Theodore Presser
Contents |
History
Theodore Presser (1848-1925) started studying the piano, organ and composition at New England Conservatory in 1873. In 1876 he became head of the music department at Ohio Wesleyan University. From 1878 until 1880 Presser went on studying the piano and composition at the conservatory in Leipzig. He worked as a professor for music at Hollins College from 1880 until 1883 and in 1883 also at the Summer School at the University of Philadelphia. The same year, he founded the periodical The Etude, a magazine for music pedagogy which merged with Brainard's Musical World in 1895 and was easily the most well-known and widely circulated journal devoted to pianists and piano teachers until its closure in 1957.
In 1883, Presser established the Theodore Presser Music Publishing Company in Philadelphia, which was to become a significant publishing house. The company increased its growth also by acquisition of other publishers, including Ditson, Mercury and Elkan-Vogel, among others. Presser enjoys wide representation in other countries as well, which can be seen by perusing its listing of worldwide affiliates. In 2001, the archive of the company was purchased by the Library of Congress.
Presser was also known as a philanthropist; he established the Presser Foundation in 1916 which includes the Presser Home for Retired Music Teachers and other charitable organizations.
Important acqusitions
- John Church Company (1930)
- Oliver Ditson Company (1931)
- Merion Music (before 1962)
- Mercury Music Corporation (1969)
- Elkan-Vogel (1972)
- most rights of the American Music Edition (1981)
Editions
Imprints, Addresses, Agencies
The Theodore Presser Music Publishing Company was established in 1883 in Philadelphia.
In 1949, the company's head office moved to Bryn Mawr, a suburb of Philadelphia.
From 2004 on, the company has been concentrating its publishing and distribution business in its head office in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
- Theodore Presser Music Publishing Company
- Theodore Presser Company
Plate Numbers
Format: ##### - ## with the numbers after the hyphen being the number of music plates for the particular work.
| Plate | Composer | Work | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2205 | Gilchrist | Southern Lullaby, Schleifer 419 | 1897 |
| 3489 | Leschetizky | Valse Chromatique, Op.22 | 1901 |
| 4903 | Engelmann | Apple Blossoms | 1905 |
| 5051 | Chaminade | Valse-Caprice, Op.33 | (1902) |
| 5296 | Thomas | The Viking's Daughter | (1903) |
| 5319-9 | Parker | A Gipsy maiden, I (med. voice) | 1903 |
| 7600 | Hofmann | Humoreske, Op.59 | 1909 |
| 8757 | Sapelnikov | Polka Caprice | 1910 |
| 13011-25 | Rogers | Suite No.2 | 1915 |
| 14439-20 | Holst | Shooting Stars Galop | 1917 |
| 15156 | Carreño | Mi Teresita (vn/pf arr. by A. Hartmann) | 1918 |
| 16952 | Wagner | Die Walküre, WWV 86B (Ride of the Valkyries, Hutcheson pf arr.) | 1920 |
| 18654 | Beach | Fantasia fugata, Op.87 | 1923 |
| 24030 | Beach | A Bit of Cairo | 1928 |
| 25530 to 25532 | Beach | 3 Piano Pieces, Op.128 | 1932 |
| 30113 | Sousa | The Stars and Stripes Forever (pf6h arr.) | |
| 34002-6 | Sousa | The Stars and Stripes Forever (pts.) | |
| P.C. 347 | Bach | Sinfonias, BWV 787-801 | 1937 |
Sources Consulted
- 1. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, edited by Stanley Sadie. New York and London: Macmillan Publications, 1980.
- 2. Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart. 2nd ed. Ludwig Finscher. Kassel ; Stuttgart: Bärenreiter ; Metzler, 2005.
- 3. Theodore Presser Company, The Presser Story. 2001. http://www.presser.com/aboutus.cfm (accessed 25.11.2010).
- 4. Theodore Presser Company. Wikipedia article (accessed 29.11.2010).
