William Henry Fry

Full biography William Henry Fry

William Henry Fry was an American composer, music critic, and journalist born on August 10, 1813, in Philadelphia. He was a significant figure in the field of American classical music in the mid-19th century and was regarded as the first known person born in the United States to have written original operas. Fry was passionate about opera and wrote several of his own, including Leonora, which was regarded as the first grand opera by an American composer.

Apart from his work in opera, Fry also composed for other genres such as symphonies, and he was the first American composer to write for large symphonic forces. He composed the Santa Claus: Christmas Symphony, which was reviewed positively by critics and remains a popular piece during the holiday season. Fry was also a music critic, and as a journalist, he wrote about music for various newspapers in the United States.

Fry's contributions to American classical music were significant, and he paved the way for other American composers such as Louis Moreau Gottschalk, George Whitfield Chadwick, and Amy Beach, who followed in his footsteps in writing symphonic works and operas. He was a remarkable figure in 19th-century American music, and his work continues to be recognized and celebrated today.