Grosz, Wilhelm

Wilhelm Grosz – Symphonischer Tanz: Klavierkonzert mit Orchesterbegleitung, op. 24
(Symphonic Dance: Piano Concerto with Orchestral Accompaniment, op. 24)

(b. Vienna, Austria-Hungary [today: Austria], 11 August 1894 – d. Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, NY, USA, 10 December 1939)

I. Langsamer Tango [Slow Tango]II. Shimmy
III. Boston
IV. Charleston

Composed: 1927
Premiered: Amsterdam in 1929
Other names used by this composer: Will Grosz, Hugh Williams, Will Grant, and André Milos

Early Works
A native son of Vienna, Austria, Wilhelm Grosz studied at the Imperial Academy of Music and the Performing Arts (now mdw) from 1910-16 and 1918-20 with emphasis on piano under Richard Robert (teacher of George Szell and Rudolf Serkin); he won the 1917 Academy’s Zusner-Liederpreis [song composition prize]. His music and life are featured as part of the “I return to Vienna when I compose” exhibit in the exil.arte Center at the mdw on Lothringerstraße 18, Vienna.

He was the only child of Bernhard and Mathilde Grosz, who owned a jewelry shop on Vienna’s Graben No. 12 in the First District. Notably gifted in both classical and popular forms, Grosz formed lifelong friendships with several fellow students from the Gymnasium on Wasagasse (including Erich Wolfgang Korngold) and of Franz Schreker, with whom he studied counterpoint and composition. Korngold would later arrange an invitation for him to contribute to Hollywood film scores.

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