author
Arthur Elson
1873–1940
A prolific American writer on music, he helped early 20th-century readers explore opera, orchestral instruments, and the history of American music. His books are clear, practical, and shaped by a lifelong immersion in musical culture.
1 Audiobook
Woman's Work in Music
by Arthur Elson
About the author
Born in Boston on November 18, 1873, Arthur Elson was an American writer and critic whose work focused on music history, appreciation, and performance. He was the son of music historian Louis Charles Elson, studied with his father, and went on to attend the New England Conservatory, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Elson wrote widely for general readers as well as music students. His books include The Book of Musical Knowledge, A History of Opera, The History of American Music, and Woman's Work in Music, showing the breadth of his interests across composers, instruments, national traditions, and the place of women in musical life.
He also served as music critic for the Boston Advertiser from 1920. He died in New York on February 24, 1940, leaving behind a large body of writing that helped make serious music more accessible to a broad audience.