Theodore Bendix or Theo. Bendix (July 25, 1862 – January 15, 1935) was an American composer, classical violinist, musical director, and opera conductor. He became a professional musician at the age of thirteen and was hired as a conductor for an opera company when he was sixteen. Before he was eighteen, he had written the music for the show, resulting in the hit song "My Sweetheart". Bendix worked with numerous theaters and opera companies and was a musical director and composer with

Florenz Ziegfeld Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the '' Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He al ...

Henry Wilson Savage Henry Wilson Savage (1859 – 1927) was an American theatrical manager and real estate entrepreneur. Biography Henry Wilson Savage was born in New Durham, New Hampshire, on March 21, 1859. He earned his degree from Harvard in 1880. In 1895, he ...

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. He was the musical director for several

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

shows, including ''The'' ''Belle of New York'', ''

Ben-Hur Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to: Fiction *'' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'', an 1880 novel by American general and author Lew Wallace ** ''Ben-Hur'' (play), a play that debuted on Broadway in 1899 ** ''Ben Hur'' (1907 film), a one-reel silent ...

'', and ''Beauty and the Beast''. He also established a music publishing firm, Theo Bendix Music Publishing Co. in New York City. In his time, Bendix was one of the best-known musical directors of popular music.

Early life

Bendix was born on July 25, 1863, in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

. He was the son of German-born Jewish parents, Bertha (née Tobias) and William Bendix, a composer. His mother was a cousin of the German composer

Felix Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions inc ...

and was an heir to his estate. His brother, Max Bendix, was also a composer, violinist, and conductor. In 1872, his family moved to

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

where his father was the orchestra leader at the Euclid Avenue Opera House. He first studied music under his father, learning the piano and the violin. When he was thirteen years old, Bendix played with his father's orchestra at the Euclid Avenue Opera House.

Career

While he studied music, Bendix worked as an actor. When he was sixteen in 1880, he was hired as the conductor of the Alice Oates Opera Company. In 1887, he became the director of the Aimee Opera Company. In 1881, he wrote the popular tune, "My Sweetheart" and other music for a play by the same name that was performed by this company. Bendix went on to compose many songs for the pianos and orchestras that were popular in their era. His most famous composition was "The Dawn of Love". He became the director of the Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, followed by directing the orchestra of Pope's Theatre in St. Louis. In 1886, he composed the music and was the musical director for the show ''Marita'' and wrote some of the music for ''Over the Garden Wall''. Next, he worked in Boston for nine years, directing the orchestras at the Globe Theatre and the Park Theatre from 1889 to 1900. While at the Globe, he conducted the first performances of

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. The two men collaborated on fourteen com ...

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s in the United States. He was orchestra leader at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. He also organized the Bendix String Quartet which headlined at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles for three seasons. In the early 20th century,

Carl Fischer Music Carl Fischer Music is an American sheet music publisher. It was founded in 1872 in the East Village neighborhood of New York City as a musical instrument repair shop. Except for a brief period in the early 1930s, it has always been the family- ...

published and distributed a collection of Bendix's compositions for use with silent films. By In 1906, Bendix formed the Theo Bendix Music Publishing Co. in New York City. He also coached opera and concert singers. Bendix was a conductor for

, and

and also co-composed songs for their productions. He was the musical director of Broadway stage productions, including '' The Belle of New York'' at the Casino Theatre'',

'' at the

Broadway Theater Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), many of the extant or closed Broadway venues use or used the spelling ''Theatr ...

, and ''Beauty and the Beast'' at the Casino Theatre. He was the music director for '' Ben Hur'' at the Drury Lane Theatre in London in 1902. He was the music director for ''A Skylark'' at the New York Theatre in April 1910. He was also the musical director for ''The Rose of Panama'' which opened at

Daly's Theatre Daly's Theatre was a theatre in the City of Westminster. It was located at 2 Cranbourn Street, just off Leicester Square. It opened on 27 June 1893, and was demolished in 1937. The theatre was built for and named after the American impresa ...

on Broadway in 1910. In 1911, he wrote music for ''The Great Name'', a play by Henry Kolker that opened at the

Cort Theatre The James Earl Jones Theatre, originally the Cort Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 138 48th Street (Manhattan), West 48th Street, between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater ...

. He was the conductor for the

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in Los Angeles from 1920 to 1930. In November 1920, he was the music director at the Alcazar Theatre in San Francisco for several weeks. In 1928, he was the conductor of the orchestra at Erlanger's Biltmore Theatre in the

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in Los Angeles. He returned to New York City in 1931 and operated a musical library off-Broadway in New York City; this collection was sold to a larger organization.

