Walter Fried
Encyclopedia
Walter J. Fried was an American
violin
ist and conductor
. He served as both music director
and as concertmaster
of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra
between 1911 and 1925 and was also one of Dallas's leading violin teachers during that period.
, then moved with his family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, where he commenced violin
studies. In 1907, Fried, having already served as head of the violin department of the Milwaukee College of Music for six years, traveled to Moscow
for a year of study with Mikhail Press
.
, where he established a violin-teaching studio. In 1910, he organized a semiprofessional orchestra
, the Beethoven
Symphony Orchestra, which performed several concerts in Dallas and nearby areas in 1911. During 1911, he renamed the orchestra the Dallas Symphony Orchestra
, reviving the name used previously only by a semiprofessional ensemble conducted by Hans Kreissig
that existed between 1900 and 1901. As the new DSO's ambitions increased, demanding a higher proportion of professional players, Fried collaborated with a colleague, Carl Venth
, who had himself been organizing an orchestral ensemble, to merge the two organizations. The larger group retained the Dallas Symphony
name, and, beginning late in 1911, Venth became the music director, with Fried serving as concertmaster. This group was active until 1914, when economic depression
and World War I
forced the orchestra to disband. In 1915, Fried was appointed head of the violin department at Southern Methodist University
in Dallas, a position he would hold until his death. When the Dallas Symphony resumed operations in 1918, Fried was again music director
. The orchestra played for six seasons. In 1924, Fried decreed a sabbatical year
for the entire organization, which he felt would benefit from both artistic and administrative reorganization. Fried was preparing to resume performances with the Dallas Symphony in 1925 when he became seriously ill during a camping trip in Colorado.
Walter Fried died in Colorado Springs, Colorado
, on his forty-eighth birthday.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. He served as both music director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
and as concertmaster
Concertmaster
The concertmaster/mistress is the spalla or leader, of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader...
of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra. It performs its concerts in the Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States....
between 1911 and 1925 and was also one of Dallas's leading violin teachers during that period.
Early life and musical education
Fried was born in San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, then moved with his family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, where he commenced violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
studies. In 1907, Fried, having already served as head of the violin department of the Milwaukee College of Music for six years, traveled to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
for a year of study with Mikhail Press
Mikhail Press
Mikhail Isaakovich Press, also known as Michael Press, was a Russian-American violinist, conductor and music educator.Press began studying violin with Tissen at the age of eight in Vilnius, and made his first public appearance at ten years old. At the age of thirteen he was concert master in the...
.
Career
In 1908, Fried came to Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, where he established a violin-teaching studio. In 1910, he organized a semiprofessional orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, the Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
Symphony Orchestra, which performed several concerts in Dallas and nearby areas in 1911. During 1911, he renamed the orchestra the Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra. It performs its concerts in the Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States....
, reviving the name used previously only by a semiprofessional ensemble conducted by Hans Kreissig
Hans Kreissig
Hans Kreissig was a German-born American pianist, music teacher, and conductor. He is noted for establishing the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 1900 and for serving as its first music director.- Career :...
that existed between 1900 and 1901. As the new DSO's ambitions increased, demanding a higher proportion of professional players, Fried collaborated with a colleague, Carl Venth
Carl Venth
Carl Venth was a German-American composer, violinist, conductor, music educator, and scholar. He was a leading classical music figure in Texas in the first half of the twentieth century and was one of the early music directors of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.-Early life and education:Venth was...
, who had himself been organizing an orchestral ensemble, to merge the two organizations. The larger group retained the Dallas Symphony
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra. It performs its concerts in the Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States....
name, and, beginning late in 1911, Venth became the music director, with Fried serving as concertmaster. This group was active until 1914, when economic depression
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
and 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...
forced the orchestra to disband. In 1915, Fried was appointed head of the violin department at Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
in Dallas, a position he would hold until his death. When the Dallas Symphony resumed operations in 1918, Fried was again music director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
. The orchestra played for six seasons. In 1924, Fried decreed a sabbatical year
Sabbatical year
Sabbatical or a sabbatical is a rest from work, or a hiatus, often lasting from two months to a year. The concept of sabbatical has a source in shmita, described several places in the Bible...
for the entire organization, which he felt would benefit from both artistic and administrative reorganization. Fried was preparing to resume performances with the Dallas Symphony in 1925 when he became seriously ill during a camping trip in Colorado.
Walter Fried died in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
, on his forty-eighth birthday.
Personal
Fried was married to Gladys Wallace, who was herself a highly regarded professional violinist and teacher. Gladys Wallace Fried played violin in the Dallas Symphony, including serving as concertmaster during her husband's final six seasons as music director (1918–1924), and upon Walter's death she took over his position as professor of violin at Southern Methodist University. She was one of Dallas's most esteemed music teachers, and many of her students went on to professional careers in music.Sources
- "Dallas Symphony Orchestra Will Open Sixth Season at Auditorium Sunday Afternoon." Dallas Morning News, 23 November 1930.
- "Kreissig to Singer,—A Symphonic Resume." Dallas Morning News, 16 January 1938.
- "Walter J. Fried, Musician, Dies." Dallas Morning News, 19 August 1925.