Arthur Whiting

Arthur Batelle Whiting (June 20, 1861 – July 20, 1936) was an American teacher, pianist, composer, and writer on music, known for his conservative compositional style, espousal of early music, and his long-running university lecture-recital series.

Biography

Whiting was born on June 20, 1861, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, son of Charles Edward and Emma Reeves Leland Whiting. He began studying piano at the age of 8 with his mother. A few years later, he left school and was placed under the instruction of his uncle, organist and composer George E. Whiting, who gave him lessons in the organ. He continued studying the piano; in 1873 or 1874, at the age of 13, he began his career as a concert pianist, in a concert in Worcester, Massachusetts. Whiting also studied piano with Prof. Hans Bussmeyer (1853–1930), head of the piano department at the School Organ music Chamber music for various combinations of instruments Arrangements of French and English folk songs Transcriptions for piano of toccatas and suites of Bach and Handel