William Ritter (1867-1955)

William Ritter (1867-1955).

Profession: Critic, novelist, painter.
Residences: Monruz (Neuchatel, Switzerland), Vienna, Munich (House Janko Cadra), Bisonne (House Janko Cadra), Melinde.
Relation to Mahler: Friend.
Correspondence with Mahler: Yes.
1. 31-12-1901 Year 1901 Vienna: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
2. 11-05-1906 Year 1906 Munich: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955). Arrival date.
3. 17-08-1906 Year 1906 Salzburg: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
4. 15-10-1906 Year 1906 Vienna: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
5. 03-11-1906 Year 1906 Vienna: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
6. 13-11-1906 Year 1906 Vienna: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
7. 22-09-1907 Year 1907 Vienna: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
8. 09-06-1908 Year 1908 Vienna: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
9. 10-09-1908 Year 1908 Prague: Telegram to William Ritter (1867-1955). 11am.
10. 08-12-1908 Year 1908 New York: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
11. 26-05-1909 Year 1909 Vienna: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
12. 24-09-1909 Year 1909 Vienna: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
13. 04-02-1910 Year 1910 New York: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
14. 17-03-1910 Year 1910 New York: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
15. 27-01-1911 Year 1911 New York: Letter to William Ritter (1867-1955).
Born: 31-05-1867 Neuchatel, Switzerland.
Died: 19-03-1955 Melde, Switzerland.
Buried: Unknown.

Also

Son of Guillaume (Wilhelm) Ritter (1835-1912, Hydraulic engineer and architect).
Friend of Janko Cadra (1882-1927).
Called ‘Wilko’ by his friend Janko Cadra (1882-1927).
Often mentioned in Janko Cadra (1882-1927)‘s diaries. Also in relation to his fascination with Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)‘s music. See details at: Janko Cadra (1882-1927).
Attended 1908 Concert Prague 19-09-1908 – Symphony No. 7 (Premiere). Ritter, who spent a week in Prague and attended six rehearsals as well as the premiere, described the event in several articles:
- 15-10-1908 in Le Courrier Musicale, Paris.
- 01-11-1908 in La Vie Musicale. Lausanne.
- 00-02-1961 Souvenirs sur Gustave Mahler, Switzerland.
Ritter also attended 1908 Concert Munich 27-10-1908 – Symphony No. 7 and was present at the rehearsals from 23-10-1908.
These days in Prague and Munich seemed to him to be “nos meilleurs moments d’intimite avec lui”.

William Ritter was a Swiss music and art critic, a writer, a painter, who was born in Neuchatel, and who studied letters in Vienna. He lived most of his life in Switzerland with his bohemian friend Janko Cadra (1882-1927), published articles in several magazines and was very close to Le Corbusier. Ritter was strongly anti-Semitic and originally was very much against Mahler; and he wrote negative and unkind/racist reviews about his music.

But later Ritter began to grasp the value of Mahler´s music, changed his mind, and wrote reviews accordingly. He was immersed in the work of Anton Bruckner (1824-1896), Leos Janacek (1854-1928), Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), Richard Strauss (1864-1949) and Bruno Walter (1876-1962), all of whom he knew.