Eugene Linden (conductor)
Encyclopedia
Eugene Linden was an American conductor
. He conducted the first public performance of the Tacoma
Philharmonic Orchestra in March 1934 and directed the Seattle Symphony
from 1948 to 1950. He is also credited as founder of the now defunct Pacific Northwest Grand Opera Company.
Eugene Linden, was born to a musical family in Chicago
in 1902. Linden's father was Harry Linden, concertmaster
of the Chicago opera orchestra, and his mother was a violin
ist who began playing at age twelve and was musical director at Chicago's La Salle Hotel
. Harry's four brothers were also musicians, one of which was Anthony Linden, a flautist
for the San Francisco Symphony
and radio soloist. According to Hilmar Grondahl of the Portland Spectator, Linden led his first orchestra when he was in grade school and knew then of his desire to be a professional conductor. Eugene attended Jefferson High School in Portland
, Oregon
, where he was conductor of the band. Under his leadership the ensemble placed first in three state high school contests and placed second in a fourth. In May 1930, he gained attention as conductor when the Jefferson band participated in the national high school band contest in Flint
, Michigan
. Of the forty-four bands competing, Eugene (then age seventeen) was the only student conductor. He received recognition and recommendation from John Philip Sousa
. Eugene graduated from Jefferson High School in 1930.
. Linden played in the orchestra for several seasons before becoming a student conductor to Jacques Gershkovitch
. His conducting premiere came when he conducted Beethoven
's Egmont
for PJS. By 1930, Linden was promoted to the position of assistant conductor, though he continued playing flute
and piccolo
in the orchestra. On April 2, 1932 at age twenty, Linden conducted Edvard Grieg
's "Peer Gynt" Suite No. 2 for the final concert of PJS' eighth season.
Musicians were not paid during the first two years of the organization's existence. Linden donated his time, commuting from Portland and residing with Belle Hodges Fletcher during his time in Tacoma. The orchestra incorporated and officially adopted the name Tacoma Philharmonic, establishing a constitution and by-laws in the process. The Philharmonic performed for local servicemen often during the 1940s. In 1947, the Tacoma Philharmonic, Olympia orchestra, and Seattle Symphony
united to create the short-lived Pacific Northwest Symphony Orchestra, with Linden serving as the music director. From 1948 to 1950, Linden was also music director of the Seattle Symphony. However, in 1951 the Tacoma Philharmonic's board of directors
decided to become a presenting organization.
In 1934, Linden was awarded the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg
scholarship, allowing him the opportunity to visit Salzburg
to study under conductors Bruno Walter
, Arturo Toscanini
and Felix Weingartner
.
When asked about Scandinavian composers, Linden admitted to having an appreciation for Kurt Atterberg for being a "little like the Franck only distinctly Nordic". He also complimented Grieg for being "intensely deep" and for combining "personal warmth with an austere coldness that must be a reflection of the Norse country."
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 conducted the first public performance of the Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
Philharmonic Orchestra in March 1934 and directed the Seattle Symphony
Seattle Symphony
The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra's season runs from September through July, and serves as the pit orchestra for most productions of the Seattle Opera in addition to its own concerts...
from 1948 to 1950. He is also credited as founder of the now defunct Pacific Northwest Grand Opera Company.
Background
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1902. Linden's father was Harry Linden, 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 Chicago opera orchestra, and his mother was a 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 who began playing at age twelve and was musical director at Chicago's La Salle Hotel
La Salle Hotel
The La Salle Hotel was a historic hotel that was located on the northwest corner of La Salle Street and Madison Avenue in the Chicago Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It was situated to the southwest of Chicago City Hall and in very close proximity to St. Peter's Church...
. Harry's four brothers were also musicians, one of which was Anthony Linden, a flautist
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
for the San Francisco Symphony
San Francisco Symphony
The San Francisco Symphony is an orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980, the orchestra has performed at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus are part of the organization...
and radio soloist. According to Hilmar Grondahl of the Portland Spectator, Linden led his first orchestra when he was in grade school and knew then of his desire to be a professional conductor. Eugene attended Jefferson High School in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, where he was conductor of the band. Under his leadership the ensemble placed first in three state high school contests and placed second in a fourth. In May 1930, he gained attention as conductor when the Jefferson band participated in the national high school band contest in Flint
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Of the forty-four bands competing, Eugene (then age seventeen) was the only student conductor. He received recognition and recommendation from John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
. Eugene graduated from Jefferson High School in 1930.
