Background
Frank Stuart Mason was born on October 21, 1883 and was a son of Frank Hale and Lucretia Augusta (Chipman) Mason, of Weymouth, Massachussets. He was of Pilgrim and Puritan lineage.
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Frank Stuart Mason
Edit ProfileEducation
Early disclosing musical talent, Stuart, as he was always called, was sent, after his graduation from the Weymouth schools, to the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he had as his principal instructor J. Albert Jeffery. While still a music student he made many public appearances of local note. Graduated in 1907 at the head of his class, he continued his professional education at Paris where he studied the pianoforte with Isidor Philipp, Raoul Pugno, and André Wormser, and composition with André Gedalge. He began at this time researches in old French music which he pursued throughout his career with scholarly thoroughness and an artist's enthusiasm.
Career
Mason returned to Boston singularly well equipped for professional success. His training had been of the best. No struggle was needed to establish him in a city where he was already well known. A place was at once offered him on the Conservatory faculty, with a full teaching schedule. Because of his reputation and the charm of his personality pupils were eager to attend his classes in pianoforte, harmony, harmonic analysis, canon, fugue, composition, and instrumentation. When Louis C. Elson died Mason took over his celebrated course in the history of music and maintained its popularity. While teaching long hours at the Conservatory he multiplied his contacts in the community. His début as a pianist with the Boston Orchestral Club in 1910 was followed by many engagements. In 1919 he was invited by Emil Mollenauer, conductor, to be assistant conductor of the newly organized People's Symphony Orchestra of Boston, of which he himself later became conductor, showing marked ability in arranging unusual programs and in inspiring a band containing both professional and amateur players. He continued to give programs of ancient French music at frequent intervals, and accounts of them, sent to his friends in France, led to his being twice decorated by the French government. He was invited in 1923 to be guest conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, an unusual honor for a resident musician. Mason meantime lectured on the history and appreciation of music throughout the state under the university extension division of the Massachusetts department of education. He gave courses in the summer school of Boston University, ranking as assistant professor. He wrote music criticism for the Christian Science Monitor, "always, " according to a contemporary, "with admirable clarity, discrimination and avoidance of meaningless eulogy and puff. " A breakdown occured in October 1929, from which he appeared to be recovering when he was fatally stricken in his classroom.
Achievements
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In the history of music Mason took an important role. As a composer he made a most auspicious start toward eminence with his "Rhapsody on a Persian Air" and the orchestral suite, "Bergerie, " both which were produced by several symphony orchestras. His published work also included pianoforte and chamber music compositions and several songs.
Personality
Mason possessed remarkable physical energy and mental buoyancy. Mason was often warned by friends that he was doing too much, but his reply was always that of a vigorous and genial man who took his responsibilities seriously, himself not at all so.
Connections
He was married on December 25, 1925, to Margaret C. Mason, formerly of Clarinda, Iowa, who like himself was a high-honor graduate of the New England Conservatory and a member of its faculty.
