New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-02
L. J. De Coppet Dead in
Sons Arms After Listen
ing to Favorite Music.
FOUNDED FLONZALEY
QUARTET YEARS AGO
Patron Of Art Had Summer
Home Near Paderewski's, at
Lake Geneva.


legged TO die TO the sound Of the music
that he loved dearest. yet such was the
case with Edward J. de Coppet. founder
and patron OF the Flonzaley Quartet
and as true lover Of the highest in
music as America has ever possessed
Mr. de Coppct died suddenly from
apopleXy on Sunday evening at his
| home, 37i West EiRhty-ffth street. just
after listening TO the Flonzalcy's play
/ ing of the Beethoven Quartet No. -
one OF his best loved compositions. The
/ Glonzaley Quartet, consisting of AdolfC
] BETH, Alfred Pochon, UCo Ara and
! Ivan dArchambeau. when in New York
! invariably diucd with their patron on
Sunday evening, generally playing for
him before and after dinner.
On Sunday evening they chose the
! Beethoven Quartet 10 play before going
. in 90 dinner, knowing that it was q
( great fsvorite Of Mr.. dc Coppet's They
played IL, Mr. &c Coppet and his fam
Ily being the sole audience. and AZ It's
conclusion Mr. de Coppct expressed his
delight He seemed perfectly well and
there was no hint of any approaching
trouble.
Dies in Sons Arms.
About fifteen minutes after the quar-
tet had been finished dinner was an
nounced and Mr.. de Coppet rose 10 en-
ter the dining room. As he did 80 his
son saw him waver and put his hand
/ TO his head With the assistance or
/ Mr.. Betti. Mr.. Pochon. Mr.. Ara and Mr..
/ d'Archambeau, he supported his father
{ 10 a chair. where he Immediately lapsed
/ into Inconsistencies, dying soon after
ward.
His last work and his last thoughts
/ had been Of the music Of the great
/ composer. whom above all others he
/ loved and reverenced. As Mr. Pochon
expressed il, he could have had no more
/ beautiful or more fitting end.
( Edward j. de COppet was born on
Nav %, 1853, in New York City. His
father Louis de Coppet. had come 70
/ New York from Switzerland in 1928,
and was in business in Wall Street for
many years. Edward J. dc Coppet was
/ educated in Switzerland and came
I back TO America in 1876, going at once
| into business in Wall Street. In 1891
/ ne founded the present stock Exchange
house of De Coppet & Doremus. lie
leaves . wife, son and a daughter.
Founded Flonzaley Quartet.
MIR. dc Coppet was type OF art
patron more common in Europe than
/ in America. The Flonzaley Quartet
was established by himself as his pr
/ waite orchestra, to play solely for him
| ard his guests. lie loved music, and
especially chamber music, to degree
rarely attained, and. being q man OF
ample means. he conceived the idea or
having an organization OF his own.
For years before the formation OF
/ the Flonzaleys he had various chamber
music organizations, both professlonal
and amateur. play for him az MS villa
near Ncyey and at his home IN New
York The present Flonzaley Quartet,
named from his place DO Switzerland,
came into being n 1902, but for three
wears % was merely a private organi-
zation. playing only at his home and at
few semi-pubic concerts. In 1919,
however, 10 entered the field as p regu-
/ lar musical organization, and very
! shortly became self-suppor
OF late years Mr de Coppet merely
en-arcd IT. for a period Of twelve
weeks, the rest or its time being taken
un in the giving Of public concerts.
Nr. de Coppet insisted, however, that
the four members Of the quartet should
give all their time 10 pcriecung their
ensemble. and it was through ms gen
/ crosby that they were enabled to do
this without resorting 10 teaching Tor
their support.
lie spent his summers at Flonzaley'
near Neyey, on Lake Geneva, near the
homes OF Sembrich. PadcrcWsk and
SchcllinC. and here the quartet inyari-
abl- followed him, practising for me
coming season and playing for nm
wherever he was IL the mood. lie was,
as has often been SAID, a musical Me
ccnas, yet a Necenas who aimed only
al the best in art. His mind was al
WAYS open and, while he loved the
classics. he welcomed Schonberg and
Strawinsky upon the Flonzaleys pro
Grammes.
Long Patron of Music.
The quartet which he founded gave
its first concerts at the Carnegie Cham
bor Music Hall, later going 10 Mendels-
sohn and finally 70 Aeolian. OF recent
wears II made long and successful tours
throughout the country. Loudon Charl-
ton. who managed its concerts, said
Yesterday that MIR. dc Coppets death
would make no difference IN the quar-
lets policy. II is already booked for
next season, and owing 10 the war VIII
probably pass the summer IN America
L. is not known whether or not Mr
dc Coppet has in his will left any per
mancnt endowment fund for the GUAR
tct he founded, but inasmuch as that
quartet is now sClf-sUppCrtiE D., was
said Yesterday, this was not believed
probable.