Frank Peabody Atherton

Francis "Frank" Peabody Atherton (January 24, 1868 – June 16, 1911)[1][n 1] was an American musician, composer and music teacher at State College, Pennsylvania.[n 2]

For the British physician, see Frank Atherton.
Frank Peabody Atherton
Born(1868-01-24)January 24, 1868
Virden, Illinois, U.S.
DiedJune 16, 1911(1911-06-16) (aged 43)
Occupation(s)Composer

Career

He settled in State College, Pennsylvania, since boyhood after his father accepted a position in Pennsylvania State College. One of his initial fames came from his experience of being the music director of the Pennsylvania State University Glee Club.[2] Atherton was well known as a composer for instructive works for piano and violin[3][4] as his profession included being a music teacher. After his experience from the Spanish-American War, he became the director for the municipal band in Alliance, Ohio, between 1905 and 1906, in which it "underwent a complete change, bringing in new methods and new talent".[5]

Personal

He was born in Virden, Illinois, under the birth name of Franklin P. Atherton, the son of George W. Atherton and Frances “Fannie” Wright Darusmont Washburn, of Plympton, Massachusetts.[6] His father, a Civil War veteran, for some time was a professor of political science at Rutgers University. In 1882, he moved to Philadelphia when his father served as the 7th president of Pennsylvania State University (then Pennsylvania State College) from 1882 to 1906.[7][8] He was an older brother to the baseball player, Charlie Atherton.[9]

Notes
  1. His date of birth and date of death in the February 1912 issue of The Etude are inaccurate.
  2. This composer is not to be confused with another American composer, Florence Atherton Spalding due to having her shortened name F. Atherton printed in her early published works.

References
  1. Rehrig, William H. (1991). The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music: Composers and Their Music. Vol. 3. Integrity Press. p. 29. ISBN 0-918048-12-5.
  2. "History of the Penn State Glee Club". Penn State Glee Club. A succession of music directors during the early years reflected the informality of the Club: F. P. Atherton (1889) led a group of twelve singers
  3. Wier, Albert E. (1938). The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians in One Volume. Bruno Hessling. p. 77.
  4. Portraits Of The World's Best-Known Musicians, An Alphabetical Collection Of Notable Musical Personalities Of The World Covering The Entire History Of Music. Musical America. 1946. p. 4.
  5. "Alliance City Band director Frank Atherton is topic of Rodman Public Library program". The Alliance Review. Alliance. 2013-06-01.
  6. "A history of the Class of 1863". Yale College. 1889. pp. 13–15.
  7. A history of the Class of 1863, Yale College: being the fourth of those printed by order of the Class. New Haven: The Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Company. 1905. p. 14.
  8. "Well Known Composers of To-day". The Etude. Vol. 30, no. 2. Lynchburg: Theodore Presser Company. February 1912. His father was a teacher who, in the office of president, did much to build up the State College of Pennsylvania.
  9. "Frank P Atherton". Atherton One Name Study.
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