Born Johannes Hendrikus Philip Kindler, Hans Kindler (1892-1949) was a Dutch-American cellist and conductor. A student of Belgian cellist Jean Gérardy, in 1910 he appeared as a soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic. However, in spite of a growing reputation on that continent, four years later he left for the United States in order to seek better professional opportunities.
However, because of the outbreak of the First World War, Kindler was unable to return to Europe. Consequently, in Philadelphia he found employment with that city’s symphony orchestra, and also at the Leefson-Hille Conservatory of Music. Although he became the principal cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1916, four years later he left the orchestra in order to again focus on his solo career. At the same time, he was a member of the Rich String Quartet, which performed in and around Philadelphia. At one event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the quartet “favored the Chamber Music Association of Philadelphia the other day with a performance of Alfredo Casella’s ‘Five Pieces.’” It was not well received.[1]
Although Kindler rejoined the Philadelphia Orchestra as a section cellist in 1921, by the end of that decade he had taken up conducting. In this role he was credited with having founded the National Symphony Orchestra in 1931. This is not exactly true.[2] This notwithstanding, it is certainly true that conducting turned out to be the means by which Kindler was able to become increasingly more involved in musical Pan-Americanism, particularly during the 1940s.
By this time, Kindler had gone on multiple tours within the United States, Canada and Europe. However, near the end of March, 1945, he left for Mexico to guest conduct the orchestra of the University of Mexico.[3] Upon his return, he told the Washington Post how he had avoided the difficulties that Leopold Stokowski had evidently encountered while conducting the same orchestra two years earlier. As Kindler explained, “It is quite simple. The Mexicans have an intense love of good music, but they have their own ideas on how to get around to playing it.”[4]
The following year, Kindler received invitations to guest conduct orchestras in Chile, Peru, Panama and Guatemala. While in Latin America, Kindler wrote a series of six articles for Washington, D.C.’s Evening Star, in which he chronicles the experiences, some musical, others not so musical, that occurred during his tour. In the final installment, Kindler realizes that in Panama he needed clothing a little less heavy than what he had worn while in Peru. Nevertheless, after purchasing the only light suitcoat that he could find, and at a very high price, when finally standing in front of the orchestra he found out that “it was too hot to conduct the rehearsal in anything but a sport shirt.”[5]
Based on his experiences in Latin America, the following year Kindler penned an article in which he argues that the “contact created by a large and considered artistic exploitation of this universal love of and for music by all these different nations should be extremely valuable in many ways.[6] He goes on to say:
“[i]t would therefore seem natural for us to have a great Pan-American Music Festival, here in the Capital of our country. Certainly in music we need not fear the misunderstandings so common in politics. I have felt time and again that through the medium of music it is possible to understand people of entirely different backgrounds, cultures, nationalities. Why not exploit this possibility to the full, for the purpose of international good will and better mutual understanding? Surely, it can do no harm—no harm at all.”
Four months later, during June, 1948, Kindler embarked on his third and most extensive tour as guest conductor in Latin America. Returning to the United States, he brought back a number of orchestral scores, including Alfonso Leng’s La Muerte de Alsino, which he indicated would be performed by the National Symphony Orchestra during its next season.[7] However, in declining health, on November 30, 1948, Kindler resigned as conductor of the National Symphony, leaving Alfonso Leng’s magnificent score unperformed in this country until 2024.[8]
Several months after a serious operation, Kindler died on August 30, 1949.
—John L. Walker
[1] “Rich String Quartet Played ‘Freak’ Concert,” The Patriot (Harrisburg, PA), 31 January 1922. The members of this quartet were Thaddeus Rich and Harry Aleninkoff, violins; Romaine Verney, viola; and Hans Kindler, cello. All were either current or former members of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
[2] The idea to organize an orchestra in our nation’s capital had been discussed from at least as early as 1926. The project, revived in 1930, led to its first concert, on January 31, 1930. The orchestra was conducted by Rudolph Schueller. Three months later, Kindler was selected to lead the orchestra during its 1931-1932 concert season. He remained as its principal conductor until 1948.
[3] Likely the orchestra of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
[4] “Kindler Back, Tells of Work in Mexico,” The Washington Post, 19 May 1945.
[5] Hans Kindler, “Touring Latin America with Kindler,” The Evening Star (Washington, DC), 28 July 1946.
[6] Hans Kindler, “Pan American Music Festival Advocated by Dr. Kindler,” The Evening Star (Washington, DC), 15 February 1948.
[7] “Kindler, Home from Tour, Urges Federal Subsidy for Music,” The Evening Star, 10 August 1948. Impacted by having learned that Latin American orchestras are supported by their respective governments, in this same article he argues that the US government should provide subsidies for music performance.
[8] Dr. Leon Burke III led the University City Symphony Orchestra in the US premiere of this work on October 6, 2024, in St. Louis, Misssouri. Alfonso Leng’s La Muerte de Alsino is published by Cayambis Music Press.