Percy Goetschius: The American Father of Music Theory

In this installment of ‘The Art of Liberty,’ we meet the music educator who encouraged young musicians to emulate traditional composers.

(Left) Fugue No. 17 in A♭ major by J.S. Bach, from “The Well Tempered Clavichord.” (Right) Music educator Percy Goetschius, 1934, taught an appreciation of traditional classical music. Public Domain

For years, music education in America remained centuries behind Europe because Americans were initially focused on developing a rugged land than creating art.

One little-known educator, Percy Goetschius (1853–1943), made great strides to change that. He encouraged the study of traditional classical music through his writing and teaching of music theory at one of America’s foremost musical schools, Juilliard.