A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Whiting, George
WHITING, George Elbridge, an eminent American musician, born Sept. 14, 1843, at Holliston, near Boston, U.S. His mother had been a fine vocalist during her youth. Two of his brothers adopted music as a profession, and with one of them, Amos, then organist at Springfield, Mass., he began to learn the piano when but 5 years old. At 13 he had attained such skill on the organ as to make his first appearance at a concert in Worcester, Mass. Two years later he succeeded Dudley Buck as organist of the North Congregational Church at Hartford, Conn. There he founded the Beethoven Musical Society for church practice. In 1862 he began his Boston career, playing at Dr. Kirk's church, and afterwards at Tremont Temple, and giving concerts on the Music Hall organ, and on many other large organs, and meanwhile studying with G. W. Morgan, organist in New York. In 1863 he visited England to study with Mr. W. T. Best, and while there often deputised for Mr. Best in church. Returning to America he became organist of St. Joseph's Church, Albany, where Emma La Jeunesse, now known as Madame Albani, was a member of his choir. [See vol. ii. p. 85.] After three years he returned to Boston, where he was organist and director of music at King's Chapel for five years, and at the Music Hall for one year. In 1874 he visited Berlin, and studied harmony with Haupt, and orchestration with Radecke. Returning to Boston again, he became principal organ-instructor in the New England Conservatory. He was also organist at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, and conductor of the Foster Club, Boston. While Mr. Whiting was its director the club sang a number of his compositions, among others a setting of the prologue to Longfellow's 'Golden Legend,' and the first sketch of a cantata, 'The Tale of the Viking.' In 1879 he accepted a call from Theodore Thomas to take charge of the organ department in the College of Music at Cincinnati, of which Thomas was then director. A thousand dollars having been offered by the Musical Festival Association for a cantata, Buck and Whiting competed. Buck offered 'Scenes from Longfellow's Golden Legend,' Mr. Whiting submitted his 'Tale of the Viking,' enlarged to a dramatic cantata for three solo voices, chorus, and grand orchestra. The choice fell on Buck, not without considerable difference of opinion outside. In 1882 Mr. Whiting returned to Boston and the New England Conservatory, where he is now (1886) teacher. He is still young, and it is believed that the world will yet be greatly enriched by his work.
Besides many organ studies and concert pieces, and the large works already mentioned, Mr. Whiting has written a number of songs; a Mass in C minor for voices, orchestra, and organ (performed in 1872); a do. in F minor; a grand Te Deum in C major (written for the opening of the Cathedral in Boston and performed in 1874); 'Dream Pictures,' a cantata (performed in 1876); several sets of Vespers; a number of four-part songs; a piano concerto in D minor; an Allegro brillant for orchestra; suite for cello and piano, op. 38; overture for orchestra to Tennyson's 'Princess'; 'March of the Monks of Bangor,' for male chorus and orchestra, op. 40; 'Free Lances,' for male chorus and military band; 'Midnight,' cantata for four solo voices and piano solo; 'Henry of Navarre,' ballad for male chorus and orchestra. Many of these pieces have been performed in public. Mr. Whiting was last employed on a symphony in C, and suite for orchestra in E