Henry Edward Krehbiel

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Henry Edward Krehbiel (March 10, 1854–March 20, 1923) was an American music critic and musicologist.

Krehbiel was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He received a general education from his father, a German clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and began in 1872 the study of law in Cincinnati, Ohio. In June, 1874, he was attached to the staff of the "Cincinnati Gazette" as musical critic, which post he held until November, 1880.

He then went to New York, where he became musical editor of the New York Tribune. He became an influential music critic, writing many articles for the Tribune, Scribner's Monthly and other journals.

He authored many books about various aspects of music, including one of the earliest examinations of African American music.

He also annotated concert programs (including many of Paderewski's recitals).

Krehbiel translated some opera libretti, including: Nicolai's Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor (1886), Paderewski's Manru (1902), and Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor (1916). (Dates given are the first performance of English translation.)

Krehbiel was a strong supporter of music by Richard Wagner, Johannes Brahms, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky when they were not yet well-known in America.

[edit] Books by Krehbiel

The Technics of Violin Playing (1880)
Notes on the cultivation of choral music and the Oratorio Society of New York (1884)
Studies in the Wagnerian drama (1891)
How to listen to music; hints and suggestions to untaught lovers of the art (1897)
Music and manners from Pergolese to Beethoven (1898)--essays
Chapters of opera (1908)--revised 1911
A Book of operas (1909)
Pianoforte and its music (1911)
Afro-American folksongs : a study in racial and national music (1914)
A second book of operas (1917)
More chapters of opera (1919)
The life of Ludwig van Beethoven, by Alexander Wheelock Thayer (1921)--Edited by Krehbiel