John H. Bieling

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John Bieling (around 1914)

John H. Bieling (born March 15, 1869 in New York City , † March 30, 1948 in Hempstead , Nassau County ) was an American singer (tenor) who was known because of his clear and fine intonation as The Canary .

In his youth, Bieling worked in a glass painter's factory. He also appeared in the Bowery with the Manhanset Quartet , a barbershop quartet consisting of himself, George J. Gaskin , Joe Riley and Walter Snow . From 1892 the quartet made recordings with the United States Phonograph Company , Columbia Records , Edison , Berliner and others.

In 1901 Gaskin signed an exclusive contract with Columbia, which meant the end of the Manhanset Quartet. Bieling founded the Haydn Quartet (also Hayden Quartet ) with SH Dudley , Harry Macdonough and William F. Hooley , which recorded hymns, ballads, Christmas carols and MInstrel songs with Victor and also worked as The Edison Quartet for Edison Records. In 1909 the Victor Company wanted to make quartet recordings with the star tenor Billy Murray and formed the American Quartet with Bieling and Hooley from the Haydn Quartet and Steve Porter . When the countertenor Will Oakland began recording with the group in 1912 , it was renamed the Heidelberg Quintet .

Bieling was one of the pioneers of music recording at the beginning of the 20th century and contributed to several thousand recordings. Due to his various engagements, he overstrained his voice, so that he had to end his active career as a singer with recordings with the American Quartet in 1913. He worked in sales for Columbia Records for some time and founded his own Victrola shops in 1915 . In 1926 he retired in Hempstead.

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personal data
SURNAME Bieling, John H.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American singer (tenor)
DATE OF BIRTH March 15, 1869
PLACE OF BIRTH New York City
DATE OF DEATH March 30, 1948
Place of death Hempstead , Nassau County