The Washington times., 1919-11-06
ROMANCE OF PIANO
MAKER RECALLED
Founder of House of StienWay
Played Organ at Own
Wedding.

The founder OF this great piano
house was a woodcarver by profess
sion. He lived a century ago in a lit
tie town at the foot of the Hartz
Mountains, near which was a bar
racks, where he led the band. And
Ebert Hubbard writes:
He resigned his job in the cabinet
shop to take place in a little factory
where church organs were being
made. incidentally, he played the
organ in the village church.
Here comes one OF those pivotal
points in life that make for glory or
despair. The colonel of the regiment
told young Steinway that he wanted
him on the spot all the time. But he
must enlist in order to have the place.
The offer of the army was tempt
Ing. 1t meant ease. honors and a sure
and safe position for life. Henry laid
the case before a fair-haired German
girl, Doretta Kinder by name, the
daughter of the village doctor. When
Henry played the organ in the village
church Doretta was always there. She
loved music; also she loved Henry
Steinway.
No Lure for Her.
The gilt braid, the brass buttons,
the tall bearskin cap and dangling
sword had no lure for Doretta. Her
woman's wisdom knew that Mars
meant misery for women, even more
than for men. She loved the obscure
mechanic for his own sake, and the
man who played the organ in the viii
lage church was more to her than the
man who led the band on parade.
Love had its way. One decision led
to another. In February, 1926, they
were married. Henry played the
organ at his own wedding; the girl
pumped the bellows; and then they
descended from the loft and the cere-
mony was performed.
The brides present from the groom
was a piano-a curious little instru-
ment with two strings. Stradivarius
fixed the limit of the violin at four
strings Two strings for a piano
with the hammers striking the strings
at different positions, was supposed to
be ample.
Across the case of this love-piano
were cupids carved in relief, all play
ing hide-and-seek in the flowers. Be-
yond this wonderful piano Henry
Steinway never expected to go. 1t
was his Meister-stueck. Also. II was
a 'Steinway'-on this point there is
no dispute.
But in a year we find Henry work
ing evenings In the kitchen of the
little house where they lived. lie
was making another piano-a better
one than the first. 1t was to have
three strings-this was in keeping
with the poetic unities-for there
were three in the family, now.~
This new piano was to be for DO
retta's baby-little Theodore, aged
only a few weeks, but making merry
music of his own. His fond father
used to say that little "The" was tne
only baby in the world that never
cried off key, but always with q
genuine musical expression.
The baby was to be known to the
world as c. F. Theodore Steinway
The Ideal Piano.
This piano for the baby that never
cried off key" WASH: completed for
fourteen years
AS the father worked. his ideas
Of what a piano should be increased
and enlarged. Long before the case
for the first piano was complete, with
his inward vision Steinway saw a
better one.
Little Theodore learned to creep. He
played in the shavings at his father s
feet and crowed and yodled.
He evolved one little white tooth.
then two.
He pulled himself up and stood On
fat, wobbly little legs and tried TO
help.
Finally he wore his first pair o.
-rousers. and talked good genuine
German.
How is the piano getting along
the neighbors would ask. "Ach, du
Iieber Gott. gave it to the Frau for
a cupboard"
A year later the question was an
swered thus, "Ah. the pianoforte--
yes, gave 1t to the Frau for a book
casem
Pianos were made and a few sold,
but the one ideal piano, the piano
Tor Theodore. was not completed.
Other babies came-one. two. three,
four. five. six. Theodore was twelve
years old. He was a handsome youth,
tall. strong, sturdy, with brain to
match. He read and played all ana
any kind of music at sight. He sat-
urated himself with sweet sounds:
and as he worked at the bench by
me side OF his father he sang songs
from Schubert.
MY son." said the father. ct STAR
ed out to make an ideal piano tor
YOU. l could have achieved II all
right. had not the ideal kept ahead
of me. Now. you must help me make
il"
In eighteen hundred thirty-nine.
this first "Steinway Grand" was ex-
hibited at the state fair of Bruins
wick 1t commanded marked atten-
ton
The First "steinway Grand
Musicians came from distant cities
to see and hear this wonderful mu-
sical instrument The tinkle, tinkIe
tin-pan tones OF the harpsichord were
gone Here was a full, clear, vibrant
expression. Albert MethfesseI. the
celebrated composer, played on the
instrument, examined it, tested il, and
a special gold medal was struck, the
highest honor that could be paid, and
this medal was presented to Henry
Steinway Instantly, the father hung
the medal about the neck Of his son
Theodore. The piano had been begun
for the boy. The boy himself compile
ted the task.
And today, as through all the gen
erations-from 1907 to 1919-there
are still some human baby Steinways
IN keep freah this charming bis,o.,.