Albert Spalding was an American violinist and composer. He is remembered as one of the leading violinists of his day.
Background
Albert was born on August 15, 1888 in Chicago, Illinois, United States, the son of James Walter Spalding, cofounder of the sporting goods enterprise, and Marie Boardman Spalding. His mother, who had studied singing and the piano before her marriage, entertained musicians at her homes in Florence, Italy, and Monmouth, New Jersey.
Education
At the age of seven Spalding received his first violin, a half-size instrument, as a Christmas present; he later recalled that his pleasure was only slightly dampened by the realization that he could not play it. His parents soon found teachers, Ulpiano Chiti and Jean Buitrago, who were quick to recognize and cultivate his gifts.
At the age of fourteen, at Chiti's suggestion, Spalding entered and passed with highest honors the examination for the diploma at the Bologna Conservatory of Music, although he had not studied there. Shunning the role of prodigy, he continued his studies privately in Paris.
Career
Spalding made his debut in Paris on June 6, 1905, performing Saint-Saens's Concerto no. 3 in B Minor and the Chaconne from Bach's unaccompanied Partita no. 2. His American debut in Carnegie Hall was on November 8, 1908, with the New York Symphony Orchestra conducted by Damrosch. Although he was sharply criticized by critic Henry Krehbiel, other commentators praised his freshness and purity of style. He subsequently performed widely in the United States and Europe until the outbreak of World War I, when he enlisted in the Air Service of the United States Signal Corps.
Commissioned first lieutenant and sent to Italy, he served as assistant to Major Fiorello H. La Guardia on the Joint Army and Navy Aircraft Board, accompanying La Guardia on a secret mission to Spain to arrange the transport of raw materials to Italy.
The following year, with composer-pianist John Powell, he toured Europe with the New York Symphony Orchestra. Damrosch considered Spalding the first great instrumentalist that the United States had produced; he was unquestionably the first American violinist to gain a major international reputation.
In 1923 he sat on jury examinations at the National Conservatory of Music in Paris, the first American so honored. Four years later, to the surprise of many Europeans, the German conductor Karl Muck invited "der Amerikaner" to be soloist in the Beethoven Violin Concerto at the Beethoven Centennial Festival in Hamburg. In addition to his concert tours, Spalding taught master classes at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City from 1933 to 1944.
From 1940 to 1942 Spalding was soloist and master of ceremonies in a popular series of weekly musical programs broadcast by a national radio network. Commissioned colonel during World War II, Spalding directed psychological warfare operations in North Africa and Italy, and made radio broadcasts as "Major Sheridan" to rally Italian partisans.
He resumed his concert career in 1945 but decided to retire five years later, "while they still regret to see me go, " and made his farewell appearance at Lewisohn Stadium in New York City on June 20, 1950.
After retiring he taught at the Boston University College of Music and at the University of Florida at Tallahassee. Spalding composed more than 100 works, including songs, chamber works, orchestral compositions, and cadenzas to violin concertos.