Siegmund Löwenherz (später: Levarie)
| Born: |
07-24-1911 |
| Faculty: |
Philosophical School |
| Category: |
Expelled student |
Siegmund LÖWENHERZ (later: LEVARIE), born on July 24th, 1914 in Lemberg/Poland [Lwiw/Ukraine], stayed with his uncle in the USA for a year after he had graduated from high school and had begun to study at Northwestern University in Illinois. He returned to Vienna and started to study musicology at the Philosophical School of the University of Vienna. At the same time he studied conducting at the Conservatory 1933-1935("Kapellmeisterdiplom" diploma 1935). He has already finished all his lectures for his musicology studies atVienna University, so after the "Anschluss" in 1938 he wasn't enrolled at the Philosophical School any more, but was preparing for the final exams ('Rigorosen'). He registered for the final exams in Musicology on February 3rd, 1938, and passed the first 'Rigorosum' on July 6th, 1938. His dissertation 'Untersuchungen am Basso ostinato' was accepted on February 6th, 1938, and he also passed the second 'Rigorosum' on March 2nd, 1938. He could finally finish his studies and graduate on July 21st, 1938, but only with the discriminating ceremony of a 'Nichtarierpromotion', which included at the same time that he was banned from his profession.
Just in summer 1938 the musicologist emigrated to the USA, and initially - arranged by his uncle - taught at a high school in Chicago, but soon he was offered a job by the University of Chicago, where he was a faculty member until 1952. He founded the first Collegium Musicum for Ancient Music there and also worked as conductor. 1941-1946 US-Army. Subsequently he was dean of the Chicago Musical College for two years, until he became professor at the Department of Music of Brooklyn College, City University New York in 1954 (until 1962 also head of the department). He also worked as executive director of the Fromm Music Foundation between 1952 and 1956 and conductor at the Brooklyn Community Symphony Orchestra from 1954 to 1958. In 1984 Siegmund Levarie was retired from his position at the City University in New York. In the 1980ies and 1990ies he repeatedly stayed in Pisa/Italy to teach as a visiting professor at the University and at the Scuola Normale Superiore.
Siegmund Levarie died on March 7th, 2010 in New York City.
Lit.: Video-interview with Siegmund LEVARIE in New York on February 22nd, 2006 (Interviewer: Herbert Posch, Videodocumentation: Gabriele Mathes); Austrian Heritage Collection at Leo Baeck Institute New York [AHC 1141]; Interview with Siegmund Levarie, 2008 (by Robert Birnecker); Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon; obituary by Roger Evans; KNIEFACZ/POSCH 2017a.
Herbert Posch
