Arnold, Maurice Strothotte

1865-

American composer. Born in St. Louis. Studied first with his mother, who was a good pianist and from whom he probably inherited his musical ability. When fifteen years old he went to Cincinnati, where he studied at the College of Music for two years. In 1883 he went to Berlin and studied counterpoint and composition with Vierling and Urban. Later he entered the Cologne Conservatory, where he studied with G. Jensen, Wuellner and Neitzel and finally went to Breslau and worked under Max Bruch. While at Breslau he wrote his cantata, The Wild Chase. He now returned to St. Louis, where he taught and also traveled as an opera-conductor and violinist. Later, Arnold was instructor of harmony at  the National Conservatory under Dvorak. In a number of his compositions, especially his Plantation Dances, Arnold has made use of the negro plantation idea, not by introducing negro melodies but by embodying the African spirit in his own work. Arnold has also written two comic operas; a Dramatic Overture; a Valse Elegante, for eight hands for the piano; a Danse de la Midway Plaisance and a Tarantelle for the orchestra; also a fugue for eight hands; a Minstrel Serenade for violin and piano; part songs and some solos. His violin sonata, which has not been published, is also in the African style. He is at work upon a symphony and a book on Some Points in Modern Orchestration. Arnold is at present musical director of the Progressive Stage Society of New York.