Background
Eichheim, Henry was born on January 3, 1870 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Son of Meinhard and Augusta (Pellage) Eichheim.
Eichheim, Henry was born on January 3, 1870 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Son of Meinhard and Augusta (Pellage) Eichheim.
Graduate (1st prize in violin) Chicago Musical College.
He is best known as one of the first American composers to combine the sound of indigenous Asian instruments with western orchestral colors. He later went to Boston to play with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. After about 1912 he became more interested in conducting and composition than in violin performance.
He was an early promoter of the works of contemporary French composers, particularly Debussy, Ravel and Gabriel Fauré, in the United States.
Following some trips to east Asia, including of Korea, Japan, and China, he began to study the music of those cultures, and as a result began to use both the instruments from east Asia and Indonesia in his compositions, as well as some of the rhythmic and melodic elements of the indigenous music He moved to Santa Barbara, California in 1922, although he continued to travel widely.
After Eichheim"s death, the University of California, Santa Barbara inherited his collection of papers, photographs and musical instruments.
Member Thomas Orchestra, New York City, 1899-1900. Member Pro Musica, Japan Society Boston, Japan Society New New New York
Married Ethel Roe, April 17, 1917 (died June 15, 1931).