Louis Charles Elson

Louis Charles Elson (April 17, 1848 – February 14, 1920) was an American music historian, music critic, writer on music, journalist, and professor of music theory at the New England Conservatory. and he began his music education at home with his mother when he was seven years old. He continued his music studies in Boston with organist and horn player Carl August Hamann (piano) and tenor August Kreissmann (singing). From Kreissmann he received a thorough grounding in the German lieder repertoire.

By the early 1870s Elson was teaching his own private music students in Boston, and his students gave a piano recitals at Wesleyan Hall in 1872 and at Mechanics Hall in 1874 and 1875. He arranged Franz Abt's Lark's Rejoicing for a performance at the 1872 World's Peace Jubilee and International Musical Festival in Boston. It was performed by Minna Peschka-Leutner. He married Bertha Lissner in Boston in 1873. His son Arthur was born later that year.

Elson achieved modest success as a vocalist; The following December he was a soloist in a concert at Odd Fellows Hall, Boston, and was the conductor for Christmas Eve program presented at EECB. At EECB he was conductor of the children's choir in the 1870s. He sang in other Parker-Memorial concerts in 1875, and conducted the 1876 Easter program at EECB.

After this he went to Germany to pursue further studies music at the Leipzig Conservatory. There he was a pupil of Karl Gloggner-Castelli with whom he studied music theory and music composition. He began his career as a music journalist soon after; writing first for Musician and Artist magazine. He became a contributor to the music journal The Vox Humana, "To Horse" (1875, Oliver Ditson and Company; words and music by Elson) "Murmuring Voice of the Deep" (1875, Oliver Ditson and Company; words and music by Elson) "Morning Song (Morgeulied)" (1875, Oliver Ditson and Company; words and music by Elson) "America's Centennial" (1876, Oliver Ditson and Company; words and music by Elson) "I'll Fly with Thee" (1876, Oliver Ditson and Company; music by F. Paolo Tosti and words by Elson)

Choral "Echo's of the Surf Waltz", three sacred quartettes for chorus and quartette choir (1876, Oliver Ditson and Company; words and music by Elson)