Converse, Frederick Shepherd (1871–1940)

US composer. In 1910 his Pipe of Desire became the first US opera to be performed at the New York Metropolitan Opera House. From 1917 to 1919 he served in the army and in 1930 became dean of the New England Conservatory, a post which he held until 1938.

Although intended for a commercial career, he studied music at Harvard University under John Paine. Later he studied piano with Carl Baermann and composition with George Chadwick at Boston, and took a finishing course in Munich. After his return to the USA he held teaching posts at Boston and Harvard until 1907.

Works Opera The Pipe of Desire (1905), The Sacrifice (1910), The Immigrants (1914), Sinbad the Sailor.

Orchestral five symphonies (1920–40), orchestral tone-poems Endymion's Narrative (1901), The Mystic Trumpeter (after Whitman, 1905), Ormazd, Ave atque vale, Song of the Sea, Flivver Ten Million (1927), romance The Festival of Pan for orchestra; Night and Day for piano and orchestra (after Whitman); concerto for violin and piano.

Vocal Job for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra, Laudate Dominum for male voices, brass, and organ, Hagar in the Desert for contralto and orchestra, La Belle Dame sans merci for baritone and orchestra (Keats, 1902).

Chamber three string quartets; piano trio; sonata for violin and piano.

Other piano pieces; songs.