Victor Herbert (1859-1924)

Image courtesy of the American Library of Congress

Another anniversary to celebrate – today we remember the composer Victor Herbert, born on 1 February 1859 in Dublin.  As a young man, he trained in England and Germany, and played as a cellist in Johann Strauss’ orchestra in Vienna, before moving to New York in 1886.  In America, he got involved in Tin Pan Alley and became famous as a composer of popular songs and light operas (writing 43 of them) as well as other theatre and concert music, including the cello concerto which so inspired Dvořák when he came to write his.  Herbert was also one of the first composers to write specifically for film, back in the days when the music had to be literally played by someone in the cinema.

As well as all this, Herbert also founded ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, the performance rights organisation – you can find out more information about him here and here.  Strangely, for all that he achieved, he remains barely acknowledged in his own native homeland…