Special Collections Finding Aids

Heinrich Schenck Scrapbook - Ephemera

Accession: SC1998.3

Location: M2A 2,6

Size: .1' feet

Biography: Heinrich Schenck was born in Germany and studied with the famous flutist, Theodore Boehm. He immigrated to the United States in 1850 or 1850, pehaps in the wake of the famed Germania Musical Society, and settled first in New York City. After a year or so in New York, Schenck apparently moved on to Buffalo, where he became a member of the new Buffalo Philharmonic Society at least by December 1853. During the next year later Schenck must have moved on to Rochester, for he appears in a concert program from December 1854 and thereafter is regularly associated with music in the city. Schenck taught and played extensively in Rochester and became a musician of considerable reputation. He returned to Germany for extended and extended period from 1864-1872 in order to further the musical education of his sons, Emil and Ludwig. Emil became a cellist of national standing, playing mainly in New York under Damrosch and later as a member of the New York Philharmonic. Ludwig, a violinist, also played under Damrosch and then under Theodore Thomas. Eventually Ludwig returned, ending his career as a violin teacher at Eastman School of Music. After returning to the United States, Heinrich appears to have lived uninterruptedly in Rochester until his death in 1896.

Provenance: All provenance records relating to the scrapbook have been lost. The widow of his son, Ludwig, donated a small collection of her husband's papers to the library, probably in the 1930's, of which this may have been a part.

Scope and Content: The scrapbook, though small, offers a revealing insight into the daily work life of a typical German immigrant musician, upon whom the early musical and especially orchestral development of this country so heavilty depended. The nature and variety of the programs and ephemera constitute evidence of the type of repertoire and venues typical of the professional musician of the time. Particularly interesting are the contract as performer in a social orchestra in New York and the letter from Theodore Boehm.

Associations: The Watanabe Special Collections also owns small collections relating to Ludwig Schenck and the Rochester Philharmonic Society. The Local History Ephemera collections also includes items related to the Schenck family.

Restrictions: none

Series: 1

Series Name: Ephemera

Series Description: This series consists of items of ephemera and a few documents originating from a portion of a scrapbook compiled by Heinrich Schenck. The items have been removed from their original backing and organized according to geographical location or subject.