Sam Franko
Encyclopedia
Sam Franko was an American
violin
ist and conductor. He was the brother of violinist, conductor and concert
promoter
Nahan Franko
.
A native of New Orleans, Franko studied the violin
in Europe
, working with Joseph Joachim
and Henri Vieuxtemps
among others. Upon his return to the United States he joined the Mendelssohn Quartet, later working with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic
. Franko soon grew disgusted with prejudice against American musicians, and created the American Symphony, made up entirely of American performers, in 1894. With this group he gave many American premiere
s. Franko also taught violin and arranged 17th- and 18th-century music, and transcribe
d numerous pieces for the violin. His autobiography, Chords and Discords, was published in 1938, and he died in New York City
in 1937.
The set of cadenzas he wrote for Mozart's Violin Concerto in G-major K. 216 has become a standard part of the concert repertoire, more so than all of the numerous other cadenzas that have been written for this piece.
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. He was the brother of violinist, conductor and concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
promoter
Promotion (marketing)
Promotion is one of the four elements of marketing mix . It is the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyer's purchasing decision....
Nahan Franko
Nahan Franko
Nahan Franko was an American violinist, conductor and concert promoter. His brother was violinist and conductor Sam Franko.Franko was born in New Orleans, and studied the violin in Europe with Joseph Joachim and August Wilhelmj...
.
A native of New Orleans, Franko studied the 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....
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, working with Joseph Joachim
Joseph Joachim
Joseph Joachim was a Hungarian violinist, conductor, composer and teacher. A close collaborator of Johannes Brahms, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant violinists of the 19th century.-Origins:...
and Henri Vieuxtemps
Henri Vieuxtemps
Henri François Joseph Vieuxtemps was a Belgian composer and violinist. He occupies an important place in the history of the violin as a prominent exponent of the Franco-Belgian violin school during the mid-19th century....
among others. Upon his return to the United States he joined the Mendelssohn Quartet, later working with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra and 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"...
. Franko soon grew disgusted with prejudice against American musicians, and created the American Symphony, made up entirely of American performers, in 1894. With this group he gave many American premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
s. Franko also taught violin and arranged 17th- and 18th-century music, and transcribe
Transcription (music)
In music, transcription can mean notating a piece or a sound which was previously unnotated, as, for example, an improvised jazz solo. Further examples include ethnomusicological notation of oral traditions of folk music, such as Béla Bartók's and Ralph Vaughan Williams' collections of the national...
d numerous pieces for the violin. His autobiography, Chords and Discords, was published in 1938, and he died in New York City
New 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 1937.
The set of cadenzas he wrote for Mozart's Violin Concerto in G-major K. 216 has become a standard part of the concert repertoire, more so than all of the numerous other cadenzas that have been written for this piece.
External links
- Sam Franko scores (the composer's manuscripts) in the Music Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.