In the book, "The Philadelphia Orchestra, A Century of Music", p. 74, is the following: "Ormandy's father, Benjamin Blau, was a dentist who loved the violin and introduced his son to the instrument at age three. His mother is listed in several accounts as having been named Rosalie Ormandy Blau, which would account for the name under which he achieved fame. However, Ormandy always firmly declined to discuss the origins of the name and his reasons for adopting it professionally, leaving a certain mystery about it. Two younger brothers followed him to the United States--Martin, a well-known New York cellist, and Laszlo, a Washington, D.C., surgeon." I believe his cellist brother also changed his name to Ormandy. I have a liner note that reads, "In 1921 he moved to America (changing his name: 'blau' being an undesirable German colloquialism)...." Perhaps this is the reason?? Mary Esterheld [log in to unmask]