William Strich
b. 1863 · American
Biography
William Strich was born in New York in 1863, the son of one of the city's best-known music teachers, and was made to practice piano as a boy. He passed through Columbia grammar school and a course at the School of Mines, then entered the employ of Steinway and Sons in 1881, advancing through departments over eight years. He formed a partnership with his colleague Paul M. Zeidler to found the firm of Strich and Zeidler, making pianos noted for conscientious craftsmanship. The firm, which held numerous patents especially for soundboard construction improvements, also earned a reputation as designers and builders of elaborate art cases for grand and upright pianos, prioritizing quality of product over commercial profit.
Highlights
- Co-founded the Strich and Zeidler piano firm with Paul M. Zeidler after eight years at Steinway and Sons
- Son of a well-known New York music teacher
Source
Alfred Dolge, Pianos and Their Makers, Vol. II (1913), pp. 191, 192.
Public domain.