Ernest Bloch miscellaneous acquisitions collection

Ernest Bloch was born July 24, 1880 in Geneva, Switzerland. He began composing music after receiving a violin at the age of 9. He studied music and composition in Brussels, Germany, and Paris before settling in the United States in 1916 and becoming an American citizen in 1924. Bloch is celebrated as one of the most renowned 20th century composers, and received many honors, including the Coolidge Prize (1919), the Musical American Prize (1928), the first Gold Medal in Music (1942), and the honor of Professor Emeritus of Music (1952) from the University of California at Berkeley. Bloch held multiple teaching positions throughout the U.S. He died in Portland, Oregon on July 15, 1959.

Bloch’s photography was discovered by Eric B. Johnson in 1970. Bloch became interested in photography at the age of sixteen. Bloch worked with black and white photography and produced small-format images mounted in albums as well as stereoscopic views. Johnson edited and printed hundreds of Bloch’s photographs which are now visible on his website.