website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown,
Wisconsin
Prof. Richard
Hardege
Musician and
composer
1853 - 1922
Was a Noted Violinist and Teach of Piano
and Violin
Studied Music in Leipsig,
Germany
Hardege, Richard b.
Hardege, Richard 1913, 103 E
Main, music teacher
The death of Prof. Richard Hardege, noted musician and musical composer and teacher of
music for many years in Watertown, occurred in the family home, 408 Lincoln
Street, Thursday afternoon. Death
followed an attack of pneumonia from which he had suffered but a few days, and
but few of his friends were aware that his condition was serious. Up to the time he was stricken he was in his
usual health and able to attend to his musical teaching, and his death will be
a shock to his many friends in Watertown and elsewhere where he was well known
in musical circles.
Richard Hardege
first saw the light of day at Haverstraw, N.Y., where he was born September 1,
1853 the son of the late Henry Hardege and Mrs.
Louisa Hardege.
When a child of three the family removed to Watertown and with the
exception of a few years spent in Columbus he has resided in Watertown every
since. Here he received his education in
the public schools. He early evinced
talent for music and began the self study of the art, soon acquiring skill on
the piano and later on the violin, both of which instruments he mastered. He then went to Europe where he studied under
the masters at Leipsig, Germany, remaining there more
than three years, when he returned to Watertown a master of the instruments he
loved so well, and opened a studio for the teaching of music which he followed
the rest of his life.
He became widely known as an artist
of great merit and a musical composer of considerable talent and he appeared in
some of the best appointed orchestras of the country. But he cared little for
the plaudits of the world and preferred the quiet life of his studio and the
teaching of his pupils. Music was with him a passion to which his whole life
was devoted and he was always the apt student.
His compositions for violin and
piano were many, but few of them were published. His compositions also included orchestra
numbers and an operetta, but never allowed but one to be published as he cared
little for the publicity which his cherished art would bring him. He was heard on several occasions in
Watertown and delighted his audiences who were enraptured with the melodies
with which he favored them when prevailed upon to do so.
During his early career he served
as director of the old Concordia Society, and the Harmony Singing society and
was also director of the musical department of the Turner Society.
Mr. Hardege
was possessed of a fine character and was endowed with many fine
attainments. To those who knew him best
he was a friend and adviser whose friendship was of the kind that lasts. He possessed a genial disposition which was
ever in evidence when with friends and was kindhearted and charitable to a
remarkable degree. But his whole soul
was wrapped up in music, which developed in the cradle and lasted until the
whisper of the angel of death.
He is survived by his mother, 93
years of age and an invalid, one sister, Miss Emma Hardege,
at home and two brothers, Arthur and Eugene Hardege,
at home.
The funeral will take place on
Sunday afternoon from the chapel of the Schmutzler
Furniture Co. at 1:30 o’clock where service will be held.
The burial will be in Oak
Hill Cemetery.
