Julius Blüthner

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Julius Blüthner

Julius Ferdinand Blüthner (born March 11, 1824 in Falkenhain , † April 13, 1910 in Leipzig ) was a German piano maker and founder of the Julius Blüthner Pianofortefabrik .

biography

As the son of a carpenter , Julius learned to use a planer, saw and chisel and independently made a crossbow and a chest of drawers. His curiosity was not limited to carpentry. The local pastor encouraged him through private lessons. After eight years of schooling, Blüthner trained as a cabinet maker with his father. After the death of his father, the then 16 year old from Blüthner looked for a new apprenticeship and was able to continue his apprenticeship as a cabinet maker in Zeitz . At the age of eighteen he took a position at the piano factory “Hölling und Spangenberg”. There he discovered his love for piano making.

In 1845 the soldier's time began in the Nordhäuser Jägerkaserne. The revolutionary years of 1848 and 1849 followed . Instrument construction came to a standstill. There were hardly any orders for new instruments. During this time he kept himself afloat with piano parts and repairs. In 1850 he then worked as a music curator. Blüthner soon returned to Leipzig and began working in the Bretschneider piano factory. Due to the rapidly growing economic environment in Leipzig , he founded his own piano factory on November 7, 1853. He concentrated on the production of high-quality instruments in a noble design. In keeping with the trend of the late 19th century, the head of the company looked after his workers by setting up a factory health fund , insurance for employees and a benefit fund for disabled and old workers. He became the purveyor to the court of the Danish King and Tsar Nicholas II.

Blüthner had been a member of the Apollo Masonic Lodge in Leipzig since 1882 .

retreat

Shortly after the 50th anniversary of the business, the 81-year-old from Blüthner retired from the company and handed the business over to his son Adolf Max Blüthner, who was married to the pianist Ella Pancera from 1898 to 1910 . He had a total of eleven children, four of whom died in childhood. Four sons and three daughters survived him. From 1907 Julius Blüthner sponsored the Blüthner Orchestra named after him .

When Julius Blüthner died in Leipzig on April 13, 1910, the business management was with Robert Blüthner and the technical management with Adolf Max Blüthner, who after his death Heinrich Bruno Blüthner took over. In the third generation, the company passed to Roberts' adoptive son, Rudolf Blüthner-Haessler.

literature

Web links

Commons : Julius Blüthner  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ biography in the MDR
personal data
SURNAME Blüthner, Julius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Blüthner, Julius Ferdinand
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German piano maker
DATE OF BIRTH March 11, 1824
PLACE OF BIRTH Falcon Grove
DATE OF DEATH April 13, 1910
Place of death Leipzig