New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
Beethoven's 15Oth Birthday
To Be Celebrated This Week
Anniversary To Be Observed by Philharmonic So.
ciety and Beethoven Association; Some Facts
About Early Symphonic Performances

'e"0o'' ne elgnth-Nienna, February
- 1914; London, May 20, 1926; Paris.
February 10, 1882; New York. Novem-
Der Is, 1874 The ninth ("Choralo)-
Vienna, May 7, 1924; Leipsic (under
mendelssohnl, February II, 1896; Lon
don (under Sir George Smart, who went
TO Vienna to get tempo indications from
The composerl, March q, 1925; New
York (at a festival concert in Castle
Garden), on May 20, l846.
First American Beethoven Conductors
Something may be said Of the con-
ductors TO whom fell the honor of con-
ducting the symphonies fer the first
time at Philharmonic concerts, and. As
rule, for the first time in America
Although the programs for long time
we're composed by the board of officers
OF the society, it is safe to assume that
he president, who was e1-oflcio the
. CONDUCTOR Of the concerts, had much to
ay about the choice Of compositions
specially the symphony which was the
rincipal number in the scheme.
For twenty-six years the president
nad what was called "assistants." and
them was accorded the privilege of
occasionally conducting a concert in
whole or in part. In the case OF the
second symphony We are not certain
whether the conductor was Boucher or
Loder, for both names figured on the
program; but in the other cases there is
no doubt. The first was conducted bv
Theodore Eisfeld; the second by Alfred
Boucher or George Loder; the third
by L. {. Hill; the fourth by Theodore
Eisfeld; the fifth by U. c. Hill; the
sixth by Henry c. Timm; the seventh
by L. c. HILL the eighth by George
Loder; the ninth by George Loder. Evil
IDENTIFY the most indefatigablc Beethoven
propagandists in the early days of the
society were Hill and Loder. The former
was the real founder Of the society. an
American to whose history it was the
fortune of The Tribune's musical re-
viewer for the last forty years (who
was also the Philharmonic Society's
first historian TO make a large con-
tribution, Indeed, until The Tribune's
reviewer published it, even his Christian
name was unknown 10 the musical his
torians.
Career of l.. c. Hill
Before that he was only "U. C. Hill"
and occasionally "Uriah c. Hill" In
books and other publications. He was
Vermonter, born in 1907, and vio-
linist who had studied with Spohr.
From Germany he brought back the
enthusiasm for the great works Of the
symphonists and oratorio composers
which made him the most potent factor
in New York's musical life for many
years. He died, pathetically miserable
suicide, in September, 1885. He was
president Of the Philharm onic Society
during the first six years of its exist
ence, vice president for the succeeding
seven years and conducted eight con-
certs in the first five years. Alfred
Boucher was q Frenchman, probably a
younger brother or son Of Alexandra
Jean Boucher, who cut a singular figure
in the musical life OF Europe in the
latter part Of the eighteenth century
and the early part of the nineteenth.
His resem blance TO Bonaparte was so
striking tina. ne once amused the Rus
sian Alexander by impersonating the
Corsican so successfully that the Cars
mother was completely deceived until
he played a solo upon the violin. The
ability 10 do that, she knew, was not
one Of Napoleon's mplshments.
Loder was q member OF a we'll known
English family Of musicians, composers
and performers. He was born in Barth
in 1916 and came to America in 1886.
He went TO Australia in 1855, became
an opera conductor and died in Ade-
laide in 1868. Henry c. Timm was
, German, native Of Hamburg. where
he was born in 1911. He came to
New York in 1885, was active az or
ganist pianist, teacher, and, though
dead since 1899, he is still alive in
the admiring memory of many Of
New York's music lovers. When Mr..
Loder went 10 Australia the society
changed its plan Of variable condnc-
conner from Germany. In a hurried
review Of a concert some two days or
a fortnight ago, this writer said that
he had met his death in shipwreck.
The fact In that, while returning from
visit 10 Europe, the ship Austria, on