Portland Junior Symphony
Linden's conducting career began with the Portland Junior Symphony (PJS), the first youth orchestra in the United States (established in 1924) which later became known as the Portland Youth PhilharmonicPortland Youth Philharmonic
The Portland Youth Philharmonic is the oldest youth orchestra in the United States, established in 1924 as the Portland Junior Symphony . Now based in Portland, Oregon, the orchestra's origin dates back to 1910 when music teacher Mary V. Dodge began playing music for local children in Burns...
. Linden played in the orchestra for several seasons before becoming a student conductor to Jacques Gershkovitch
Jacques Gershkovitch
Jacques Gershkovitch was a Russian conductor and musician who became the first music director of the Portland Junior Symphony...
. His conducting premiere came when he conducted 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...
's Egmont
Egmont (Beethoven)
Egmont, Op. 84, by Ludwig van Beethoven, is a set of incidental music pieces for the 1787 play of the same name by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It consists of an overture followed by a sequence of nine additional pieces for soprano, male narrator and full symphony orchestra...
for PJS. By 1930, Linden was promoted to the position of assistant conductor, though he continued playing flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and piccolo
Piccolo
The piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written...
in the orchestra. On April 2, 1932 at age twenty, Linden conducted Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
's "Peer Gynt" Suite No. 2 for the final concert of PJS' eighth season.
Tacoma Philharmonic
In 1933, Linden hitchhiked from Portland to Tacoma, Washington at the age of twenty-one, hoping to establish an orchestra. Three musicians attended the first rehearsal. According to Linden, "No musicians would have been a failure, three was a beginning." Within a few months Linden assembled an ensemble of 65 musicians, with initial rehearsals held at Ted Brown Music Company and the Winthrop Hotel. The basement of the State Armory became the first regular rehearsal space, followed by the Scottish Rite Cathedral. The orchestra was based here until their first concert, held on March 17, 1934 at Jason Lee Intermediate School and attended by 800 guests. The concert's success prompted a second performance at the same venue on June 5.Musicians were not paid during the first two years of the organization's existence. Linden donated his time, commuting from Portland and residing with Belle Hodges Fletcher during his time in Tacoma. The orchestra incorporated and officially adopted the name Tacoma Philharmonic, establishing a constitution and by-laws in the process. The Philharmonic performed for local servicemen often during the 1940s. In 1947, the Tacoma Philharmonic, Olympia orchestra, and Seattle Symphony
Seattle Symphony
The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra's season runs from September through July, and serves as the pit orchestra for most productions of the Seattle Opera in addition to its own concerts...
united to create the short-lived Pacific Northwest Symphony Orchestra, with Linden serving as the music director. From 1948 to 1950, Linden was also music director of the Seattle Symphony. However, in 1951 the Tacoma Philharmonic's board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
decided to become a presenting organization.
In 1934, Linden was awarded the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg
Universität Mozarteum Salzburg
In Salzburg, the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg, the University of Music and Dramatic Arts Mozarteum Salzburg, honours the Austrian city's most famous son, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.-History:...
scholarship, allowing him the opportunity to visit Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
to study under conductors Bruno Walter
Bruno Walter
Bruno Walter was a German-born conductor. He is considered one of the best known conductors of the 20th century. Walter was born in Berlin, but is known to have lived in several countries between 1933 and 1939, before finally settling in the United States in 1939...
, Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor. One of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century, he was renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory...
and Felix Weingartner
Felix Weingartner
Paul Felix von Weingartner, Edler von Münzberg was an Austrian conductor, composer and pianist.-Biography:...
.
When asked about Scandinavian composers, Linden admitted to having an appreciation for Kurt Atterberg for being a "little like the Franck only distinctly Nordic". He also complimented Grieg for being "intensely deep" and for combining "personal warmth with an austere coldness that must be a reflection of the Norse country."