Jean Paul Kürsteiner (July 8, 1864 in Catskill, New York – March 19, 1943 in Los Angeles, California) was an American pianist, pedagogue, music publisher, and composerIn his list of "Noted names in Music", Elson (1919) refers to Kürsteiner only as a "composer". of piano pieces and art songs.Baker and Slonimsky, p.1277

Life and musical career Kürsteiner was the son of a French-Swiss father (August Kürsteiner) and an American mother (Jeannie Taylor Woodruff Kürsteiner).Saerchinger, 1918 Who's Who in Music entry, p. 349 His early education was in New York, then he studied music in Leipzig, including composition with Salomon Jadassohn and Richard Hofmann and piano with Johannes Wiedenbach and Robert Teichmüller. He returned to the United States in 1893, settled in New York City and was appointed to the piano and music theory faculty of the Ogontz School for Girls in Philadelphia.His ad in the Musical Blue Book of America, 1915 calls it the "Ogontz School for Young Ladies". He held that position until 1930. Between 1896 and 1906 he also created, developed, and directed a program of piano study at The Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Kürsteiner founded a music publishing house in New York called Kürsteiner & Rice, and published much of his own music there. The "silent" partner in the firm may have been the operatic tenor Leon Louis Rice.See his entry in Saerchinger, 1918 Who's Who in Music, p. 522 The singer was known to have performed Kürsteiner's songs on tour,For example, the review of his concert in the July 12, 1912, New London, Connecticut, newspaper The Day on p. 12 indicates that he sang four of Kürsteiner's songs: "Canticle of Love", "The Betrothal", "If I Were a Rain Drop", and "His Lullaby". and some of the songs were written for or dedicated to him.According to the announcement of his concert in the May 9, 1912, Meriden, Connecticut, newspaper The Meriden Morning Record on p. 25, the tenor would sing four of Kürsteiner's songs: Canticle of Love, The Betrothal, Invocation to Eros, and Morning, and the article further indicates that The Betrothal and Morning were "written for and dedicated to Mr. Rice".

On July 21, 1901, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Kürsteiner married Myrta French, an operatic soprano.The 1919-20 Musical Blue Book of America, p. 225Prior to her marriage, French was doing well as a performer; on September 29, 1895, the New York Times reported that she would be touring with the Sousa band the following season.French's young career was also mentioned in the 1896 edition of Munsey's Magazine, volume 15. In 1938 the Kursteiners moved to Los Angeles, California, where he lived the last years of his life.

Musical works Kürsteiner composed music in 33 opus numbers for piano solo and art songs for voice and piano in the years between 1910 and 1930. His song Invocation to Eros became fairly well known in its day. For example, it was performed by the American soprano Rosa Ponselle on a concert at Hill Auditorium at the University of Michigan on October 28, 1928. Twelve years earlier, on November 7, 1916, the New York Times review of contralto Frances Ingram at Aeolian Hall in New York praised for her performances of both Kürsteiner's “Invocation to Eros” and “The Soul’s Victory”.This review is archived at https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1916/11/07/104694131.pdf

He is also known to have composed and published choral music. An advertisement in the American Guild of Organists journal The American Organist, Volume, 2, no. 1, January 1920, p. A-4, lists “New Choruses for solo, quartet or chorus, with added solos, duos, trios, and contrasting solo quartet sections." The ad also claims that the choruses are "Intense in Devotional Spirit; adapted to all Creeds—Episcopal, Christian Science, Jewish Synagogues, Baptists, etc., of genuine Melodic Beauty. Letters from Coast to Coast indicate their worth as helps to divine worship". A quote from Musical America Magazine praises one anthem as “One of the most conspicuous numbers of devotional music by a contemporary composer that we know”.

