Fritz Scheel was a German violinist and conductor, worked mostly as the Philadelphia Orchestra's music director.
Background
Fritz was born on November 7, 1852 in Lubeck, Germany, the son and grandson of musical conductors. His mother was a talented amateur musician.
Before he was ten years of age Scheel was able to occupy one of the first violin desks in his father's orchestra and on occasion filled vacancies by playing the horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba. He also organized and conducted a juvenile orchestra of his own.
Education
Scheel had his first musical training in his native town, piano lessons from F. Burjani, and violin instruction from Gottfried Herrmann. From 1864 to 1867 he studied the violin under Ferdinand David in Leipzig.
Career
In 1869 Fritz went to Bremerhaven, first as concert-master at the opera, and then as conductor of concerts. In 1873 he went to Schwerin as solo violinist and director of the court orchestra.
After a term at Bremen, he went to Chemnitz in 1882 to succeed Hans Sitt as Kapellmeister. Here he directed an orchestra of seventy-two players, as well as the Sitt Chor Gesangverein, a chorus of several hundred voices. The orchestra became well known and was invited to travel to various cities in Saxony. In 1890 Scheel moved to Hamburg, where he alternated with Hans von Bulow as conductor of the Abonnement Concerts.
At the time he came to America, in 1893, Scheel was a musician with thorough experience in all branches of the profession. He made his first appearances in New York City, and then organized an orchestra which gave concerts at the Trocadero of the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. This enterprise was not successful, however, and Scheel later took an orchestra to San Francisco to play at the concerts of the Midwinter Fair. He was induced to remain in San Francisco, and became the first conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Society.
In 1899 Scheel went to Philadelphia, where he conducted an orchestra at Woodside Park, a summer resort. His concerts attracted the attention of the managers of the Philadelphia Symphony Society, an amateur organization, and he was elected conductor the same year. In 1901 the Philadelphia Orchestra Association was organized, and Scheel made conductor - a post which he held until his death.
In addition to his work with the orchestra, Scheel directed two choral organizations, the Orpheus and the Eurydice clubs. These labors proved too great a burden for his strength, and he began to suffer a gradual breakdown about a year before his death.
Achievements
Views
From the very beginning Scheel insisted upon highly artistic and classical performances, sturdily resisting the demands of the managers for more "popular" programs.
Personality
Scheel had rare skill, courage, and unflagging energy.