10 Facts About Leonard Liebling

Leonard Liebling was an American music critic, writer, librettist, editor, pianist, and composer.

Leonard Liebling is best remembered as the long-time editor-in-chief of the Musical Courier from 1911 to 1945.

Leonard Liebling's brother James Liebling was a professional musician, and his sister Estelle Liebling was a soprano with the Metropolitan Opera who became a famous voice teacher and coach.

Leonard Liebling then worked as a concert pianist and piano teacher in Europe before returning to the United States to join the staff of the Musical Courier, a music journal published weekly, in 1902.

Leonard Liebling remained with that publication until his death 43 years later, first serving as a music critic, and then rising to post of editor-in-chief from 1911 to 1945.

Leonard Liebling concurrently served as music critic for the New York Journal-American from 1923 to 1936.

Outside of music criticism, Leonard Liebling wrote the libretti for at least four comic operas: The Glass Blowers ; The Girl and the Kaiser ; Vera Violetta ; and Frederick Lonsdale and Frank Curzon's The Balkan Princess.

Leonard Liebling was an active member of the Lotos Club and The Lambs.

Leonard Liebling served as the arbiter for the nationally broadcast radio quiz show So You Think You Know Music from 1939 to 1941 on CBS Radio.

Leonard Liebling died of a heart attack at the Hotel Buckingham, now The Quin, in New York City in 1945.