Richard Ellsasser
Encyclopedia
Richard Ellsasser was an American concert organist, composer, and conductor, who was primarily active during the 1940s, 50's and 60's. Born in Cleveland, Ohio
, on September 14, 1926, the young Ellsasser was a musical prodigy who studied piano and organ, first with his father, and later with Winslow Cheney and Albert Riemenschneider
. At the age of seven, he toured the eastern United States as an organist with various symphony orchestras. He made his New York organ debut in 1937. At the age of 19 he became the youngest person in history to have played, from memory, all 250+ organ works of J. S. Bach.
Ellsasser later went on to study at Oberlin College
, Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory (from which he obtained his Bachelor of Music degree), the School of Theology at Boston University
, and the School of Religion at the University of Southern California
(where he earned a Master's Degree in Theology). Ellsasser also earned a Doctorate from Boston University.
For many years, Ellsasser was Minister of Music at Wilshire United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, California
, where he later created and directed a series of music festivals. In later years, he became Minister of Recitals at the First Congregational Church in Los Angeles.
A prolific recording artist, Ellsasser made numerous "private label" recordings during the 1950s for MGM Records
, primarily at the Hammond Castle Museum
in Gloucester, Massachusetts
. He also recorded several albums for Kapp Records.
During the 1960s, Ellsasser became a faculty member at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan
.
In 1967, Ellsasser recorded two albums for Nonesuch Records
at the Hammond Castle Museum. Shortly after completing these recordings, he suffered a stroke, which forced him into retirement. He died August 9, 1972 in New York.
Ellsasser is (presumed to be) the author of the famous Rondo in G for organ, falsely attributed to John Bull.
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, on September 14, 1926, the young Ellsasser was a musical prodigy who studied piano and organ, first with his father, and later with Winslow Cheney and Albert Riemenschneider
Albert Riemenschneider
Albert Riemenschneider was an American musician and Bach musicologist.Riemenschneider was born into a musical family. His father, Karl H. Riemenschneider,There are two conflicting sources about the name of his father: T. Riemenschneider & L...
. At the age of seven, he toured the eastern United States as an organist with various symphony orchestras. He made his New York organ debut in 1937. At the age of 19 he became the youngest person in history to have played, from memory, all 250+ organ works of J. S. Bach.
Ellsasser later went on to study at Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
, Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory (from which he obtained his Bachelor of Music degree), the School of Theology at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, and the School of Religion at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(where he earned a Master's Degree in Theology). Ellsasser also earned a Doctorate from Boston University.
For many years, Ellsasser was Minister of Music at Wilshire United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, where he later created and directed a series of music festivals. In later years, he became Minister of Recitals at the First Congregational Church in Los Angeles.
A prolific recording artist, Ellsasser made numerous "private label" recordings during the 1950s for MGM Records
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
, primarily at the Hammond Castle Museum
Hammond Castle
Hammond Castle is located on the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The castle, which was constructed between 1926 and 1929, was the home and laboratory of John Hays Hammond, Jr. Mr. Hammond was an inventor who was a pioneer in remote control and held over four hundred patents...
in Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester is a city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is part of Massachusetts' North Shore. The population was 28,789 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
. He also recorded several albums for Kapp Records.
During the 1960s, Ellsasser became a faculty member at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan
Interlochen, Michigan
Interlochen is a town in Northwest Lower Michigan. The town is noted for the internationally renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts.-History:...
.
In 1967, Ellsasser recorded two albums for Nonesuch Records
Nonesuch Records
Nonesuch Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Bros. Records.-Company history:Nonesuch was founded in 1964 by Jac Holzman to produce "fine records at the same price as a trade paperback", which would be half the price of a normal LP...
at the Hammond Castle Museum. Shortly after completing these recordings, he suffered a stroke, which forced him into retirement. He died August 9, 1972 in New York.
Ellsasser is (presumed to be) the author of the famous Rondo in G for organ, falsely attributed to John Bull.