Background
Henry was born on July 11, 1811 in Hamburg, Germany.
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Henry Christian Timm
Edit ProfileEducation
He received his musical education from Albert Gottlieb Methfessel (known principally as a composer of part-songs for men's voices), and Jacob Schmitt.
Career
He made his début abroad in 1828.
In 1835 he emigrated to New York and immediately became active in the city's musical life. He made his first American appearance in a concert at the Park Theatre, and at once gained popular favor. His next venture was an unsuccessful concert tour of New England, after which he returned to New York and became second horn player at the Park Theatre.
Later he went South for six months as conductor of a traveling opera troupe. He remained in Baltimore for a time, where he had a position as church organist and gave some concerts with Signora Velané and the baritone, Giuseppe De Begnis.
Upon his return to New York, he became trombone player and chorus master of Charles Edward Horn's opera company, which was about to open the National Opera House with The Pilgrim of Love. The theatre burned a few months later and Timm secured a position as organist of St. Thomas's Church. Later he became organist at All Souls', where he played for almost eighteen years.
Timm often appeared as piano soloist with the Philharmonic. As a composer, Timm wrote a Grand Mass for soli, chorus, orchestra, and organ; a number of part-songs; and transcriptions for two pianos of classical works. As an editor, he prepared several editions of works from the standard repertoire.
He was one of the early members of the Philharmonic Society of New York (founded in 1842), assistant director in its third and fourth seasons, vice-president in its fifth, and president from 1848 to 1863 (seventh to twenty-first seasons inclusive).
He died in Hoboken, N. J.
Achievements
Works
Membership
He was a member of the Philharmonic Society of New York.
Personality
Quotes from others about the person
The New York correspondent of Dwight's Journal of Music called him "the most elegant of our pianists" (May 1, 1852), and on another occasion (Nov. 20, 1852) he wrote: "How finely that gentleman plays you need not be told. The deeply melancholy character of the music (Hummel's piano concerto in B minor) was admirably conveyed in the performance of both pianist and orchestra, and was doubly effective from its contrast to the Symphony" (Beethoven's 8th).
The same magazine was less flattering in another account: "Later in the evening he (William Scharfenberg) and Mr. Timm played a Grand Duo of Mendelssohn's. . It was effective but not striking. " William Mason, the pianist, perpetuated the tradition that Timm had such a perfect technique that he could play scales with a full wine glass on the back of each hand without spilling a drop (Memories of a Musical Life, 1901, p. 58).
