Richard Hageman

Full biography Richard Hageman

Richard Hageman (1881-1966) was a Dutch-born American conductor , composer, pianist, and music educator. Born on July 9th, 1881, he began his musical studies at a young age and later moved to the United States. During his musical career, Hageman composed in a variety of genres, including classical, opera, and film music, and he is perhaps best known for his art songs.

Hageman's career began as an opera conductor, and he held positions in cities including New York, Chicago, and Covent Garden. He also conducted several opera premieres, including the American premieres of Puccini's "La rondine" and "Gianni Schicchi." In addition to conducting, he was also a pianist who appeared in concerts and recitals throughout his career.

In addition to his work as a performer and conductor, Hageman was also a prolific composer. His early compositions were primarily in the classical and operatic genres, but he later moved into film composition, completing scores for over 50 films. One of his most famous film scores was for the John Ford classic "Stagecoach" (1939), for which he received an Academy Award nomination. Despite his success in film music, however, Hageman continued composing art songs throughout his career.

Hageman's art songs, which set mostly English texts to music, became incredibly popular during his lifetime and are still performed today. Some of his most famous songs include "Do Not Go, My Love" and "At the Well."

In addition to his prolific musical career, Hageman was also an occasional actor and appeared in a few films throughout his life. He passed away on March 6th, 1966, leaving behind a lasting legacy as a composer, conductor, and pianist.