Max Spicker (August 16, 1858 – October 15, 1912) was a German American organist, conductor and composer.Baker's Biographical Dictionary, Seventh Edition, p. 2177
Biography Spicker was born in Königsberg, Prussia. He studied piano with Louis Köhler for five years, and then attended Leipzig Conservatory from 1877-1879.
In 1882 he moved to New York City, where he began conducting the "Beethoven Männerchor" and worked as a reader for the music publisher G. Schirmer. He was Director of Groschel's Brooklyn Conservatory from 1888 to 1895,It is unclear whether this refers to the Brooklyn Academy of Music or the currently named Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music, esp. since the latter institution claims its founding as 1897. after which he was a teacher of harmony and counterpoint at the National Conservatory in New York. He also served for 12 years as choir director of Temple Emmanuel on Fifth Avenue.
He was a member of the New York Musician's Club and an honorary member of the Society of American Cantors.New York Times obituary
He died October 15, 1912, in New York City, survived by a wife and son.
Composer and editor Spicker eventually became an editor for G. Schirmer, editing such collections as the four-volume Anthology of Sacred Song and the five-volume Operatic Anthology. In their day, both publications became standard anthologies for young singers. He also revised the T. Tertius Noble edition of Handel's Messiah for Schirmer, which remains in wide use.
As a composer, most of his works were for solo voice or chorus, although he did complete several larger works.
He was also an arranger of works for voice and orchestra. His orchestral version of Ethelbert Nevin's duet O That We Two Were Maying was recorded by Victor Records in May 1914 by two important singers of the time, Alma Gluck and Louise Homer. Victor also recorded his arrangement of the Jacopo Peri aria with baritone Reinald Werrenrath in January 1915. The Victor Catalog also includes an arrangement of Mattei's Non é ver in English for tenor and orchestra, recorded by tenor Lambert Murphy in 1912, and Die Heimat for vocal quartet, recorded by "The Manhattan Quartet" in 1911.
He also did Jewish liturgical music. Strimple named him as one of "the most prominent Jewish liturgical musicians at the beginning of the century".Strimple, p. 271 In 1901 Spicker and William Sparger jointly published a Sabbath evening and morning service. It included works by non-Jewish composers, such as a setting of "S'u Sheorim" based on a melody in Gounod's Faust.
Large musical works Suite for orchestra Incidental music to Schiller's Demetrius Der Pilot, cantata for baritone solo, male chorus and orchestra
Other vocal compositions Published by G. Schirmer unless noted Die Linde (men's chorus, text by F. Bercht), op. 15, unknown publisher, 1886 O schneller mein Ross (song, text by Geibel), op. 20, 1886 Mondnacht (men's chorus, text by Eichendorff), op. 19, no. 1, published by F. Luckhardt, Berlin, 1887 Tragödie (song, text by Heine), op. 14, published by F. Luckhardt, Berlin, 1887 Zwei Lieder, op. 8, published by F. Luckhardt, Berlin, 1887 Frühlingstraum (text by W. Müller) In dieser Stunde (text by R. Prutz) Zwei Lieder, op. 10, published by F. Luckhardt, Berlin, 1887 Nur vor dem Abschiednehmen ist mir bang (text by F. X. Seidl) Abendfriede (text by Eichrodt) Zwei Lieder (texts by Heinrich Heine, op. 18, published by F. Luckhardt, Berlin, 1887 Leise zieht durch mein Gemüth Die Wasserlilie A collection of glees and part songs for mixed voices, 1890 Shall I Wed Thee? (song, text by Bayard Taylor), op. 37, 1896 In Thee, O God, do I put my trust (sacred song for alto, Psalm 71), op. 48, 1899 Oh! Thou, whose Pow'r Tremendous ("Hymn-Anthem with Alto Solo"), op. 49, 1899 Fear Not, O Israel, choral anthem, op. 50, 1900 Why Art Thou Cast Down, My Soul?, sacred song, op. 54, 1902Page 1 of the song indicates that it is based on a theme by Carl Goldmark Evening and Morning (voice and piano or organ, text by Rev. I. G. Smith), op. 56, 1905 Zwei Männerchöre, op. 40, published by H. Flammer, 1926 unknown Es blickt so still der Mond mich an Misc. other choral compositions Many other songs
Editions Published by G. Schirmer unless noted Aus aller Herren Länder (a collection of folk songs arranged for male choir) Anthology of Modern French Song, 1939 Anthology of Sacred Song, 4 volumes Bach, Christmas Oratorio, vocal score, 1939 Balfe, The Bohemian Girl (opera in 3 acts), vocal score, 1902 The Cecilia collection of part-songs for two women's voices, 1898Publication says they are "for use in schools, seminaries and singing classes" Fifty-two Sacred Songs, You Like to Sing, 1939 Handel, The Messiah (oratorio) Obbligato Songs (songs with violin or 'cello and piano), 1905 Operatic Anthology, 5 volumes The Seminary series: a collection of two and three part songs for women's voices with piano accompaniment, 1890 Seventy glees and part songs for male voices, 1884–96 Songs of Germany (81 folksongs and popular songs), 1904 Synagogical Service, 2 volumes, with W. Sparger, 1901
Footnotes
References .
External links Jewish Encyclopedia: “Spicker, Max” by Cyrus Adler & Frederick Haneman (1906). Obituary for Max Spicker, New York Times, October 16, 1912.