Ferdinand Mayer - Revision history

Brett at 19:39, 17 August 2023

2023-08-17T19:39:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:39, 17 August 2023
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	{{picture\|file=Ferdinand Mayer.jpg\|caption='''Ferdinand Mayer''' (1843-1920)<br/>pictured in 1898 with his sons William (left), Albert, and Ferdinand H. Mayer}}		{{picture\|file=Ferdinand Mayer.jpg\|caption='''Ferdinand Mayer''' (1843-1920)<br/>pictured in 1898 with his sons William (left), Albert, and Ferdinand H. Mayer}}
	German-born representative of the piano manufacturers William Knabe & Co. in [[New York]] (b. 14 June 1843 in Sondershausen; d. ~~after 1920~~).		German-born representative of the piano manufacturers William Knabe & Co. in [[New York]] (b. 14 June 1843 {{NS}} in Sondershausen; d. 28 August 1922 in St. Petersburg, Florida).

	Mayer came to New York in 1860 at the age of 17, and became a naturalized American citizen four years later. In 1867 he started work with the [[New York]] piano manufacturers Marschall & Mittauer, and when that firm was disbanded two years later he was taken on by Albert Weber, founder of the Weber firm, rising from the post of junior salesman to manager of the firm's [[New York]] headquarters. After spending five years in Chicago as associate manager for Weber's, he returned to [[New York]] in 1888 as a representative of William Knabe & Co. <ref name="note1"/>.		Mayer came to New York in 1860 at the age of 17, and became a naturalized American citizen four years later. In 1867 he started work with the [[New York]] piano manufacturers Marschall & Mittauer, and when that firm was disbanded two years later he was taken on by Albert Weber, founder of the Weber firm, rising from the post of junior salesman to manager of the firm's [[New York]] headquarters. After spending five years in Chicago as associate manager for Weber's, he returned to [[New York]] in 1888 as a representative of William Knabe & Co. <ref name="note1"/>.
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	The year after Tchaikovsky's visit, Mayer accepted an offer of employment from the firm of Chickering & Sons to become manager of their [[New York]] branch. In 1896 he returned to Knabe's as a senior manager, and four years later he became their European representative in [[Berlin]]. After Knabe's became part of the American Piano Company in 1908, Mayer's employment came to an abrupt end, and he sued for breach of contract <ref name="note7"/>. In 1919 he returned from Europe to spend his last years in [[New York]].		The year after Tchaikovsky's visit, Mayer accepted an offer of employment from the firm of Chickering & Sons to become manager of their [[New York]] branch. In 1896 he returned to Knabe's as a senior manager, and four years later he became their European representative in [[Berlin]]. After Knabe's became part of the American Piano Company in 1908, Mayer's employment came to an abrupt end, and he sued for breach of contract <ref name="note7"/>. In 1919 he returned from Europe to spend his last years in [[New York]].

			==Correspondence with Tchaikovsky==
			No letters from Tchaikovsky to Ferdinand Mayer are known, but 2 letters from Mayer to the composer, dating from 1891, are preserved in the {{RUS-KLč}} at [[Klin]] (a{{sup\|4}}, Nos. 2298–2299).

	==Notes and References==		==Notes and References==
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	<ref name="note5">Diary entry for [[Diaries_(May_1891)#Thursday_2.2F14_May_1891\|2/14 May 1891]].</ref>		<ref name="note5">Diary entry for [[Diaries_(May_1891)#Thursday_2.2F14_May_1891\|2/14 May 1891]].</ref>
	<ref name="note6">Diary entry for [[Diaries_(May_1891)#Tuesday_7.2F19_May_1891\|7/19 May 1891]].</ref>		<ref name="note6">Diary entry for [[Diaries_(May_1891)#Tuesday_7.2F19_May_1891\|7/19 May 1891]].</ref>
	<ref name="note7">{{und\|Piano, Organ and Musical Instrument Workers' Official Journal, vol. 11}} (1909), p. 9~~. See: http://www.mocavo.com/Piano-and-Organ-Workers-Official-Journal-1909-Volume-11/451994/423 (last accessed 25 April 2015)~~.</ref>		<ref name="note7">{{und\|Piano, Organ and Musical Instrument Workers' Official Journal, vol. 11}} (1909), p. 9.</ref>
	</references>		</references>
	[[Category:People\|Mayer, Ferdinand]]		[[Category:People\|Mayer, Ferdinand]]

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{{picture|file=Ferdinand Mayer.jpg|caption='''Ferdinand Mayer''' (1843-1920)<br/>pictured in 1898 with his sons William (left), Albert, and Ferdinand H. Mayer}}
German-born representative of the piano manufacturers William Knabe & Co. in [[New York]] (b. 14 June 1843 in Sondershausen; d. after 1920).

