Ernst Victor Wolff

Ernst Victor Wolff (August 6, 1889 – August 21, 1960) was a German-born concert pianist and harpsichordist, who maintained a career not only as a soloist but also as a respected accompanist. Singers with whom he performed included Dorothy Maynor and Alexander Kipnis; he accompanied the latter in the Hugo Wolf Society recording project of the 1930s. As a harpsichordist, on February 20, 1938, he participated in the Carnegie Hall premiere of J.S. Bach's Coffee Cantata under the direction of Walter Damrosch; the other performers on that occasion included singers Charles Kullman, Helen Jepson, and Lawrence Tibbett; flutist Frances Blaisdell; violinists Jascha Heifetz and Sascha Jacobsen; violist Léon Barzin; cellist Gaspar Cassadó; and double bassist Anselme Fortier.

From 1947 until his death, Wolff taught at Michigan State University. His widow and family donated a collection of his papers to the MSU library; it includes photographs and other memorabilia and his diary, student notes, and performing scores. MSU has established an Ernst Victor Wolff Memorial Fund to support awards to meritorious music students. Perhaps his most distinguished student was the American conductor, musicologist, and harpsichordist Alan Curtis.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 6, 1889 (Berlin), Died August 21, 1960 (East Lansing)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1937 - 1940

Roles Represented in DAHR: harpsichord, piano

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 51-56 of 56 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor CS-07539 12-in. 3/26/1937 The Passion of our Lord (According to St. Matthew) Boston Symphony Orchestra ; Serge Koussevitzky Vocal chorus, soloists, and orchestra instrumentalist, harpsichord  
Victor CS-07540 12-in. 3/26/1937 The Passion of our Lord (According to St. Matthew) Boston Symphony Orchestra ; Serge Koussevitzky Vocal chorus, soloists, and orchestra instrumentalist, harpsichord  
Victor CS-07541 12-in. 3/26/1937 The Passion of our Lord (According to St. Matthew) Boston Symphony Orchestra ; Serge Koussevitzky Vocal chorus, soloists, and orchestra instrumentalist, harpsichord  
Victor CS-07550 12-in. 3/26/1937 The Passion of our Lord (According to St. Matthew) Boston Symphony Orchestra ; Harvard Glee Club ; Serge Koussevitzky ; Radcliffe Choral Society ; G. Wallace Woodworth Vocal chorus, soloists, and orchestra instrumentalist, harpsichord  
Victor BS-043902 10-in. 11/20/1939 Little Jack Horner Alexander Kipnis Baritone vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-056420 10-in. 9/30/1940 Ah! Willow Alexander Kipnis Bass vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 51-56 of 56 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wolff, Ernst Victor," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109435.

Wolff, Ernst Victor. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109435.

"Wolff, Ernst Victor." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109435

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