George Eastman TLS to Cellist Victor Wagner

Typed letter signed by George Eastman to Victor Wagner. Rochester, New York, 19 October 1929. 1 page, on Eastman Kodak Company letterhead. Matted and framed .

Boldly signed by photography industrialist George Eastman to cellist Victor Wagner (1895-1939). Born in Austria, Wagner attended the Vienna Conservatory of Music and was a cellist in the Royal Opera House (Vienna) and the Vienna Philharmonic under Gustav Mahler. In 1906, he came to the United States as a cellist for the Metropolitan Opera and partook in other opportunities both as a cellist and a conductor. In 1922, he was recruited by George Eastman to direct the Eastman Theater Ensemble and act as the managing director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. The letter here likely refers to Wagner's appointment as conductor of Station WGY's radio orchestra at Schenectady in 1929. He would remain involved in Rochester however, directing the Eastman Kodak Company Employees Chorus until his death.

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