Published Songs Opus, Title, Publisher, Publication date 12/1 I would my song were like a Star; G. Schirmer, 1910 12/2 How very Near; G. Schirmer, 1910 12/3 Lines of a Flame; G. Schirmer, 1910 13/1 Song of Life; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911 13/2 Canticle of Love; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911 13/3 Invocation to Eros (text by Edith A. Pusey); Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911 14/1 Leave Me Not Yet, O Love; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911 14/2 Love, My Queen; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911? 14/3 Night from the Dark World; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911? 14/4 That One Refrain; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911 14/5 Rose of the World; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911 15/1 Morning; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911? 15/2 Of A’ the Airts the Wind can Blaw; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911? 15/3 The Betrothal; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911? 16/1 Awake, My Love; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911? 16/2 His Lullaby; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911? 17/1 My Heart Sings as the Birds Sing; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911 17/2 O Breath of the Golden Day (text by James B. Kenyon); Kürsteiner & Rice, 1912 19 Three Night Songs (text by Martin Schütze); Kürsteiner & Rice, 1912 20/1 If I Were a Raindrop; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1912 20/2 Only a Day for Tears; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1913 24/2 The Salutation of the Dawn (text translated from the Sanskrit); Kürsteiner & Rice, 1915 24/3 The Soul’s Victory (Dramatic); Kürsteiner & Rice, 1916 24/4 Nightfall (Lyric Song); Kürsteiner & Rice, 1916 25/1 Supplication (Religious-Dramatic); Kürsteiner & Rice, 1916 25/2 Hope (Religious-Dramatic); Kürsteiner & Rice, 1916 25/3 Deliverance (Religious-Dramatic); Kürsteiner & Rice, 1916 25/4 Triumphans (Religious-Dramatic); Kürsteiner & Rice, 1917 26/1 Penitence; publisher unknown, ndThe Op. 26 songs, numbers 1, 2, and 4, are listed as part of the William Huber, Jr., special collection at the Library of Congress without publishing information. 26/2 Promise; publisher unknown, nd 26/3 Praise (Lyric-Sacred); Kürsteiner & Rice, 1918 26/4 The Message; publisher unknown, nd 12/4 Serenade; G. Schirmer, 1910

Published Piano Solos Second Nocturne for Piano; G. Schirmer, 1910 Dreams of Myrta; Ladies’ Home Journal magazine, 1910The Ladies’ Home Journal, v. 27 #8, July 1910His entry in the 1919-20 Musical Blue Book of America lists his wife's maiden name as Myrta French, probably the inspiration for the title of this piece. Bridal Morning Waltz; Ladies’ Home Journal magazine, nd Second Nocture for piano; G. Schirmer/Boston Music Co., 1910 Third Nocturne in A flat; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1911 22/1 La Turquoise Valse in C; unknown publisher, nd Mazourka de Concert; unknown publisher, ndThe last four piano works are listed in the Saerchinger, 1918 Who's Who in Music entry, p. 349 Etude de Concert; unknown publisher, nd Etude Melodique for left hand; unknown publisher, nd Appassionato in D minor; unknown publisher, nd

Published Choral works

25/1a Supplication; publisher unknown, nd 25/2a Hope; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1919 25/3a Deliverance; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1919 26/2a Promise; publisher unknown, nd 26/3a Praise; Kürsteiner & Rice, 1919

Educational Publications Essays on Expert Aid to Artistic Piano Playing, Unz and Co. publisher, New York, 1910s 12 articles on "Artistic Piano Playing" in The Foyer of Philadelphia

Footnotes

References . . . . .

External links http://ums.aadl.org/ums/programs_19281010e Rosa Ponselle at Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor Michigan https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1916/11/07/104694131.pdf Review of a concert including Kürsteiner's songs https://books.google.com/books?id=UZRhAAAAIAAJ&dq=Jean+Paul+K%C3%BCrsteiner&pg=PP9 Advertisement in the American Guild of Organists magazine, 1920 http://www.philsp.com/homeville/fmi/t851.htm#A18612 Contents of The Ladies’ Home Journal, v. 27 #8, July 1910