Arthur Adolph Loesser (August 26, 1894 – January 5, 1969) was an American classical pianist,musicologist, and writer.

Born into a musical family in New York City, Loesser received early piano training from his German-born father until he began lessons withZygmunt Stojowski at theInstitute of Musical Art, now called the Juilliard School.^[1][2]

Loesser was the author of the booksHumor in American Song^[3] andMen, Women, and Pianos: A Social History. He also wroteprogram notes for theCleveland Orchestra andliner notes for recordings byVladimir Horowitz and other musicians.

Loesser served on the faculty of theCleveland Institute of Music beginning in 1926. From 1953 until his death in 1969, he was head of the piano department.^[4] His pupils includedSergio Calligaris,Anton Kuerti, andJane Corner Young.

As a pianist, Loesser gave numerous concerts and recitals, his first during 1913 inBerlin.^[5] He often coupled his recitals with lectures which were known for their wit. He was active during the 1920s and 1930s as one half of a piano duo with the famous conductorWilfrid Pelletier. The two made a number of recordings together that were made under the direction ofArthur Bodanzky. He also made several solo recordings, some of which have been issued on compact disc.^[6]

Arthur Loesser wroteMen, Women & Pianos: A Social History which was published by Simon & Schuster in 1954.^[7]

DuringWorld War II, from 1943, Loesser served in theUS Army where he worked in the Japanese intelligence department. It was during this period that he mastered the Japanese language and after the war ended he gave recitals with lectures in Tokyo. Loesser eventually retired from the army with the rank of major.^[5]

Arthur Loesser was the half-brother ofBroadwaycomposerFrank Loesser. He jokingly described Frank as "the evil of two Loessers".^[4]

Loesser was married to Jean Basset; the couple had one daughter, the fashion historianAnne Hollander.^[8]

Loesser died from aheart attack at the wheel of his car, outside theCleveland Institute of Music on January 4, 1969, aged 74.^[4]

• 1894 births
• 1969 deaths
• 20th-century American classical pianists
• American male classical pianists
• 20th-century male pianists
• American people of German-Jewish descent
• Jewish classical pianists
• Pupils of Percy Goetschius
• Cleveland Institute of Music faculty
• Classical musicians from New York (state)
• 20th-century American male pianists

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