![Peter C](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Peter_C._Lutkin.jpg)
Peter Christian Lutkin (March 27, 1858 – December 27, 1931) was an American
organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...
,
choral conductor
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or choral concert. It has been defined as "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." The primary duties ...
, and
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
.
Career
Peter Lutkin was born in
Thompsonville, Wisconsin on March 27, 1858.
His parents, Peter Christian and Hannah (Olivarius) Lutkin, emigrated to the U.S. from
Denmark
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, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
in 1844. He attended Chicago public schools and was a chorister and organist at St. Peter and St. Paul's Episcopal Church. At age thirteen he began formal music training, studying organ with Clarence Eddy, piano with
Regina Watson, and theory with Frederick Grant Gleason.
At age twenty-one, he became a piano instructor in the
Conservatory of Music at Northwestern University. In 1881 he traveled to Berlin to study with
Oscar Ralf (1881–1964)
(sv), rl August Haupt (1810–1891), and
Woldemar Bargiel
Woldemar Bargiel (3 October 182823 February 1897) was a German composer.
Life
Bargiel was born in Berlin, and was the younger maternal half-brother of Clara Schumann. Bargiel’s father Adolph was a well-known piano and voice teacher while his mo ...
(1828–1897). After a year he was admitted to the
Royal School of Art in Berlin
The Royal School of Art in Berlin (''Königliche Kunstschule zu Berlin'') was a state-sponsored art school founded in 1869. The school was founded through its association with the Prussian Academy of Arts, and after unification stood as one of Be ...
. He returned to Chicago to serve as organist and choirmaster, first at St. Clement's Protestant Episcopal Church and later at
St. James Episcopal Church. He also served a three-year appointment on the faculty of the
American Conservatory of Music
The American Conservatory of Music (ACM) was a major American school of music founded in Chicago in 1886 by John James Hattstaedt (1851–1931). The conservatory was incorporated as an Illinois non-profit corporation. It developed the Conservato ...
in Chicago. He was a widely respected organist and helped found the
American Guild of Organists
The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is an international organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the US, headquartered in New York City with its administrative offices in the Interchurch Center. Founded as a professional educati ...
in 1896. He married, on October 27, 1885, Nancy Lelah Carmen (1861–1949).
In 1891, he returned to
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
, where he contributed to significant improvements in the Conservatory of Music. In 1892, the Conservatory became a department in the College of Liberal Arts. In 1895, a separate
School of Music
A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger ins ...
was formed and Lutkin was appointed its first dean. He remained in that position until he was named Dean Emeritus in 1928. While at Northwestern, he founded the Women's Cecilian Choir, the Men's Glee Club, and the A Cappella Choir (1906).
Th
Northwestern webpagefor Peter Lutkin's bio says it was the "first permanent organization of its kind in America." However, the a cappella Jubilee Singers began in 1871, still exist at Fisk University, and Wikipedia's webpage for the
Fisk Jubilee Singers
The Fisk Jubilee Singers are an African-American ''a cappella'' ensemble, consisting of students at Fisk University. The first group was organized in 1871 to tour and raise funds for college. Their early repertoire consisted mostly of traditiona ...
says they are an a cappella group.
Northwestern's a cappella group was organized to illustrate a university lecture on the music of Renaissance composers. Shortly thereafter, F. Melius Christiansen established the St. Olaf Choir (1912), and John Finley Williamson organized the Westminster Choir (1920). By the middle of the 1930s, a cappella choirs had become a staple in choral programs in high schools, colleges, and universities across the U.S. Lutkin's Northwestern A Cappella Choir was widely recognized for its pure tone and exceptional balance—a result achieved by using no accompaniment, even during rehearsals.
Lutkin became a national spokesperson for a cappella singing. He appeared on programs of the Music Teachers National Association in 1909 (when his choir performed), 1916, 1917, 1923 and 1928. He directed the Music Supervisors Chorus of five hundred voices at their national convention in 1920, and the Northwestern University Choir sang for the Music Supervisors Convention in Chicago in 1928. In most of these appearances, he focused on the merits of unaccompanied singing and a cappella choral repertoire.
In 1918, the honor society
Pi Kappa Lambda
Pi Kappa Lambda () is an American honor society for undergraduate students, graduate students, and professors of music. There are over 270 chapters nationally; a complete roster of current chapters is listed in the organization's official web si ...
(ΠΚΛ) was established at Northwestern University, and the Greek letters chosen were based on Lutkin's name.
As a composer, Lutkin specialized in writing unaccompanied choral music, primarily for his own choir. He wrote at least thirty hymn tunes, numerous songs for children, and sixty-five choral anthems, some of which remain in print today. He co-edited a
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
hymnal and was musical editor of the Methodist Sunday-School Hymnal. Generations of choristers likely were first introduced to his choral music through his benediction setting, ''The Lord Bless You and Keep You'', with its famous concluding sevenfold amen.
In addition to his position as Dean and Director of Choirs at Northwestern University, he also served as Professor of Theory, Piano, Organ, and Composition in the School of Music, 1895-1931; Director of the School's Department of Church and Choral Music, 1926–28; and Lecturer in Church Music at
Seabury-Western Theological Seminary
Seabury-Western Theological Seminary (SWTS) was a seminary of the Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal Church, located in Evanston, Illinois.
It ceased operations as a residential seminary granting the Master of Divinity degree in May 201 ...
. He was awarded an honorary doctorate in music from
Syracuse University
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
. He wrote several books including a history of the Northwestern School of Music.
Lutkin died on December 27, 1931, at his son's home in
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston ( ) is a city, suburb of Chicago. Located in Cook County, Illinois, United States, it is situated on the North Shore along Lake Michigan. Evanston is north of Downtown Chicago, bordered by Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, Wil ...
, after suffering a heart attack.
[ He was buried at ]Rosehill Cemetery
Rosehill Cemetery (founded 1859) is an American garden cemetery on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, and at , is the largest cemetery in the City of Chicago. According to legend, the name "Rosehill" resulted from a City Clerk's error – the ar ...
in Chicago.
References
*
External links
CyberHymnal page
Northwestern University Library papers
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lutkin, Peter
Male composers
1858 births
1931 deaths
American classical organists
American male organists
People from Caledonia, Wisconsin
20th-century American composers
20th-century American male musicians
Burials at Rosehill Cemetery
Male classical organists