Mayer came to New York in 1860 at the age of 17, and became a naturalized American citizen four years later. In 1867 he started work with the [[New York]] piano manufacturers Marschall & Mittauer, and when that firm was disbanded two years later he was taken on by Albert Weber, founder of the Weber firm, rising from the post of junior salesman to manager of the firm's [[New York]] headquarters. After spending five years in Chicago as associate manager for Weber's, he returned to [[New York]] in 1888 as a representative of William Knabe & Co. <ref name="note1"/>.

==Tchaikovsky and Mayer==
It was in this capacity that Mayer found himself accompanying Tchaikovsky for part of his American tour in April and May 1891. The composer at first appreciated Mayer's attentiveness, writing on the second day of his tour that "The sincere friendliness of this dear German astonishes and touches me. Being the representative of a piano manufacturer, he has not the slightest self-interest in attending to a musician who is not a pianist" <ref name="note2"/>.

However, a week later Tchaikovsky had begun to find his host's attention somewhat oppressive. "After an excellent lunch I went for a walk along ''Broadway'', alas, with Mayer", he wrote in his diary. "This good-natured German cannot understand that his sacrifice for my sake is unnecessary, and even onerous for me. How enjoyable it would be to walk alone! But ''Mayer'' is prepared to neglect his business duties in order that I ought not to be left alone. And so, despite my pleading that he should go home and deal with his business affairs, he trailed around with me on foot for an hour-and-a-half!" <ref name="note3"/>. He was also later a reluctant guest at Mayer's country "dacha" <ref name="note4"/>.

When on 14/26 May 1891 Mayer asked Tchaikovsky to write a testimonial for Knabe's pianos, the composer refused to state publicly that he found Knabe's pianos "indisputably the best in America", on the grounds that he considered Steinway's to be superior <ref name="note5"/>. Nevertheless, a compromise was reached with a re-worded testimonial, and the composer and Mayer ended his visit on good terms <ref name="note6"/>.

The year after Tchaikovsky's visit, Mayer accepted an offer of employment from the firm of Chickering & Sons to become manager of their [[New York]] branch. In 1896 he returned to Knabe's as a senior manager, and four years later he became their European representative in [[Berlin]]. After Knabe's became part of the American Piano Company in 1908, Mayer's employment came to an abrupt end, and he sued for breach of contract <ref name="note7"/>. In 1919 he returned from Europe to spend his last years in [[New York]].

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">Information from "Ferdinand Mayer Honored" in ''The Music Trade Review'', 26 December 1898 {{NS}}, p. 13. See: http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1898-26-12/MTR-1898-26-12-11.pdf (last accessed 25 April 2015).</ref>
<ref name="note2">Diary entry for [[Diaries_(April_1891)#Monday_15.2F27_April_1891|15/27 April 1891]].</ref>
<ref name="note3">Diary entry for [[Diaries_(April_1891)#Monday_22_April.2F4_May_1891|22 April/4 May 1891]].</ref>
<ref name="note4">Diary entry for [[Diaries_(May_1891)#Wednesday_1.2F13_May_1891|1/13 May 1891]].</ref>
<ref name="note5">Diary entry for [[Diaries_(May_1891)#Thursday_2.2F14_May_1891|2/14 May 1891]].</ref>
<ref name="note6">Diary entry for [[Diaries_(May_1891)#Tuesday_7.2F19_May_1891|7/19 May 1891]].</ref>
<ref name="note7">{{und|Piano, Organ and Musical Instrument Workers' Official Journal, vol. 11}} (1909), p. 9. See: http://www.mocavo.com/Piano-and-Organ-Workers-Official-Journal-1909-Volume-11/451994/423 (last accessed 25 April 2015).</ref>
</references>
[[Category:People|Mayer, Ferdinand]]

Ferdinand Mayer - Revision history

Brett at 19:39, 17 August 2023

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