Alix Young Maruchess
Alix Young Maruchess | |
|---|---|
 Alix Young Maruchess, from a 1929 advertisement | |
| Born | Alix Young 28 March 1889 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 27 February 1973 (age 83) Harrison, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Violist |
| Spouse | Boris Maruchess |
Alix Young Maruchess (28 March 1889 – 27 February 1973) was a Scottish-born American musician. She played viola and viola d'amore in concerts from the 1920s into the 1960s.
Early life and education
[edit]Alix Young was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. She studied with Otakar Ševčík, Mikhail Press, and Leopold Auer.[1][2][3] She acquired an Amati viola d'amore in Europe as a young woman, and made it her specialty.[4]
Career
[edit]Maruchess was based in New York City by 1917,[5] and gave recitals at Steinway Hall in 1927,[6] 1928,[7] 1929,[8] and 1939.[9] and at Town Hall in 1931.[10] She toured widely in the 1930s,[11] including performances in Carmel in 1934[12] and 1935,[13] at the Textile Museum in Washington, D.C., in 1936,[14] and at Bennington College in 1937.[15] She returned to Carmel in 1947[2] and 1953, to play at the Carmel Bach Festival.[16][17]
From the 1930s onward,[18][19] Maruchess was frequently in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she socialized with Witter Bynner, Gerald Cassidy, Ina Sizer Cassidy, Amelia Elizabeth White, violinist Eunice Hauskins, and others in the arts.[20][21] While in Santa Fe, she began playing the cello in concerts.[21] She was founding conductor of Sinfonietta, the city's amateur chamber music group,[22] and returned to Santa Fe in 1953 to perform with Sinfonietta.[23]
William Zorach drew a portrait of Maruchess with her viola.[24] In the 1940s she played a kithara with the experimental Harry Partch Ensemble.[25][26] In 1962, she performed with the Brooklyn String Orchestra in Chappaqua, with Lily Nyeboe conducting.[1]
Personal life
[edit]Alix Young married labor arbitrator Boris Maruchess; they had a daughter, Graeme, born in 1914.[27] Her husband died in 1938.[28] Maruchess died in 1963, at the age of 83, in Harrison, New York.[19][29]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Viola Virtuoso to Perform in Chappaqua" North Westchester Times and New Castle Tribune (1962-05-17): 16; via NYS Historic Newspapers.
- ^ a b "Alix Maruchess to Play Stamitz Concerto". Carmel Pine Cone: 13. 1947-07-18 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Alix Young Maruchess to Give Woman's Club Performance". Richmond Times-Dispatch. 1942-01-08. p. 17. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "She Revived romance of Past in Music of Viola d'Amore". El Paso Herald-Post. 1933-12-12. p. 6. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Three Musicians Heard; Jacobinoff, Mrs. Young-Maruchess, Violinists; F. Moore, Pianist". The New York Times. 1917-03-29. p. 11. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
- ^ "Maruchess Plays Violin and Viola". The New York Times. 1927-04-14. p. 25. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
- ^ "Alix Young Maruchess Plays Again". The New York Times. 1928-01-30. p. 18. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
- ^ "Maruchess Delights with Viola d'Amore; Also Plays Viola in Recital of Representative Works Ranging From 17th Century to Present". The New York Times. 1929-11-21. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
- ^ "'Musical America' Reports on Concert of Alix Maruchess". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1939-03-11. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mme. Maruchess in Town Hall". The New York Times. 1931-11-04. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
- ^ "Margaret Tilly and Alix Maruchess to Present Concert Here". The Chico Enterprise. 1934-06-11. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Above all, for sweetness, is the old viola d'amore". Carmel Pine Cone: 5. 1934-05-18 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Viola d'Amore Concert Proves Gratifying". Carmel Cymbal: 3. 1935-04-10 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Eversman, Alice (1936-11-28). "Viola Expert's Concert to Revive Older Music". Evening star. p. 20. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Bennington College, Concert Program for Alix Young Maruchess (1937-09-21).
- ^ Carmel Bach Festival (1947). 1947 Carmel Bach Festival Program.
- ^ Carmel Bach Festival (1953). 1953 Carmel Bach Festival Program.
- ^ "Alix Maruchess to Give Viola, Viola D'Amore Concert Today". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1940-10-27. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Former SF concert artist dies". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1973-03-09. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Santa Fe Society News". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1932-04-30. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Eunice Hauskins and Alix Maruchess are Hostesses of Tea". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1939-08-04. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Promotes Chamber Music at Museum with Concert July 2". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1941-06-29. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Sinfonietta is Rehearsing for Concert". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1953-07-19. p. 13. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Zorach, WIlliam. Woman with violin - Portrait of Alix maruchess (via ArtNet).
- ^ Harry Partch 1942 Live at Eastman, liner notes (Microfest Records 2021): 59.
- ^ "Unusual Program by Harry Partch; Composers' League Sponsors His 'Speech-Music' Concert -- New Instruments Seen". The New York Times. 1944-04-23. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
- ^ "Graeme Maruchess Sizer and Rowland Barber to be Married Saturday in Kingston, N.Y." The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1941-06-18. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Boris Maruchess, Labor Conciliator; Manager of Employe Relations for Clothing Manufacturers Exchange Is Dead". The New York Times. 1938-04-21. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
- ^ "Maruchess (death notice)". The Daily Item. 1973-02-28. p. 14. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.