Oral Histories

Interview of Alice Ehlers

University of Southern California professor of harpsicord.
Subtitle:
Alice Ehlers: Harpsichordist
Series:
Z: Orphan Interviews pre 1999
Topic:
Music
Biographical Note:
University of Southern California professor of harpsicord.
Interviewer:
Tusler, Adelaide G.
Interviewee:
Ehlers, Alice
Persons Present:
Tapes I to VII: Ehlers and Tusler; Tape VIII: Ehlers, Malcom Hamilton, and Tusler in the last session.
Place Conducted:
Tapes I to VII: Ehlers's home in Redondo Beach, California; Tape VIII: Hamilton's home in Garden Grove, California.
Supporting Documents:
Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.
Interviewer Background and Preparation:
The interview was conducted by Adelaide G. Tusler, Oral History Program, UCLA. B.A., music and history, UCLA; M.L.S., UCLA. Graduate work toward a M.A in Music, UCLA.
Processing of Interview:
A verbatim transcript of the tapes was edited by the interviewer, who primarily introduced punctuation and proper spelling and slightly emended syntax. The rearrangement of material to provide continuity in chronology was done only with both sides of Tape I; all others have been left essentially as they were spoken, with only minor deletions. Subheadings have been provided to identify passages on similar subjects. Some dates have been supplied by the editor when it was possible to establish them through correspondence, which has been footnoted. The use of brackets in the manuscript indicates words not actually spoken by the interviewee. Ehlers carefully reviewed and approved the edited material, adding short passages, deleting or changing occasional words or phrases, and verifying names and spellings. The edited manuscript preserves these changes, showing Ehlers's marks in pen and those of the interviewer-editor in red pencil.The index was compiled by the interviewer.
Length:
13.5 hrs.
Language:
English
Copyright:
Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.
Abstract:
Childhood in Vienna; early attraction to music; associations with teachers Richard Robert, Theodor Leschetizky, Arnold Schoenberg, and Wanda Landowska; music world in Vienna, late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries: Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Alban Berg, Anton von Webern; visit to Berlin and meeting with Landowska; study with Landowska during World War I; early concert performances; association with Rudolph Hindemith; development of concert career; concert tours to Palestine, Russia, England, Scotland, and South America; close friendship with Albert Schweitzer; life in Italy and Berlin; visit to Los Angeles to teach at Juilliard School, 1938; decision to make permanent move; appointment to faculty of University of Southern California; comments on Bach, music of baroque period, and instruments on which it is performed; philosophy of teaching and performing music.