Muller, Carl Christian

1837-

Composer, conductor, and teacher of harmony in New York City; born in Saxe-Meiningen. He studied piano with F. W. Pfeifer and his son, Heinrich; harmony with A. Zellner, and organ with Butzert. Coming to New York in 1854 he was engaged for a time in a piano factory, then entered the orchestra of Barnum's Museum, ultimately becoming its leader. He established himself as a teacher of harmony in New York and later became identified with the New York College of Music as teacher of harmony and associated branches. In 1907 he was teaching at Dr. Eberhardt's Grand Conservatory, New York Conservatory, and the Uptown Conservatory. He translated Sechter's Grundsatze der Musikalischen Composition or Fundamental Harmony, and supplemented it by four sets of tables on primary instruction, modulation, chord succession and harmonization. For piano he has published Pleasant Recollections; Golden Hours, and a great number of pieces for small bands; three sonatas for organ; a sonata for violin and piano; a string quartet in A minor; some four-part male choruses; songs; organ postludes. Among his works in manuscript is a symphony for orchestra in D minor; two suites in G minor and E flat major; two overtures; an Idyll on an excerpt from Hiawatha, and other compositions.