Albert Behning
b. September 5, 1866 · American
Biography
Albert Behning, son of Henry Behning, Sr., was born in New York on September 5, 1866. In 1882 he became an apprentice at the family firm and served a four-years' course in finishing and regulating, in addition to graduating from Packard's Business College and studying music. Within the firm he handled the bookkeeping and also served as travelling salesman when not away from New York. He was treasurer of the Harlem Philharmonic Society, reflecting the family's musical sympathies. He is credited as the originator of the 'General Tom Thumb piano,' a diminutive upright grand (2 feet 4 inches high) with a full iron plate, over-stringing, and a compass of seven and one-third octaves, claimed by the firm to be the smallest practical piano ever made.
Highlights
- Became an apprentice at Behning & Son in 1882 and served a four-year course in finishing and regulating.
- Treasurer of the Harlem Philharmonic Society.
- Originated the miniature "General Tom Thumb" piano, claimed as the smallest ever made for practical purposes.
Source
Daniel Spillane, History of the American Pianoforte (1890), pp. 245, 246, 248.
Public domain.