Givers

This year marks a long anniversary of a significant event in American arts: It was 120 years ago that Henry Lee Higginson established the first permanent symphony in the United States, the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Born in 1834, Higginson grew up in Boston and attended Harvard University. Subsequently, he traveled to Europe, attended operas and concerts, and developed a deep appreciation for music. In fact, he returned from Europe with a strong desire to be a musician. Unfortunately, his father had other plans and put him to work in a merchant office as a clerk. Using an inheritance from an uncle, Higginson traveled to Vienna in 1856 with the hope of developing a career as a concert pianist and composer. Unfortunately, he suffered an arm injury in Europe and—despite diligent efforts—could not develop significant merit as a musician.

Higginson returned to Boston in 1860 with little sense of professional direction. With the onset of the Civil War, he joined the Union army and achieved the rank of major. After the war, he returned to Boston and became quite successful in his father’s banking firm.

After amassing nearly one million dollars, Higginson returned to his love of music. In 1873, he again visited Vienna, met with former teachers and students, and left with the desire to create a symphony in Boston that would rival others throughout the world. Higginson largely devoted the remainder of his life to the development of the Boston Symphony Orchestra—which he created eight years after his return from Vienna. He personally recruited accomplished conductors, paid all employees (he preferred to operate as the sole funder), developed “pops” concerts, built Boston’s landmark Symphony Hall, and always made sure some tickets for each performance were available for the working class and students. By the time Higginson died in 1919, the Boston Symphony Orchestra not only performed around the country but also began to make recordings and perform on the radio.

Although Higginson never became a great musician, he channeled the passions of his youth into his philanthropy, making the Boston Symphony Orchestra an important model for other American communities.

Today, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops have become a highly recognizable part of the American music scene. Each year, Americans enjoy concerts such as PBS’ “Evening at the Pops” and A&E’s “Pop Goes the Fourth,” as well as numerous performances aired on radio stations all over the country.