Ludwig Manoly
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Manoly was a Hungarian
-born double bassist who studied in Vienna
and upon completing his studies, spent his life in the United States. He was principal bass of the New York Philharmonic
from 1892, after performing with the orchestra since 1880, and faculty at the National Coservatory, under the direction of Antonin Dvořák
, and the Institute of Musical Art, which later became the Juilliard School
.
Manoly originally came to Vienna as a boy soprano, who had an exceptional voice in choral music. Upon arriving in Vienna at the age of fifteen, he found his voice changing and unable to audition at the Conservatory. However, there was a scholarship to study the double bass which he took up. At the Vienna Conservatory, he studied double bass with Franz Simandl
; harmony, counterpoint, and composition with Anton Bruckner
; and conducting with Joseph Hellmesberger
. Graduating in 1876, he moved to the United States where he performed with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra, the Mendelssohn Quintette Club
of Boston, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra
. He joined the Philharmonic Society of New York and the Philharmonic Club, which later turned into the New York Philharmonic
in 1880, eventually becoming principal bass of the ensemble in 1892, and later performed with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Through his life, he came in contact with such individuals as Brahms, Liszt
, Wagner, Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky, Anton Rubinstein
, Bruckner, Richard Strauss
, Mahler, Max Bruch
, Carl Goldmark, Verdi, Jacques Offenbach
, Johann Strauss
, and Eduard Strauss
.
Manoly's compositions include a number of works for double bass and a flute concerto for Georges Barrère
, who was principal flute of the New York Philharmonic from 1905-28. His students included Herman Reinshagen.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
-born double bassist who studied in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and upon completing his studies, spent his life in the United States. He was principal bass of the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
from 1892, after performing with the orchestra since 1880, and faculty at the National Coservatory, under the direction of Antonin Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
, and the Institute of Musical Art, which later became the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
.
Manoly originally came to Vienna as a boy soprano, who had an exceptional voice in choral music. Upon arriving in Vienna at the age of fifteen, he found his voice changing and unable to audition at the Conservatory. However, there was a scholarship to study the double bass which he took up. At the Vienna Conservatory, he studied double bass with Franz Simandl
Franz Simandl
Franz Simandl was a double-bassist and pedagogue most remembered for his book New Method for the Double Bass, known as the Simandl book, which is to this day used as a standard study of double bass technique and hand positions.His approach uses the first, second, and fourth fingers of the left...
; harmony, counterpoint, and composition with Anton Bruckner
Anton Bruckner
Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, complex polyphony, and considerable length...
; and conducting with Joseph Hellmesberger
Joseph Hellmesberger, Sr.
Josef Hellmesberger, Sr. was an Austrian violinist, conductor, and composer.Born in Vienna, he was the son of musician and pedagogue, Georg Hellmesberger, Sr. , was taught violin by his father at the Vienna Conservatoire. Hellmesberger hails from a family of notable musicians including: brother,...
. Graduating in 1876, he moved to the United States where he performed with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra, the Mendelssohn Quintette Club
Mendelssohn Quintette Club
The Mendelssohn Quintette Club based in Boston, Massachusetts, was one of "the most active and most widely known chamber ensemble[s] in America" in the latter half of the 19th-century...
of Boston, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
. He joined the Philharmonic Society of New York and the Philharmonic Club, which later turned into the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
in 1880, eventually becoming principal bass of the ensemble in 1892, and later performed with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Through his life, he came in contact with such individuals as Brahms, Liszt
Liszt
Liszt is a Hungarian surname. Notable persons with that surname include:* Franz Liszt , Hungarian composer and pianist* Adam Liszt , father of Franz Liszt* Anna Liszt , mother of Franz Liszt...
, Wagner, Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky, Anton Rubinstein
Anton Rubinstein
Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein was a Russian-Jewish pianist, composer and conductor. As a pianist he was regarded as a rival of Franz Liszt, and he ranks amongst the great keyboard virtuosos...
, Bruckner, Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
, Mahler, Max Bruch
Max Bruch
Max Christian Friedrich Bruch , also known as Max Karl August Bruch, was a German Romantic composer and conductor who wrote over 200 works, including three violin concertos, the first of which has become a staple of the violin repertoire.-Life:Bruch was born in Cologne, Rhine Province, where he...
, Carl Goldmark, Verdi, Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach was a Prussian-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr....
, Johann Strauss
Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
, and Eduard Strauss
Eduard Strauss
Eduard Strauss was an Austrian composer who, together with brothers Johann Strauss II and Josef Strauss made up the Strauss musical dynasty. The family dominated the Viennese light music world for decades, creating many waltzes and polkas for many Austrian nobility as well as dance-music...
.
Manoly's compositions include a number of works for double bass and a flute concerto for Georges Barrère
Georges Barrère
Georges Barrère was a French flautist.-Early life:Georges Barrère was the son of a cabinetmaker, Gabriel Barrère, and Marie Périne Courtet, an illiterate farmer's daughter from Guilligomarc'h. They married in 1874. They had previously had a son Étienne, out of wedlock, in 1872...
, who was principal flute of the New York Philharmonic from 1905-28. His students included Herman Reinshagen.