Thomas Ryan (musician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Ryan was an Irish
-American
musician
.
Born in Ireland, Ryan moved to the United States as a teenager in 1844, and pursued his studies in Boston
. In 1849, he formed the Mendelssohn Quintette Club
along with August Fries (1st violin), Francis Riha (2nd violin), Eduard Lehmann (viola and flute), and Wulf Fries (cello); Ryan played viola
and clarinet
. The Club gave its first concert in Boston on December 14, at the showroom of Chickering and Sons
. Ryan played with the Club for the next fifty years, by the end being its only remaining founding member.
He co-founded the "National College of Music" in 1872, headquartered at Boston's Tremont Temple
. The college employed numerous musician instructors, and attracted a substantial student body. After the fire of November 1872
, the college lost many of its students (no longer able to afford tuition), and closed in 1873. Ryan published his memoirs in Recollections of an Old Musician (1899).
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
Born in Ireland, Ryan moved to the United States as a teenager in 1844, and pursued his studies in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. In 1849, he formed the Mendelssohn Quintette Club
Mendelssohn Quintette Club
The Mendelssohn Quintette Club based in Boston, Massachusetts, was one of "the most active and most widely known chamber ensemble[s] in America" in the latter half of the 19th-century...
along with August Fries (1st violin), Francis Riha (2nd violin), Eduard Lehmann (viola and flute), and Wulf Fries (cello); Ryan played viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
. The Club gave its first concert in Boston on December 14, at the showroom of Chickering and Sons
Chickering and Sons
Chickering and Sons was an American piano manufacturer located in Boston, known for producing award-winning instruments of superb quality and design. The company was founded in 1823 by Jonas Chickering and James Stewart, but the partnership dissolved four years later...
. Ryan played with the Club for the next fifty years, by the end being its only remaining founding member.
He co-founded the "National College of Music" in 1872, headquartered at Boston's Tremont Temple
Tremont Temple
The Tremont Temple on 88 Tremont Street is a Baptist church in Boston, affiliated with the American Baptist Churches, USA. The existing structure opened in May 1896 and was designed by architect Clarence Blackall.-History:...
. The college employed numerous musician instructors, and attracted a substantial student body. After the fire of November 1872
Great Boston Fire of 1872
The Great Boston Fire of 1872 was Boston's largest urban fire, and still ranks as one of the most costly fire-related property losses in American history. The conflagration began at 7:20 p.m. on November 9, 1872, in the basement of a commercial warehouse at 83—87 Summer Street in Boston,...
, the college lost many of its students (no longer able to afford tuition), and closed in 1873. Ryan published his memoirs in Recollections of an Old Musician (1899).
Further reading
- Thomas Ryan. Recollections of an old musician. NY: E.P. Dutton & company, 1899. Google books