Germans and the American Dream: Henry E. Steinway, maker of the world’s most famous concert pianos

In der Reihe „Germans and the American Dream“ stellen wir jeden Monat einen deutschen Auswanderer vor, der sich auf der anderen Seite des Atlantiks einen Namen gemacht und den Amerikanischen Traum gelebt hat oder lebt. In der aktuellen Ausgabe der Read On begeben wir uns in die großen Konzerthallen der Welt und lauschen dem Klang der wohl berühmtesten Flügel. Diese gehen auf einen deutschen Auswanderer zurück – lesen Sie hier einen Auszug aus dem Porträt über Henry E. Steinway, das zugleich auch den Abschluss unserer diesjährigen Reihe bildet.

Henry E. Steinway, maker of the world’s most famous concert pianos

Steinway’s skill in building pianos helped his company achieve worldwide success.

American English

By Jessica Stuart

1                 Even if you don’t play the piano or have any interest in classical music, you may have heard of Steinway. The brand is known for the quality of its instruments, and if there’s a piano being played at a concert hall, chances are it’s one of theirs. In fact, the company says that 97 percent of all concert pianists are tickling the ivories on Steinways. That’s all thanks to the founder of the company, a German immigrant from the Harz.

2                 Henry E. Steinway, originally Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg, was born in February 1797 in Wolfshagen, Germany. Not a lot is known about his early years. The German Historical Institute in Washington, D.C., says he was one of eight siblings born to a charcoal-maker (other sources say he was one of 12) in the woods near Wolfshagen.

3                 By the time Steinway was 15, both of his parents had died. Without his parents, the teenage Steinway didn’t have much money, so he joined the army, fighting in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. When he returned from the war, presumably a little richer, he became a cabinet-maker in Goslar.

4                 A little while later, in 1825, he changed careers and opened up his first piano workshop in Seesen. According to Steinway’s website, he wasn’t allowed to actually build pianos at this workshop; because he hadn’t joined the official guild for carpenters, he could only repair them. So he built them in secret.

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Den vollständigen Artikel lesen Sie in der aktuellen Ausgabe der Read On.

Vocabulary

0–1             maker Hersteller(in) — concert piano Konzertflügel — brand Marke — chances are … ist es wahrscheinlich, dass … — to tickle s.th. etw. kitzeln — ivory Elfenbein; h.: Klaviertaste — founder Gründer(in) — immigrant Einwanderer(-in)

2                 originally ursprünglich — siblings Geschwister — charcoal-maker Köhler(in) (c. Holzkohle) — source Quelle

3-4                to join the army Soldat(in) werden — presumably vermutlich — cabinetmaker Möbeltischler(in) — workshop Werkstatt — official offiziell; h.: staatl. anerkannt — guild Gilde; Zunft — carpenter Tischler(in)

Foto: Pixabay/Prawny