American composer and teacher.

Career Summary

Elkus graduated from the University of California, Berkeley (AB, MLitt 1907), and studied piano in Europe with Harold Bauer and Josef Lhévinne. He studied composition in San Francisco with Oscar Weil, and in Vienna and Berlin with Robert Fuchs, George Schumann and Franz Schalk. He subsequently became head of the Music Theory Department at the San Francisco Conservatory (1923‒25, 1930‒34), and also taught at Mills College (1929‒44). He was appointed Professor of Music at University of California, Berkeley in 1935, chairman from 1937, retiring in 1951. From 1951 to 1957 he was Director of the San Francisco Conservatory. He was also active in music teacher organizations.

Elkus and Moriz Violin

Arnold Schoenberg provided Moriz Violin (who had emigrated to the USA and settled in San Francisco in 1939) with letters of introduction to several people including Elkus. He is mentioned in letters between Schoenberg and Violin in the years 1939 to 1941 (LC ASC 7/50, [3] and [6], LC ASC 27/45, [12], [15], [17], [29]). Schoenberg comments at one point "I am told that Elkus, who is a Jew, has very influential contacts in wealthy circles, and could perhaps help you considerably" (LC ASC 7/50, [6], July 21, 1939). Alfred V. Frankenstein also provided Violin with a letter to Elkus. Violin later wrote "Elkus has responded. I was with him this morning. He has known of me for thirty years and was at one time friendly with close friends of mine in Vienna and wanted to have lessons with Schenker." (LC ASC 27/45, [15], August 24, 1939). Violin later remarked: "When Elkus sees me at a concert, he leaves the most important people behind and descends on me with how glad he is to meet me!" (LC ASC 27/45, [17], January 26, 1940). And when he was later interviewed, Violin outlined some of his ideas drawing on an article by Elkus (LC ASC 27/45, [29], July 20, 1941).

Elkus and Schenker

The name “Elkus” appears once in Schenker’s lessonbook, for October 18, 1912: “Advice to face up to the masterworks, a few examples (Proben).”

Sources

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