ The Seasons no. 3. According to the IMSLP entry for this piece, the other works in the set are: Spring by William Scharfenberg, Summer by Henry Christian Timm, and Winter by Theodor von La Hache.
- ↑ Composed and arranged for the "Aeolian Piano Forte"
- ↑ OCLC: 51290541, includes an arrangement by Saroni of La Marseillaise for male chorus (TTBB) and piano
- ↑ An online version of this song
- 1 2 3 4 5 Mentioned in Yerbury, p. 250
- 1 2 Early song, mentioned in Yerbury, p. 250
References
- Urrows, David Francis. "Saroni, Herrman S.". In L. Root, Deane. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. (subscription required)
- Yerbury, Grace D. (1971), Song in America: From Early Times to About 1850, Metuchen, New Jersey: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., ISBN 0-8108-0382-8