Augusta Cottlow

Augusta Cottlow c. 1902

Augusta Cottlow (April 2, 1878 — April 11, 1954) was an American pianist of the early 20th century, and a child musical prodigy in the 1880s.

Early life

Augusta Cottlow was born and raised in Shelbyville, Illinois, the daughter of Morris Cottlow and Selina Cottlow. Her mother was her first piano teacher. From the age of six years, she was recognized as a child musical prodigy;^[1] she gave a series of concerts to raise money for her further study in Berlin and Vienna.^[2] In Chicago, she studied piano with Carl Wolfsohn and composition with Frederick Grant Gleason. Ferruccio Busoni was one of her mentors while in Europe. ^[3]

Career

As an adult performer, Cottlow toured in the United States, while based in Bronxville, New York.^[4] "If one would characterize Miss Cottlow in a single phrase," proposed one critic, "he would say that she is positively an ascetic in her devotion to the beautiful piano tone."^[5] She played at Carnegie Hall in 1901, at a hospital benefit.^[6] In 1912, she gave a recital at the White House for President William Taft. Augusta Cottlow rarely gave public performances after 1925, but continued performing privately, and taught piano.^[7]

Personal life

Augusta Cottlow married a fellow musician, Edgar Anspacher Gerst of California,^[8] in 1912, in New York City.^[9] They had a daughter, Selina Adelaide (1915–1916), while living in Germany.^[10][11] Late in life, Augusta Cottlow corresponded with Harry S Truman, who had heard her perform three times in Kansas City as a young man.^[7] She died in 1954, in White Plains, New York, aged 76 years. A trunk marked with Cottlow's name is in the collection of the Ogle County Historical Society in Oregon, Illinois.^[12]

References

1. "Augusta Cottlow: Prodigy" Musical Courier (March 11, 1920): 24.
2. "Augusta Cottlow; First a Child Wonder, Now a Queen of the Keyboard" Los Angeles Herald (October 23, 1903): 7. via California Digital Newspapers Collection
3. "Miss Augusta Cottlow" Music: A Monthly Magazine (January 1901): 289.
4. "Augusta Cottlow To Tour Again After Holiday" Musical America (January 1, 1921): 17.
5. "Augusta Cottlow, Pianist" Musical Courier (March 18, 1920): 35.
6. Program, "Benefit: St. Mark's Hospital"^{[permanent dead link‍]} Carnegie Hall (November 30, 1901).
7. D. M. Giangreco, Kathryn Moore, Dear Harry–: Truman's Mailroom, 1945-1953: the Truman Administration Through Correspondence with "Everyday Americans" (Stackpole Books 1999): 181-182. ISBN 9780811704823
8. "Augusta Cottlow's Husband an American" Musical Courier (July 31, 1919): 38.
9. "Society Meetings and Entertainments" Chicago Tribune (June 15, 1912): 10.
10. "Selina Adelaida Cottlow's First Christmas" Musical Courier (February 24, 1916): 49.
11. "Augusta Cottlow's Loss; Infant Daughter of Noted Pianist Passes Away" Musical Courier (June 22, 1916): 5.
12. Otto Dick, Samples of History of Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois^{[permanent dead link‍]} 5(2016): 15.