Personal life

Bendix was married to Sally in 1883 but left her after three years. She divorced him on March 25, 1919. He was a member of the Musicians Union and

The Lambs The Lambs, Inc. (also known as The Lambs Club) is a New York City social club that nurtures those active in the arts, as well as those who are supporters of the arts, by providing activities and a clubhouse for its members. It is America's old ...

, a social club in New York City for people involved in theater. Late in life, Bendix lived in the

Percy Williams Home for Retired Actors and Actresses Percy Garnett Williams (May 4, 1857 – July 21, 1923) was an American actor who became a travelling medicine salesman, real estate investor, amusement park operator and vaudeville theater owner and manager. He ran the Greater New York Circuit of ...

East Islip, New York East Islip is a hamlet and CDP in the Town of Islip, Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 13,931 at the time of the 2020 census. History Originally referred to as "East of Islip", the name was acquired in 1890 from the es ...

. He died on January 15, 1935, at the South Side Hospital in

Bay Shore, New York Bay Shore is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Administrative divisions of New York#Town, Town of Islip, New York, United States. It is situated on the South Shore (Long Island), South Shore of Long Island, adjo ...

after failing to recover from a surgical procedure performed two weeks prior. He was buried in the

Kensico Cemetery Kensico Cemetery, located in Valhalla, New York, Valhalla, Westchester County, New York was founded in 1889, when many New York City cemeteries were becoming full, and rural cemeteries were being created near the railroads that served the city ...

Valhalla, New York Valhalla ( ) is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) within the town of Mount Pleasant, in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the New York City metropolitan area. Its population was 3,162 at the 2010 U.S. Census. The name wa ...

Selected compositions

* "My Sweetheart" * "This Tone Picture of the North and South" * "North Star Quickstep". Cleveland: S. Brainard Sons, 1875. * "Fencibles State March". Philadelphia: William H. Boner, Philadelphia, 1883. * "Continental Guard's March.. W. F. Shaw, 1883. * "I Loved Thee". May Fleischmann (lyricist). Boston: Arthur P. Schmidt & Co.1884. * Alone in London. Boston: Grand Opera House, October 22, 1889. * "Columbia Phonograph March". Boston: Bates & Bendix Music Publishers, 1894. Plate B. B. 19-4. * "The Butterfly" (7 inch Performed). Berliner, August 1897. * "The Dawn of Love" ''Carl Fischer's Theatre Orchestra Edition'', No. 535. New York:

, 1898. Plate 5170-18. * "Victory" (performed by the

Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...

at a celebration in New York City at the end of the

Spanish-American War Spanish Americans (, ''hispanoestadounidenses'', or ''hispanonorteamericanos'') are Americans whose ancestry originates wholly or partly from Spain. They are the longest-established European American group in the modern United States, with a ...

), . * "The Busy Bee" or "Morceau Characteristique" in ''The Witmark Theatre & Concert Collection for Orchestra'', No. 48. New York: M. Witmark & Sons, 1899. Plate 242-20. * "In Beauty's Bower". New York:

, . * "The King's Bal Masque" with four movements "The Dervishes (Fanatical Dance)New", "Blue Beard and Fatima", "Hindoo Priests (Incantation)", and "The Cossacks (Russian Dance)" in ''The Witmark Theatre & Concert Collection for Orchestra'', Nos. 36-39. New York: Carl Fischer & M. Witmark & Sons, 1899. Plate 194-19. * "A Southern Reverie". New York: M. Witmark & Sons, 1900. Plate 3546. * "The Star Dreamer". New York: Carl Fischer & M. Witmark & Sons, 1900. Plate 800-19. * "The Butterfly Dance" (7 inch Performed). Performed by

Sousa's Band John Philip Sousa ( , ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to dis ...

