Hans von Bülow

Biography

Hans von Bülow was a virtuoso pianist whose relationship with piano manufacturers illustrates the value the era placed on artist endorsements. At an 1876 American concert, following the custom of displaying a sign bearing the piano maker's name facing the audience, Bülow noticed the sign, tore it from the piano in a rage, threw it to the floor, and trampled on it while crying to the audience, 'I am not an advertising agent.' He then sat down and played as inspiringly as ever, afterward giving the piano maker a strong testimonial praising the instrument's superior qualities. Averse to anything smacking of advertising, Bülow nonetheless lent his prestige to important occasions, giving 'tone and character' to the opening of the Saal Bösendorfer in Vienna and of Chickering Hall in New York. He also did not overlook the merits of the Irmler and the Broadwood pianos, among others. Hans von Bülow appears in the text solely in connection with the concert hall that Ludwig Bösendorfer erected in Vienna in 1872 to serve the virtuosos who used Bösendorfer pianos: von Bülow gave the recital that opened the hall. No further biographical information—dates, nationality background, or additional career detail—is supplied about him in this section. His appearance is used by the author to illustrate the esteem in which leading virtuosos held the Bösendorfer firm and the lengths to which Ludwig Bösendorfer went to cultivate relationships with prominent performers, reinforcing the broader claim that Bösendorfer pianos were favored instruments among many of the leading virtuosos of the era. Hans von Bülow is introduced by Dolge as 'that scholarly genius,' noted for being hard to please in his choice of pianos. Unlike the stormy temperament of Liszt or Rubinstein, Bülow is said to have discouraged great volume of tone, instead demanding a sensuous mellowness that he could raise to thundering chords at will through his exceptional control of technique. Dolge indicates that Bülow was notably averse to being regarded as a demonstrator of piano quality, an attitude illustrated by an incident during his American tour in 1875 (the details of which continue beyond this excerpt). No dates or other biographical specifics are given about him in this portion of the text. Hans von Bülow is identified as the Hofcapellmeister at Hannover during the period when Richard Gertz became intimately acquainted with him. The two, along with Johannes Brahms, are said to have often discussed the good or weak points of various pianos. From Spillane (1890): Von Bülow was a celebrated conductor and virtuoso whose use of a Knabe piano during his tour of the American continent in 1889 gave a decided stimulus to the prestige of the Knabe piano, an event described as of considerable consequence to the business history of Knabe & Company.

Highlights

• Gave the opening recital at the concert hall Ludwig Bösendorfer erected in 1872
• Described as a 'scholarly genius' who was hard to please in his choice of pianos
• Preferred sensuous mellowness over great volume of tone, unlike Liszt or Rubinstein
• Disliked being treated as a demonstrator of piano quality, illustrated by an incident on his 1875 American tour
• At an 1876 American concert, tore down and trampled the sign advertising the piano maker's name, declaring 'I am not an advertising agent,' then played brilliantly and afterward gave the maker a strong testimonial.
• Gave 'tone and character' to the opening of the Saal Bösendorfer in Vienna and of Chickering Hall in New York.
• Praised the merits of the Irmler and Broadwood pianos, among others, despite being averse to anything resembling advertising.
• Served as Hofcapellmeister at Hannover when Richard Gertz became intimately acquainted with him
• Discussed the good or weak points of various pianos with Gertz
• Celebrated conductor and virtuoso who used a Knabe piano during his American concert tour, boosting the instrument's prestige in 1889

Sources

Alfred Dolge, Pianos and Their Makers, Vol. I (1911), pp. 220, 391, 398; Vol. II (1913), p. 148.

Daniel Spillane, History of the American Pianoforte (1890), p. 299.

Public domain.