Buck, Dudley

Buck, Dudley, American organist, pedagogue, and composer; b. Hartford, Conn., March 10, 1839; d. West Orange, N.J., Oct. 6, 1909. He began piano lessons at age 16. After attending Trinity Coll. in Hartford (1855–57), he pursued studies at the Leipzig Cons, with Plaidy and Moscheles (piano), Schneider (organ), Hauptmann (composition), and Rietz (instrumentation). Returning to Hartford in 1862, he was active as a church organist and music teacher. After a Chicago sojourn (1869–71), he went to Boston as organist of the Music Hall and as a teacher at the New England Cons, of Music. In 1875 he became asst. conductor of the Theodore Thomas Orch. in N.Y He subsequently served as organist and choirmaster at the Holy Trinity Church, and as music director of Brooklyn’s Apollo Club until 1903. In 1898 he was elected to membership in the National Inst. of Arts and Letters. He publ. Illustrations in Choir Accompaniment with Hints in Registration (N.Y., 1877) and The Influence of the Organ in History (London, 1882). In his day, he was particularly successful as a composer of sacred music, organ pieces, and secular cantatas.