Professor Frederick Husler

Biography

Extract from Karl Zuckmeyer's forward

Letter from Prof. Husler to Ron Murdock

Radio Interview with Professor Husler
regarding his work in Berlin at the Kroll Opera
with Dr Otto Klemperer, 1922-1929:

Professor Frederick Husler was born in UTAH, USA in 1889 and died in 1969 in Switzerland. His father was Swiss by birth, his mother German, and on her husband's death, when Frederick was eight, the children were brought to Munich to be educated. Although gifted in many fields, in his late teens he turned to singing for which he had little natural aptitude. It was his determination to overcome this lack of talent which caused him to dedicate his life to singing. Since there was nowhere he could learn about singing, in the way he wanted to learn it, he taught himself. When he was twenty-five, Bruno Walter, already at the height of his conducting career, wanted to make a world tour with him singing the title role in Verdi's "Othello". By the time he was twenty-seven he was well known as a teacher in Munich with more pupils than he could take.

In 1922 he and his wife moved to Berlin, where he became Head of vocal studies at the famous Stern'sche Conservatoire and had a large private practice. The Ensemble of the Kroll Opera under Otto Klemperer was placed as a whole in his care. Those who heard its performances considered its standard of excellence unrivalled. He was the expert consulted by eminent conductors (Furtwängler, von Karajan and Sargent among them) for advice on their singers' problems.

From 1936 to 1939 Professor Husler was Head of the department for vocal studies and of the Master Class for Singers at the Konservatorium der Reichshaupstadt Berlin (founded by Julius Stern). He was co-founder and Head of the voice department of the Nordwestdeutsche Musikademie in Detmold (together with the professors Wilhelm Maler, Conrad Hansen, Munch Holland and Max Strubwhich) from 1946 to 1961. At least sixty singers from Husler's class emerged as soloists, many achieving international recognition. In 1961 he and Yvonne Rodd-Marling opened their school in Switzerland under the patronage of Otto Klemperer, Herbert von Karajan, Sir Malcolm Sargent and Sir William Glock.




Extract from Karl Zuckmeyer's forward to Husler's book
"Das Vollkommene Instrument" published in 1970:

". . .besaß er eine Gabe, welche schwer erklärbar ist: das ,Finden ohne zu suchen‘. Er konnte einen Stein aufheben unter vielen gleichgearteten Steinen, mit völliger Sicherheit, daß gerade unter diesem Stein eine besonders seltene, winzige entomologische Rarität, deren Schönheit sich nur unter der Lupe erschließt, verborgen sei."

". . . he posessed a talent which is difficult to explain: "Finding without looking". He could turn over a stone from among several similar ones, with the complete assurance that right under this stone would be hidden an especially unique, tiny entomological rarity whose beauty would only be disclosed under a microscope."




Letter from Prof. Husler to Ron Murdock

My dear Ron -

I received today such a nice letter from you which sounded so happy - especially as you write as a singer with a successful concert behind him: "You really sang." That is well said. That's why it was such a success. Marion and I send you our hearty congratulations.
I am very happy over our continued work together. It is lovely to work with you - I just want to tell you that. You

are not hysterical, yet sensitive and always involve your heart and head; and that makes me happy.

Yvonne is still in London. We leave for Italy on the 9th - the island of Elba. Once again to swim in the sea. And you are right - with all that is beautiful here, there needs to be salt water too.




Transcription of Radio Interview with Professor Husler
regarding his work in Berlin at the Kroll Opera
with Dr Otto Klemperer, 1922-1929