Marriage and Honeymoon
It was in Pittsburgh that he befriended Joseph Henry Gittings, a gifted organist and impresario, and Harriet Jane, his beautiful daughter. After a brief courtship marriage became a foregone conclusion.
His honeymoon was in the offing and von Kunits decided to take a trip with his new bride to introduce her to his parents. Last but not least, von Kunits could foresee that he might need some free time to settle some unresolved family affairs in Vienna. On returning for the first time since he left in 1893, he found his father and mother sorely strained by the seven years between them. His parents, from whom he had never before in his life been parted for so long were delighted with the news that he was married and awaiting a family, and that he had accomplished so much in Pittsburgh. His relations with his mother and father were now of the friendliest, as though he had never left. And his father even invited Mrs. von Kunits to see the family estate, Luigi's inheritance.
After a long honeymoon, they returned to Pittsburgh, where their two daughters were born. As an enthusiastic Greek scholar and a bit of an eccentric he had them duly christened Nausicaa, for the daughter of Alcinous in Homer's Odyssey, and Aglaea, for the youngest of the Three Charities (Graces) in Classical mythology.
They were busy and fruitful years, devoted to raising a family and building a career. Besides the Pittsburgh Symphony, he directed a series of String Quartet concertos, taught at the Pittsburgh Conservatory, and later at his own school.
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“Every marriage tends to consist of an aristocrat and a peasant. Of a teacher and a learner.”
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