Carl Busch

Carl Busch (29 March 1862 – 19 December 1943) was a Danish-American composer, conductor, and music educator. He was the founding conductor the original Kansas City Symphony Orchestra, taught at the Kansas City–Horner Conservatory, was among the founding faculty of the University of Kansas City, and contributed to the founding of the Kansas City Philharmonic. Several of his compositions were associated with the Indianist movement. His students included Florence Price, William Dawson, and Robert Russell Bennett. and worked under Johan Svendsen. Busch later taught at the Kansas City—Horner Conservatory, and was one of the first faculty members of the University of Kansas City. He also held summer teaching positions at Chicago Musical College, Brigham Young University, University of Notre Dame, and the Interlochen Center for the Arts. In Chicago, Busch taught Florence Price in the summer of 1926.

Personal life

Busch married pianist Sallie Saltenstall Simpson Smith on December 27, 1888. After their marriage, Sallie Smith Busch went on to study at Leipzig Conservatory with Carl Reinecke for four years, later returning to Kansas City where she established a reputation as a concert pianist and piano teacher. Since 1918, Busch spent many summer months in Cape Cod, the Ozarks, and Battle Creek, Michigan. In his later years, Busch mainly visited Battle Creek as a guest of one of his former pupils, who provided him with a cabin where he composed.

Later years and death

Sallie Smith Busch died in 1939. Busch died in Kansas City in 1943.

Music Busch (third from left) in 1927 on a visit to teach during the summer term at Brigham Young University. William F. Hanson (far left) was another composer to adopt Native American elements in his music. Busch was especially noted for his works based on themes from the Western United States, and he would frequently incorporate American Indian themes into his music. He set many tribal songs as solos, and reworked some into larger pieces such as the Four Indian Tribal Melodies for string orchestra, based upon the music of the Omaha and Chippewa. Other works, such as A Chant from the Great Plains for band, are more generically "Western" in their inspiration. Among Busch's other works was the suite Ozarka, about the Ozarks in southern Missouri.

Honors and recognition

Busch was knighted by King Christian X of Denmark to the Order of the Dannebrog in September 1912. He became known as "Sir Carl." In October 1924, Busch was further awarded the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav First Class by King Haakon VII of Norway.

The Kansas City Philharmonic honored Busch at a 1938 testimonial concert conducted by Karl Krueger and attended by more than 1,700 people.

Notes and references