Thomas, Theodore, 1835-1905

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Founder and first music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1891-1905).

From the description of Theodore Thomas memorabilia collection, 1845-1905. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70961879

Founder and first music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1891-1905), known at the time as the Chicago Orchestra.

From the description of Theodore and Rose Fay Thomas Felsengarten collection, 1814-1905. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70963346

Chicago Symphony Orchestra's founder and first musical director (1891-1905).

From the description of Theodore Thomas music library manuscript collection, [1840]-1900. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70965441

German-American who was the first conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO).

A self-taught violinist born in Esens, Germany in 1835, Thomas played with his father in small theater orchestras after emigrating in 1845 to New York. At age nineteen Thomas joined the New York Philharmonic Society and debuted as a conductor about 1859. He then formed his own orchestra, the Theodore Thomas Orchestra (1862-1888). In 1890, fifty wealthy Chicagoans pledged to establish a symphony orchestra, which opened as the Chicago Orchestra in 1891 with Thomas conducting. Thomas devoted the remainder of his life to conducting and developing this orchestra. When he died in 1905, he was survived by his second wife, Rose Fay Thomas, who actively supported his Chicago endeavors.

From the description of Theodore Thomas papers, 1852-1926. (Newberry Library). WorldCat record id: 53385297

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Role	Title	Holding Repository
referencedIn	Adams, Milward, 1857-1923. Milward Adams photograph collection [graphic]	Newberry Library
creatorOf	Blakely, David, 1834-1896. Papers, 1880-1931, bulk (1892-1896).	New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn	Cartes-de-visite album and biographies, ca. 1875-1876.	University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn	Chadwick, G. W. (George Whitefield), 1854-1931. George Whitefield Chadwick collection, 1873-1936, (bulk 1885-1930).	New England Conservatory of Music, Harriet M. Spaulding Library
creatorOf	Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Fritz Reiner marked scores collection, [ca. 1880]-1961.	Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Rosenthal Archives
referencedIn	Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Records of the Marketing and Communications/Public Relations Department, 1891-[ongoing].	Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Rosenthal Archives
creatorOf	Chopin, Frédéric, 1810-1849. Chopin's polonaise op. 53, for orchestra by Theodore Thomas	Harvard Musical Association
referencedIn	Clay, Frederic, 1838-1889. Autograph letter signed, dated : [London], 6 March [n.y.], to Sir Julius Benedict, [n.y.] Mar. 6.	Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn	Collection of entrance tickets, Boston, ca. 1850-1902.	Boston Athenaeum
referencedIn	Collection on New Haven musical life, 1847-1890 (inclusive).	Yale University, Music Library

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Relation	Name
associatedWith	Adams, Milward, 1857-1923.
associatedWith	Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750.
associatedWith	Beach, H. H. A., Mrs., 1867-1944.
associatedWith	Beutler, John Baptist, 1824-1874
associatedWith	Blakely, David, 1834-1896.
associatedWith	Boston Symphony Orchestra.
associatedWith	Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
associatedWith	Burnham, Daniel Hudson, 1846-1912.
associatedWith	Carpenter, John Alden, 1876-1951.
correspondedWith	Chadwick, G. W. (George Whitefield), 1854-1931.