Frédéric Louis Ritter (22 June 1834 – 6 July 1891)[1] was a German-American composer and author.
He was born in Strasbourg, and studied under Moritz, Hauser, and Schletterer. In 1856 he came to the United States, resided for some years in Cincinnati, where he founded the Cecilia and Philharmonic Societies, and in 1861 moved to New York City and conducted the Sacred Harmonic and Arion Societies. In New York, he married Fannie Raymond, his second wife. In 1867 he organized New York's first musical festival. The same year, he was appointed professor of music at Vassar College, although he didn't move to the campus in Poughkeepsie until 1874.
He received a doctorate from the University of New York in music in 1878. He held the Vassar post until his death in Antwerp. Albert Metcalf bought his music library and gave it to Tufts University.
He composed many songs, orchestral, church, and piano music. He wrote several works on music with his wife: