Max Geiger

1884 Jaroslaw - 1966 Wien
Max Geiger, born January 15, 1884 in Jaroslaw, Galicia, pianist, violinist, conductor, composer from a musicians' dynasty: his father David Geiger and his brothers Isy and Joseph Geiger were musicians too. Piano and violin studies in Zagreb, later on with Jacob Grün at the Conservatorium der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. Concert tours as pianist and violinist through Europe, 1907-17 concertmaster at the Komische Oper Berlin, Carltheater Wien and in Bukarest; from 1917 on with his his own dance orchestra in cafés in Vienna, bandleader for Radio Wien with his own show and for Radio Warsaw, numerous benefit concerts, a.o. for vacations for poor Jewish children. Composer of popular music and music for the silent movies. End 1920ies, beginning 1930ies as a music teacher in British India, in August 1938 exile there. Founder and conductor of a symphony orchestra for the Maharaja of Patiala. His son Kurt Geiger (1924 Vienna-1999 Las Vegas), a beginning violinist, fell ill with poliomyelitis in India and was sent to the USA for better treatment. Max Geiger remigrated in the 1950ies to Vienna via New York and London. His career as a musician was put to an end because of his proceeding blindness. Max Geiger passed away on September 1966 in Vienna. Update Primavera Driessen Gruber August 18, 2015