Elias Hecht and the Chamber Music Society of San Francisco: Pioneers of West Coast Chamber Music

Abstract

Since 1950, scholarship has addressed the evolution of chamber music in America. This research makes a strong case for the positive correlation between the achievements of small ensembles and the broader American musical culture and performance practice. Chamber ensembles from East Coast music centers like Boston, New York, and Chicago dominate discussions about American chamber music. However, the West Coast and the Chamber Music Society of San Francisco have largely been overlooked. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of the Chamber Music Society of San Francisco and its founder, Elias Hecht, in establishing chamber music performance in the western United States. From their widespread performances on the West Coast to participation in the Berkshire Chamber Music Festival on the East Coast, the ensemble advocated the performance of chamber music across the country. This ensemble's far-reaching success helped establish San Francisco as a leading music city. This study also explores the ensemble's contributions to the American chamber music repertoire written for flute and strings. Composers such as Amy Beach, Arthur Foote, and Domenica Brescia dedicated works to this ensemble. These works later paved the way for a new wave in flute chamber music composition. The findings of this dissertation reveal that the Chamber Music Society of San Francisco had a profound affect on chamber music in America, composition for flute and string ensembles, and the West Coast's rapid development as one of the United State's essential music regions.