Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-07
COMPOSER DUDLEY BUCK DEAD
FAMOUS CREATOR OF CONCERT
AND CHORAL MUSIC.
Assistant to Theodore Thomas.
Choirmaster in Many Prominent
Churches in America.

NEW YORK, October 7.-Dudley Buck.
whose name was seen, perhaps. oftener
than that of any other American COM
poser on concert and choral programs,
died suddenly at the home Of his son,
Dudley Buck, jr, the violnist, in West
Orange, N. ].
The composer was born at Hartford,
Conn, in 1889 March 10 last he celebrat-
ed his SEVENTEEN birthday.
His father was a shipping merchant
and had planned a similar career for his
son. One day the boy Dudley borrowed
from one of his fathers clerks a work
on Thorough Bass and then, on hap
fellow lent him flute.
There is legend that the boy musi-
clans thoughtfulness for others ran to
the extreme of doing his first practice on
the flute high up on the branch of cher
ry tree. so that his first false notes. would
not annoy the family as much as they
annoyed himself.
Adopts Career of Music.
The piano that came to him when he
was sixteen drove from the boys head
any last thoughts he may have had of
shipping and accounts. \ music teacher
in Hartford named Babcock took Dudley
in charge then to give him his first les
sons About this time he entered Trinity
College, Hartford, and soon afterward
took up his duties organist of St.
Johns Episcopal Church. Hartford.
1t was evident to his parents by this
time that the youths lifework was music,
and they determined that his training
should be Of the best. Wherefore he was
taken out of Trinity College in his junior
year and sent to the Leipslc Conservatory
when nineteen years old.
Here he met as fellow students Sir Ar
thur Sullivan, Carl Rosa, John Francis
Barnett. S. B. Mills, Madeline Schiller,
after whom he named his daughter, and
| others who later became famous.
After his three years of German train
ing Mr.. Buck studied for a year in Paris.
He returned to America i'll 1862 and
after the death of his parents he went
teacher. Later Mr.. Buck went to Boston
as organist of ST. Paul's Church there,
and. later, of Bostons Music Hall. the
highest honor a Boston musician at that
time could attain.
Assistant to Theodore Thomas.
While he was adding to his reputation
in Boston he attracted the attention of
the late Theodore Thomas. who was then
conducting the concerts at the Central
! Park Garden in this city. Mr.. Thomas,
in 1915, invited Mr.. Buck to become his
assistant conductor, which the young
! composer accepted, but not until he had
| first gone to Cincinnati as organist of
! the May festival.
Mr. Bucks fame became international
when he was invited to compose the can
! tata for the opening OF the centennial
exposition He took up Sidney Laner s
| uoenl, The Centennial Meditation of Co
| lumbia'' and set it to music and upon
! the opening of the exposition Mr.. Thorn
as mounted the platform before chorus
| of 800 and an orchestra of 80 at the
centennis! Inauguration in May, 1876 and
Conducted the work.
Cincinnati wanted Mr. Buck to take
| permanent charge of her new music hall
! N 1878, but he previously had decided
~ accept a call from Holy Trinity
! Church, Brooklyn, to become the Or
I ganist and musical director.
He took charge of the music in Ply
mouth Church, Brooklyn, in May, 1902,
after a service of twenty-five years at
Holy Trinity. Since then he had divided
MS time between Europe and America.