. Victor, October 5, 1900. * "A Southern Reverie (10 inch Performed). Performed by Metropolitan Orchestra. Victor, January 10, 1901. * "Norwegian Episode" in ''The Witmark Theatre & Concert Collection for Orchestra'', No. 133. New York: M. Witmark & Sons, 1901. Plate 3451. * "La Gazelle" (10 inch Performed). Performed by

. Victor, April 4, 1901. * "American Frantasie" (10 inch Performed). Performed by

. Victor, April 5, 1901. * "The Girl from Maxim's" (7 and 10 inch Performed). Performed by Metropolitan Orchestra. Victor, June 13, 1901. * "In Beauty's Bower" (7 and 10 inch Performed) Performed by Kendle's First Regiment Band. Victor, December 26, 1901. * "An American Fantasy" (7 and 10 inch Performed). Performed by

. Victor, December 31, 1901. * "A Trip to Buffalo". New York: M. Witmark & Sons, 1901. * "Cousin Kate", dedicated to

Ethel Barrymore Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regarde ...

. New York: M. Witmark & Sons, 1903. Plate 5862-6. * "Longing". New York:

, * "Cousin Kate Waltz" (10 inch Performed). Performed by Arthur Pryor's Band. Victor, April 15, 1904. * "The Butterfly" (12 inch Performed). Performed by Arthur Pryor's Orchestra. Victor, November 11, 1904. * "Floral Suite including "Roses", "Pansies (For Thoughts)", and "Daisies" in ''The Witmark Theatre & Concert Collection for Orchestra'', Nos. 186-7. New York: M. Witmark & Sons, 1905. Plate 1039-19. * "'Tis Better to Have Loved and Lost". B. Johnson and G. Schirmer, words, 1905 * "A Day at West Point." 1906. * "The Broken-Hearted Sparrow" from the suite "A Love Episode in Birdland". Boston: Walter Jacobs, 1906. Plate 9-18. * "The Gentle Dove" from the suite "A Love Episode in Birdland". Boston: Walter Jacobs, 1906. Plate 2039-17. * "The Magpie and the Parrot" from the suite "A Love Episode in Birdland". Boston & New York: Walter Jacobs & Theodore Bendix, 1906. Plate 6-24 * "The Merry Lark" from the suite "A Love Episode in Birdland". Boston: Walter Jacobs, 1906. Plate 11-26. * "By Right of Sword" (8 inch Performed). Performed by Victor Orchestra. Victor, April 5, 1907. * "La Gazelle" (10 inch Performed). Performed by Alice J. Shaw. Victor, May 29, 1907. * "Symposia Waltz" (10 inch Performed). Performed by Victor Orchestra. Victor, August 8, 1907. * "A Day at West Point" (10 inch Performed) Performed by Arthur Pryor's Band. Victor, September 15, 1908. * "By Right of Sword" (10 inch Performed). Performed by Arthur Pryor's Band. Victor, March 30, 1909. * "The Third Degree". New York: Theo Bendix Music pub., 1909. Plate 139-5. * "A Hungarian Episode". New York: Theodore Bendix Music, . * "The Commuters". New York: Leo Feist, 1910. Plate 2604-3. * "Miniature Tone Poem" (10 and 12 inch Performed). Performed by the Victor Orchestra. Victor, December 8, 1910. * "In Meadow Land" in ''The Witmark Theatre & Concert Collection for Orchestra'', No. 325. New York: M. Witmark & Sons, 1911. Plate 1637-20. * The Great Name. For a

Henry Kolker Joseph Henry Kolker (November 13, 1874 – July 15, 1947) was an American stage and film actor and film director, director. Early years Kolker was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1874. (Some sources say 1870.) He came to America at age five and w ...

play, 1911. * "Sweet Jasmine. Intermezzo", 1919. * "Good Luck Waltz." Cleveland: S. Brainard Sons. c * "Alone". Boston: Oliver Ditson Company. * "Beau Brummel". Boston: Oliver Ditson Company. * "Cradle Song (Visions of Rest)". Boston: Oliver Ditson Company. * "Elks Quadrille". Boston: Oliver Ditson Company. * "Golden Gate". New York:

. * "Happy Boys". Cleveland: S. Brainard Sons. * "Hold the Fort! (Bliss)". Cleveland: S. Brainard Sons. * "I Am So Shy"..Boston: Oliver Ditson Company. * "Laughing Eyes". * "Little Coquette". New York:

* "Little Beauty". Boston: Oliver Ditson Company. * "Mountain Echoes". New York:

. * "Oriental March". New York:

. * "Sweet Simplicity". * "To-morrow". Boston: Oliver Ditson Company. * "Lilly". Church.

References

External links

Music of Theo. Bendix on the Internet Archive
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bendix, Theodore 1862 births 1935 deaths 19th-century American Jews American male composers Musicians from Detroit American violinists 19th-century American composers American conductors (music) 20th-century American composers 20th-century American Jews