Theodore Moses Tobani

Theodore Moses Tobani (2 May 1855 − 12 December 1933) was a composer of popular music. He was born in Hamburg, Germany, and began studying violin when he was five years old. The family moved to the United States, where he attended the Rivington School in New York, but they returned to Europe when it became evident that Theodore was a musical prodigy. He was a concert violinist by the time he was 10. The family returned to the U.S. in 1870, and Theodore took positions as a violinist in several groups including Simpson's Theatre in Philadelphia, Wallack's Theatre, and several others.

His best known composition was "Hearts and Flowers", which he composed in half an hour in 1893, and which continued to sell more than 100,000 copies annually until the end of his life. He was so prolific that his publisher, Carl Fischer, insisted that he use multiple pseudonyms; Fischer was concerned that nobody would believe how much Tobani was composing. Another popular work was "Our Little Nestling", written in 1883 for Mrs. Lester Wallack, for which he was paid $35. He also composed "Around the Christmas Tree", subtitled "A Yule-Tide Potpourri", which was later arranged for band by Louis-Philippe Laurendeau

Tobani was also a real estate dealer and owned property in Queens. He died on 12 December 1933; seven children survived him, but his wife, Helen, had died some time earlier.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 2, 1855 (Hamburg), Died December 12, 1933 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1899 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: arranger, composer

Notes: Pseudonyms include: Florence Reed, Andrew Herman/Hermann, and Theodore Moses.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 51-75 of 268 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor C-6888 12-in. 3/17/1909 American airs waltz Victor Dance Orchestra Orchestra arranger  
Victor C-6961 12-in. 4/2/1909 Il trovatore : Selection Arthur Pryor's Band Band arranger  
Victor C-8779 12-in. 4/1/1910 Hungarian fantasy Pietro Frosini Accordion solo composer  
Victor C-8829 12-in. 4/11/1910 Herodiade : Grand selection Arthur Pryor's Band Band arranger  
Victor C-8835 12-in. 4/12/1910 A night's frolic Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor C-8836 12-in. 4/12/1910 Unfinished symphony : Allegro moderato Arthur Pryor's Band Band arranger  
Victor C-8845 12-in. 4/13/1910 The opera mirror Arthur Pryor's Band Band arranger  
Victor C-8854 12-in. 4/15/1910 Old Heidelberg Arthur Pryor's Band Band arranger  
Victor C-9055 12-in. 6/6/1910 America forever! Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor C-9080 12-in. 6/10/1910 Reminiscences of Mendelssohn Arthur Pryor's Band Band arranger  
Victor B-9172 10-in. 7/15/1910 Cocoanut dance Victor Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor B-9329 10-in. 7/27/1910 Lullaby from Jocelyn Victor Orchestra Orchestra arranger  
Victor C-9753 12-in. 1/3/1911 Gems from Stephen Foster Arthur Pryor's Band Band arranger  
Victor C-9938 12-in. 2/10/1911 Midsummer night's dream overture Victor Concert Orchestra Orchestra arranger  
Victor C-10129 12-in. 4/5/1911 The last hope Vessella's Italian Band Band arranger  
Victor C-10540 12-in. 6/16/1911 Largo Maud Powell Violin solo, with orchestra arranger  
Victor C-10863 12-in. 8/7/1911 Moonlight and starlight waltz Victor Dance Orchestra Orchestra, with extra violin and cornet arranger  
Victor B-11427 10-in. 1/3/1912 Nadjy waltz Victor Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor B-11845 10-in. 4/10/1912 Rêve angélique Arthur Pryor's Band Band arranger  
Victor B-12035 10-in. 5/18/1912 Gondolier and nightingale Clement Barone ; Herbert L. Clarke Cornet and flute duet, with orchestra arranger  
Victor B-12107 10-in. 6/10/1912 Cavalleria rusticana intermezzo Victor Herbert's Orchestra Orchestra arranger  
Victor C-12342 12-in. 9/6/1912 Evening star waltz Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor C-12351 12-in. 9/10/1912 Crème de la crème Arthur Pryor's Band Band arranger  
Victor C-12352 12-in. 9/10/1912 Souvenir de Beethoven Arthur Pryor's Band Band arranger  
Victor C-12353 12-in. 9/10/1912 Götterdämmerung fantasia Arthur Pryor's Band Band arranger  
(Results 51-75 of 268 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Tobani, Theodore Moses," accessed May 4, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102246.

Tobani, Theodore Moses. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 4, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102246.

"Tobani, Theodore Moses." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 4 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102246

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