Ludwig Manoly (1855–1932) was aHungarian-born double bassist who studied inVienna and upon completing his studies, spent his life in the United States.^[1] He was principal bass of theNew York Philharmonic from 1892, after performing with the orchestra since 1880, and faculty at the National Conservatory, under the direction ofAntonín Dvořák, and the Institute of Musical Art, which later became theJuilliard School.

Manoly originally came to Vienna as a boy soprano, who had an exceptional voice in choral music. Upon arriving in Vienna at the age of fifteen, he found his voice changing and unable to audition at the Conservatory. However, there was a scholarship to study the double bass which he took up. At the Vienna Conservatory, he studied double bass withFranz Simandl; harmony, counterpoint, and composition withAnton Bruckner; and conducting withJoseph Hellmesberger. Graduating in 1876, he moved to the United States where he performed with theTheodore Thomas Orchestra, theMendelssohn Quintette Club of Boston, and theBoston Symphony Orchestra. He joined the Philharmonic Society of New York and the Philharmonic Club, which later turned into theNew York Philharmonic in 1880, eventually becoming principal bass of the ensemble in 1892, and later performed with theMetropolitan Opera Orchestra. Through his life, he came in contact with such individuals asBrahms,Liszt,Wagner,Saint-Saëns,Tchaikovsky,Anton Rubinstein,Bruckner,Richard Strauss,Mahler,Max Bruch,Carl Goldmark,Verdi,Jacques Offenbach,Johann Strauss, andEduard Strauss.

Manoly's compositions include a number of works for double bass and a flute concerto forGeorges Barrère, who was principal flute of the New York Philharmonic from 1905 to 1928. His students includedHerman Reinshagen.

• Ludwig Manoly at Bill Bentgen's Hall of Fame

• 1855 births
• 1932 deaths
• Classical double-bassists
• Hungarian classical musicians
• Musicians from Austria-Hungary
• Emigrants from Austria-Hungary to the United States