Instrumental Music

Foerster, Adolph M. (Martin)

Date of Birth: 
February 2, 1854
Date of Death: 
1927

Adolph Martin Foerster was born to German immigrant parents in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on February 2, 1854. His father, Emil Foerster, was a highly regarded portrait painter who painted many of the most well known local figures of the day. His mother, Elise Marie Noll, was a native of Frankfurt and an accomplished pianist. In addition to Adolph, they had one other child, Julius.

Four Songs, op. 45

Artist (Composed By): 
Foerster, Adolph M. (Martin)
1897

Adolph M. Foerster’s Four Songs, op. 45, was published in 1897. The score of the first song erroneously labels it “opus 43.” The songs in the set are “The Grecian Isles,” “She Walks in Beauty,” “Shepherd’s Lament,” and “When Thou Art Nigh.” A partial manuscript in the composer’s hand exists for the first song, and the published scores of the first three songs can be found in the Adolph M. Foerster Collection.

Hero and Leander, op. 44

Artist (Composed By): 
Foerster, Adolph M. (Martin)
1897

For orchestra. The manuscripts are in Adolph M. Foerster’s hand. They are dated July 4, 1897.

Love Song, op. 23

Artist (Composed By): 
Foerster, Adolph M. (Martin)
1887

“Love Song,” for soprano and orchestra, is a setting of a poem by Amelia Rives by Adolph M. Foerster. The manuscripts survive in the composer’s hand. 

Love Visions, op. 80

Artist (Composed By): 
Foerster, Adolph M. (Martin)
1909

Adolph M. Foerster’s Love Visions, op. 80, was first published as a song for high voice and piano in 1909. Foerster then orchestrated the song, the manuscripts for which are dated May 1, 1913. The orchestral version was published by Schuberth in 1922.

Lyric Suite, op. 82

Artist (Composed By): 
Foerster, Adolph M. (Martin)
1921

Adolph M. Foerster’s Lyric Suite, op. 82, is an orchestral piece in four movements. A manuscript full score of movements 2 and 4 indicates that they were performed on August 5, 1921, on a concert of Foerster’s music at Willow Grove Park. The other pieces included on the concert were Festival March, Op. 32; Prelude to Faust, Op. 48; Hero and Leander, Op. 44; and the premiere of Nuptial Feast, Op. 85.

The movements of Lyric Suite are:

1. Autumn Wanderings

2. Air for the G String

3. Berceuse

Marsch-Fantasie für grosses Orchester, op. 8

Artist (Composed By): 
Foerster, Adolph M. (Martin)
1877

Adolph M. Foerster composed the Marsch-Fantasie für grosses Orchester, op. 8, in 1877. Manuscripts of the parts and two full scores are found in the Adolph M. Foerster Collection.

Microtonal Music Archive, 1943–2010

This collection contains manuscripts and computer-generated scores of works of microtonal music by several composers. It is divided into two series: Series I: Composers; Series II: Organizations.

Mirskey Collection of Salon Orchestra and Silent Film Music

Born in Poland, Bronisław Mirski (1887–1927) was trained as a violinist and conductor. Around 1915 he relocated to the United States, where he became known as Nek (or Nicholas or Nick) Mirskey and began working as a theater orchestra conductor. At first he worked in small towns including Punxsutawney and DuBois, Pennsylvania, where he met his future wife, pianist Genevieve Wilson. After their marriage in 1917, he sought work in larger cities and subsequently worked in Boston, Dallas, New York, and Kansas City.

Moe, Eric

Date of Birth: 
October 24, 1954

Eric Moe (b. 1954) is professor of Composition and Music Theory at the University of Pittsburgh, director of the University of Pittsburgh Electroacoustic Music Studio, and co-director of the Music on the Edge new music concert series.

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