The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-03-27
years he was the conductor Of the

years he was the conductor Of the
pnlinarmoDfc choir. He gave this city
lts nrst nome made music festival
Win Les Mo1nes singers and orches-
ira. After concerts had been losing
ventures to the point of despair, for
years. Dean Nagel broke the hoodoo
with concert by DR.. Ludwig Wull-
ner that packed Fosters opera house.
He has been very active In every
movement for more and better music
In Des Moines with both hard work
and good advice, and gave much time
and energy to assisting all sorts Of
musical affairs.
At large financial risk, DR.. Nagel
brought many famous musical artists
TO Des Moines during several years.
Among the worlds greatest artists
mere under the management Of Dean
Nagel are David Bispham, Caroline
White, Nine. Sturko-Ryder, Arthur
Hartmann, Albert Spaulding, Ludwig
Wullner. Busoni twice, Ysaye. Among
the famous archestras he brought here
was the London Symphony orchestra
with Herr Arthur Nikisch. conductor.
DR.. Nagel incidentally gave Des
Mo1nes Its first outdoor drama when
he brought here the Coburn players
to play on the college campus The
Canterbury Pilgrims. recently produc.
ed in New York as a grand opera.
Dean Nagel has had a large fnflu-
ence as a teacher and college execsl-
tive, and his pupils in large numbers
are in concert work and college fac.
ulty positions all over the United
States
Artistic Pianist and Composer.
The musical education of Mr.. Frank
Nagel began at an early age under
private teachers at the family home,
"Cedarcroft" in the edge of Warsaw.
Illinois. perhaps the finest and most
elegant home on the Mississippi river
bluffs from st. Paul to New Orleans,
which he recently inherited. 1t is an
ideal residence for an artist. musical
or other. and there Frank Nagel stu
died music and worked hard during
his youth. Through the advice Of his
friend Found. editor Of Musical Am
erica" he went to Dresden to study
for three years under Herman Scholtz,
court pianist to the king of Saxony.
After a long tour through musical
Europe, he returned to America and
spent d Lew years LII IlIe INOChy uIUuIl-
tain states and q few more years
kuk before coming to Des Moines.
DR.. Nagel has done good deal OF
composition, some of it Of really great
importance, but little Of it has been
published owing to the demands made
upon the composer by his college
work Before coming to Des Moines,
he wrote light, opera, "Pocahontas"
of much musical merit and produced
several times in various cities. He
has in his portfolio many piano COM
positions and songs. A song cycle
for mixed voices and reader was COM
posed few years ago in collaboration
with Major S. H. NJ. Byers, the poet.
One of his works is a musical setting
to "Thanatopsis," which has been very
popular.
Before the exactions of his college
work occupied so much Of his ener.
gies, DR.. Nagel made several success
full concert tours and became recog-
nized as one OF the best pianists in
the west. He played three times for
the National Educational association
At the st. Louis exposi-
tion he played a program Of his own
compositions by special invitation.
A Paradox of a Persona Ilty.
Dean Nagel certainly is a paradox
in humanity" said one of his old
friends today. for he, not only is a
great musician hut also one of the
best balanced menu ever knew. If he
has the least symptom of cranky
streak in him. have not been able to
find it in twenty years OF close con-
tact with him. HE Is a remarkably
good business man and manager, and
Of course all Des Moines knows he IS
a good fellow."t.
He has many warm friends In Des
Moines among not only musicians but
also among members Of the business
mems, women's and other organiza-
lions. He is a charter member Of the
Des Moines club.
DR.. Nagel has offers from several
eastern music schools, another to be-
come an executive in the manag cement
of a big opera company, and also OF
a very prominent position as a con-
ductor in the east. but he is declining
them all to attain that rest in work
ing on his compositions. He will live
in New York where he will also be In
closer contact with his son, Conrad
Nagel, who has become famous as an
actor star as Youth in Experience"
The family expect to leave Des Moines
about the first week in August.