Alfred Humphreys Pease

Background

Alfred Humphreys Pease was born on May 6, 1838 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. He was the second of three children of Sheldon and Marianne (Humphreys) Pease, both natives of Connecticut.

Education

Alfred Humphreys Pease manifested very early his devotion to music and drawing, but in order to prevent his development into a professional musician his parents put him through a rigid course of classical study which fitted him to enter Kenyon College at Gambier, Ohio, at the age of sixteen, where they hoped he would have the wisdom to choose another profession. His painting and drawing, however, attracted the attention of a young German artist, who persuaded the parents to permit Pease to go to Germany. On arriving in Berlin, Alfred began an intensive study of German and then took up other languages. Once having tasted the freedom of self-direction, Pease began the study of piano under Theodor Kullak but for some time did not reveal the fact in his letters. At length he persuaded his parents to sanction the pursuit of the art for which nature had endowed him. Besides studying piano with Kullak for three years, he studied composition with Wüerst and orchestration with Wieprecht. For a short time he returned to America but immediately returned to Europe and studied three years with von Bülow.

Career

Upon his return Alfred Humphreys Pease began touring in the principal cities of the United States and was immediately acclaimed as a remarkable performer. He had a brilliant technique, combined with a beautiful quality of tone and delicacy of expression, and he played with ease and grace. His tendency was to favor somewhat popular compositions, especially operatic transcriptions. During the last twelve years of his life he resided in New York City, where he moved in a select group. Pease achieved considerable success as a composer. Nearly a hundred of his songs became great favorites during his lifetime and of those "Hush Thee, My Baby" was one of the most popular. Indeed it is as a song writer that he is remembered, for most of his piano pieces (largely transcriptions of themes from Lohengrin, Aida and other operas) are forgotten.

Alfred Humphreys Pease's first songs were published in 1864, "When Sparrows Build, " and "Blow, Bugle, Blow", and each subsequent year brought new ones. During his life time his orchestral works were considered important, and his "Reverie and Andante, " "Andante and Scherzo, " and "Romanza" for brass and reed instruments were performed by Theodore Thomas in New York and elsewhere. His best work was undoubtedly his Concerto in E flat, written in 1875 and performed at an all-American concert at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, with the composer at the piano, on July 19, 1876. Pease toured with Ole Bull in 1879 and was engaged to tour with Christine Nilsson, but that was prevented by his untimely death which occurred in St. Louis in July 1882.

Alfred Humphreys Pease died of alcoholism - a habit contracted during a period of sorrow over the tragic death of his brother, who with his wife perished in a railroad disaster near New Hamburg, New York, in 1871.

Achievements

• Alfred Humphreys Pease was a popular composer and pianist in the 19th century. His earliest song "Break, break break" (1864) was one of the most popular tunes of the time. Among his best songs were Stars of the Summer Night, Tender and True, Adieu, and A Year's Spinning. Pease's orchestral compositions include Riveiere arid Andante, "Andante and Scherzo, Romanze, and Concerto, all of which were performed by Theodore Thomas's orchestra.

Connections

Alfred Humphreys Pease was unmarried.

Father:

Sheldon Pease

Mother:

Marianne (Humphreys) Pease