pfohl studied law at prague, then in leipzig he studied music as private pupil of oscar paul and attended courses in philosophy at the university, worked as music critic at leipziger tageblatt and königlich-leipziger zeitung; from november 1892 to 1931 he was music editor of hamburger nachrichten, since 1913 to 1934 teacher and co-director of vogt conservatory in hamburg (thompson - slonimsky - sabin, ). prof. h.c., dr. phil. h.c., author of many books on music, e.g. a biography on famous hungarian conductor arthur nikisch and on richard wagner.