Victor Herbert American composer, cellist and conductor. Date of Birth: 01.02.1859 Country: USA

1. Biography of Victor Herbert
2. Early Life and Education
3. Musical Career
4. Operettas and Later Career
5. Death and Legacy

Biography of Victor Herbert

Victor Herbert was an American composer, cellist, and conductor. He achieved great success in his career, particularly as a composer, primarily due to his highly successful operettas that were performed on Broadway from the 1890s until World War I.

Early Life and Education

Victor Herbert was born in Dublin, Ireland, to Protestant parents Edward and Fanny Herbert. At the age of three and a half, Victor lost his father, and his mother brought him to live with her parents in London. In London, Victor received a decent education and was able to develop his creative abilities. His environment played a significant role in this, as his grandfather, Samuel Lover, was a successful Irish writer, playwright, poet, and composer. Later, Victor's mother remarried German physician Carl Schmidt, and in 1867, the family moved to Stuttgart, Germany. In Stuttgart, Victor continued his education, receiving a respectable education from the local gymnasium, including a musical education.

Musical Career

Initially, Victor Herbert considered studying medicine. However, he couldn't afford the expensive education, despite his stepfather being related to members of the German royal family. Studying music was more affordable, so Herbert began learning the piano and flute before becoming passionate about the cello. He mastered the cello under the guidance of Bernhard Cossmann. In the early 1880s, Herbert began playing the cello professionally in Vienna, Austria, and Stuttgart, Germany. It was during this time that he started composing orchestral works.

In 1886, Herbert and his wife, opera singer Therese Förster, moved to the United States. They secured a contract with the Metropolitan Opera, where Herbert continued to perform actively. He also taught at the National Conservatory of Music, specializing in conducting and composition. From 1898 to 1904, Herbert served as the conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Afterward, he formed his own ensemble, the Victor Herbert Orchestra, and remained its conductor until his death.

Operettas and Later Career

Herbert began writing operettas in 1894, with notable successes such as "The Serenade" in 1897 and "The Fortune Teller" in 1898. His most successful operettas, however, were created in the new century. "Babes in Toyland" premiered in 1903, followed by "Mlle. Modiste" in 1905. After World War I, musical tastes shifted, and people embraced jazz, reggae, foxtrot, and tango. Herbert attempted to adapt to the new wave, actively composing musicals and working for other composers' productions. Although some of his work during this period was met with relative success, he never regained his former level of accomplishment.

Death and Legacy

Victor Herbert was known by friends and family as a remarkably healthy and robust individual. Therefore, his sudden death from a heart attack on May 26, 1924, came as a shock to everyone. He was 65 years old at the time of his death. Despite his passing, Herbert's contributions to music, particularly in the operetta genre, continue to be celebrated and remembered.