Louis Hirsch
Encyclopedia
Louis Hirsch was a popular composer of songs and musicals in the early 20th century.
. In his senior year at the City College of New York
, Hirsch traveled to Europe to study piano at Berlin's Stern Conservatory, with pianist Rafael Joseffy
. He returned to the U.S. in 1906 and began working as a staff pianist in the Tin Pan Alley
publishing houses of Gus Edwards
, and Shapiro-Bernstein. He also began to write some of his own music.
Hirsch's first assignment was writing music for the Lew Dockstader's Minstrels. Soon, some of his melodies were interpolated into Broadway shows, including The Gay White Way, Miss Innocence (starring Anna Held
), and The Girl and the Wizard. In 1910, He Came From Milwaukee was Hirsch's first full score. His Revue of Revues (1911) introduced French star Gaby Deslys
to America. He subsequently wrote the music to many songs that Deslys made popular, including "Gaby Glide", "Come Dance With Me", and "When You Hear Love's Hello". One of his best jazz tunes is "It's Getting Very Dark on Old Broadway". His first major success was Vera Violetta (1911), which made Al Jolson
a star. For the Schuberts in 1912 and 1913, he contributed music to The Whirl of Society and The Passing Show (both starring Jose Collins
).
Hirsch was one of the nine founders of ASCAP in 1914 and an ASCAP director between 1917 and 1924. During World War I
, he contributed songs to four editions of The Ziegfeld Follies
, including "Sweet Kentucky Lady" and "Hello Frisco!". He collaborated with Otto Harbach
as lyricist on the musical Going Up
(1917), Mary (1920), including "Love Nest", his most successful song, which later became the Burns and Allen
radio show theme. He also wrote music for The Rainbow Girl, Oh, My Dear, and See Saw, among others. Hirsch also conceived many of the storylines and concepts in his musicals. In 1921, he contributed to the Broadway show The O'Brien Girl and then the 1922 and 1923 editions of The Greenwich Village Follies.
Other popular Hirsch songs include include "Neath the Southern Moon" (also titled "'Neath the South Sea Moon"), "The Tickle Toe", "The Gaby Glide", "Always Together", "Garden of Your Dreams", "Hold Me in Your Loving Arms", "Going Up", "My Sumurum Girl", "Mary", "Love Is Like a Red Red Rose", "When I Found You", "Beautiful Island of Girls", "My Rambler Rose", "The Love Nest", "I Am Thinking of You", and "Annabel Lee".
On May 27, 1920, Hirsch sued the New York Yankees
for $100‚000 because of an incident at the Yankee game at the Polo Grounds on the 24th. To avoid sitting next to a cigar smoker‚ Hirsch switched seats with his brother. An usher informed him it was against the rules to shift seats and ordered the two brothers to switch back. Hirsch refused and was forcibly ejected from the stands.
The composer died in New York City of pneumonia at the age of 36.
Life and career
Hirsch was born Louis Achille Hirsch in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In his senior year at the City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
, Hirsch traveled to Europe to study piano at Berlin's Stern Conservatory, with pianist Rafael Joseffy
Rafael Joseffy
Rafael Joseffy was a Hungarian pianist and composer.-Life:Raael Joseffy was born in Hunfalu in 1852. His youth was spent in Miskolcz , and there, at the age of 8, he began his study of the piano. He studied in Budapest with Friedrich Brauer, the teacher of Stephen Heller...
. He returned to the U.S. in 1906 and began working as a staff pianist in the Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century...
publishing houses of Gus Edwards
Gus Edwards (songwriter)
Gus Edwards was an American songwriter and vaudevillian. He also organised his own theatre companies and was a music publisher.-Early life:...
, and Shapiro-Bernstein. He also began to write some of his own music.
Hirsch's first assignment was writing music for the Lew Dockstader's Minstrels. Soon, some of his melodies were interpolated into Broadway shows, including The Gay White Way, Miss Innocence (starring Anna Held
Anna Held
Helene Anna Held was a Polish-born stage performer, most often associated with impresario Florenz Ziegfeld, her common-law husband. -Early life:...
), and The Girl and the Wizard. In 1910, He Came From Milwaukee was Hirsch's first full score. His Revue of Revues (1911) introduced French star Gaby Deslys
Gaby Deslys
Gaby Deslys was a dancer, singer, and actress of the early 20th century from Marseilles, France. She selected her name for her stage career. It is an abbreviation of Gabrielle of the Lillies. During the 1910s she was exceedingly popular worldwide, making $4,000 a week in the United States alone...
to America. He subsequently wrote the music to many songs that Deslys made popular, including "Gaby Glide", "Come Dance With Me", and "When You Hear Love's Hello". One of his best jazz tunes is "It's Getting Very Dark on Old Broadway". His first major success was Vera Violetta (1911), which made Al Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
a star. For the Schuberts in 1912 and 1913, he contributed music to The Whirl of Society and The Passing Show (both starring Jose Collins
Jose Collins
Jose Collins was an English actress and singer celebrated for her performances in musical comedies and early motion pictures.-Life and career:...
).
Hirsch was one of the nine founders of ASCAP in 1914 and an ASCAP director between 1917 and 1924. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he contributed songs to four editions of The Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
, including "Sweet Kentucky Lady" and "Hello Frisco!". He collaborated with Otto Harbach
Otto Harbach
Otto Abels Harbach, born Otto Abels Hauerbach was an American lyricist and librettist of about 50 musical comedies...
as lyricist on the musical Going Up
Going Up (musical)
Going Up is a musical comedy in three acts with music by Louis Hirsch and book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and James Montgomery. Set in Lenox, Massachusetts, United States at the end of World War I, the musical tells the story of a writer turned aviator who wins the hand of the high society girl...
(1917), Mary (1920), including "Love Nest", his most successful song, which later became the Burns and Allen
Burns and Allen
Burns and Allen, an American comedy duo consisting of George Burns and his wife, Gracie Allen, worked together as a comedy team in vaudeville, films, radio and television and achieved great success over four decades.-Vaudeville:...
radio show theme. He also wrote music for The Rainbow Girl, Oh, My Dear, and See Saw, among others. Hirsch also conceived many of the storylines and concepts in his musicals. In 1921, he contributed to the Broadway show The O'Brien Girl and then the 1922 and 1923 editions of The Greenwich Village Follies.
Other popular Hirsch songs include include "Neath the Southern Moon" (also titled "'Neath the South Sea Moon"), "The Tickle Toe", "The Gaby Glide", "Always Together", "Garden of Your Dreams", "Hold Me in Your Loving Arms", "Going Up", "My Sumurum Girl", "Mary", "Love Is Like a Red Red Rose", "When I Found You", "Beautiful Island of Girls", "My Rambler Rose", "The Love Nest", "I Am Thinking of You", and "Annabel Lee".
On May 27, 1920, Hirsch sued the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
for $100‚000 because of an incident at the Yankee game at the Polo Grounds on the 24th. To avoid sitting next to a cigar smoker‚ Hirsch switched seats with his brother. An usher informed him it was against the rules to shift seats and ordered the two brothers to switch back. Hirsch refused and was forcibly ejected from the stands.
The composer died in New York City of pneumonia at the age of 36.