Leonard Liebling

Leonard Liebling (February 7, 1874, New York City - October 28, 1945, New York City) was an American music critic, writer, librettist, editor, pianist, and composer. He is best remembered as the long time editor-in-chief of the Musical Courier from 1911-1945.

Life and career

Born into a Jewish family in New York City, Liebling was the son of composer Max Liebling (1845-1927) and Matilde Liebling (née de Perkiewicz). His father and his three uncles, George, Emil, and Solly Liebling, were all pupils of Franz Liszt and had successful careers as pianists and composers. His brother James Liebling was also a professional musician, and his sister Estelle Liebling was a soprano with the Metropolitan Opera who became a famous voice teacher and coach.

After graduating from the City College of New York in 1897, Liebling pursued music studies in Berlin where he was a pupil of Leopold Godowsky (piano), Adolph Kullak (piano), Karl Heinrich Barth (piano), and Heinrich Urban (composition). He then worked as a concert pianist and piano teacher in Europe before returning to the United States to join the staff od the Musical Courier in 1902. He remained with that publication until his death 43 years later, first serving as a music critic, and then rising to post of editor-in-chief from 1911-1945. He also concurrently served as music critic for the New York Journal-American from 1923-1936. In 1904 he married Eda Baxter of Brooklyn.

Outside of music criticism, Liebling wrote the librretti for four comic operas: The Girl and the Kaiser (1910, with music by Georg Jarno), Vera Violetta (1911, with music by Edmund Eysler), The American Maid (1913, with music by John Philip Sousa), and Frederick Lonsdale and Frank Curzon's The Balkan Princess (1911 Broadway version). As a composer he wrote an orchestral overture, a trio, several works for solo piano, and several art songs. He was an active member of the Lotos Club and The Lambs.

Liebling died of a heart attack at the Hotel Buckingham in New York City in 1945.