Abstract

William Henry Pommer (1851-1937) was a versatile German-American composer and musician of St. Louis. He held various musical positions as an educator, director, and performer. He was also an active composer with almost 500 works to his credit, composed in a variety of styles that reflect the variety of the different positions he held. Through archival work in St. Louis and by studying and playing through Pommer’s music, we have identified different styles that he composed in and begun to pick music for performances to best represent his work. In addition to performances, recordings of these performances will be on display as a permanent auditory exhibit in Hermann, Missouri at the Deutschheim Historic Site- the Pommer family house. This presentation will further discuss Pommer’s music and what role he played in the German-American community in Missouri and will include a short performance of his work.