Hans G. Adler

Hans G. Adler

Hans Adler researching in his beloved music library, 1965
Born 1904
Germany
Died 1979
South Africa

Hans Georg Adler (1904–1979) was a musicologist, collector, and classical music promoter in South Africa.

Early life

He was born in Germany, into a family interested and involved in classical music. His mother, Johanna Nathan was a professional soprano, and performed for noted composers such as Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Busoni and Julius Stockhausen (who was her tutor).[1] He studied music under Eduard Jung (a piano teacher from Dr Hoch's Conservatorium, Frankfurt, specialising in talented future prospects) and left Nazi Germany for South Africa in 1933. There he was employed by a hardware Wholesaler Corporation, and frequently performed keyboard works on air with the South African Broadcasting Corporation.[2]

Contact and interaction with the musical scene in Southern Africa

His passion for classical music grew as he matured, and fed his desire to offer South African music lovers the highest quality of international concert presence.[3] He was Chairman of the Johannesburg Music Society (South Africa's oldest Musical Society, a registered non-profit organisation) from 1954 through till 1969, when he became honorary chairman. The Society was among the first to invite many international artists and groups to perform in South Africa, and quickly expanded. Johannesburg soon became the centre of performers' broad African tours, that included the large cities of South Africa (Pretoria, Durban, East London, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, recordings with the South African Broadcasting Corporation -SABC-) as well as visits to Kenya, the former Northern and Southern Rhodesia, Mozambique, the Islands of Mauritius and Reunion, the former South West Africa, Angola and sometimes the former Belgian Congo.[4] Consequently, the quality and variety of concert life and classical music appreciation in Southern Africa improved vastly.[5][6]

For this achievement and the musical museum he had built up, a PhD(Hon) degree from the University of the Witwatersrand was conferred on him in 1978.[7][8]

The collection and museum

Glasschord by Beyer, 1786

This passion for, and love of music consumed most of his spare time, and after World War II, he began expanding on the small library inherited from his father with classical music dictionaries, encyclopaedias, manuscripts, complete composer compendiums, etc. in many languages, and volumes of music scores. In addition, he acquired ancient and early keyboard instruments -a 1589 Clavicytherium, Clavichords, a Glasschord, Spinettino, Harpsichords, a Hammerklavier and early pianos (eventually comprising 19 instruments, plus 2 modern Steinway Grands)- depicting the development of the piano; the collection also included a Viola d'Amore.[9]

Andreas Ruckers Epinette or Virginal, ab1610
1689 Menegoni Ottavino or Virginal
1750 Italian 2 manual Harpsichord
From the collection – the ex Wanda Landowska 16th century gothic harpsichord

His library grew very comprehensive, especially in keyboard compositions and productions, and, together with the instrument collection, evolved into a museum housed in his Johannesburg home.[10] Tours for University students were sometimes conducted, and the SABC periodically aired early composers' works which he would perform there, (often together with touring overseas performers) on authentic Harpsichord(s) or a Clavichord or Hammerklavier.[11][12] Most of the musicians and groups touring Southern Africa through his invitation, between 1954 and 1978[13] were invited to browse in the Library and or try out the instruments. A number discovered interesting or little-known works.[14][15]

The Fine Arts Departments of South African Universities were very interested in the Museum (which was considered by some musicologists to be one of the more outstanding museums of this nature in private hands), and it was eventually willed to the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, who opened a "Hans Adler Memorial Museum" in their Arts Building in 1980.[16][17]

Additional information

Isabelle Nef & Hans Adler play JC Bach two harpsichord duet in G major.

Examples of unusual works referenced

Ravel's Frontispice published in 1919, then withdrawn due to copyright infringements
Hans Adler's 1st edition copy of Leopold Mozart's Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule

Links and Citations

References

  1. ↑ Soprano Johanna Nathan and 19th Century Composers
  2. ↑ Programs and early recitals for South African Broadcasting Corporation, 1935–39
  3. ↑ dedicated photographs of tours of most of the musicians that performed
  4. ↑ Musiker Reuben, (Professor and Head Librarian, Witwatrsrand University) (1980). Hans Adler Memorial Volume, a Collection of Tributes, page 1. Johannesburg Wits University Library Press. ISBN 0854946217. Hans Adler Memorial Volume
  5. ↑ Johannesburg Musical Society's History in their 80th-anniversary program and news cuttings – see "best years" and "resourcefulness"
  6. ↑ Andor Foldes, American Pianist, writes of his Southern African Musical Tour in Etude Magazine, 1953
  7. ↑ Witwatersrand PhD tributes and cuttings of some reports
  8. ↑ Introduction and Biography in ISBN 0854946217
  9. ↑ Hans Adler Musical Instrument Collection Website
  10. ↑ Cuttings on the Collection from various local Newspapers and magazines
  11. ↑ Archives of newsclippings of public performances on Pleyel harpsichord, the antique hammerklavier, and Neupert clavichord
  12. ↑ Transcripts of a few SABC harpsichord duets
  13. ↑ short introduction to 127 musicians and musical groups touring Southern Africa
  14. ↑ Hans Adler Classical Musicians Autograph Collection
  15. ↑ University of the Witwatersrand's showcase of Rare and Noteworthy Collection Exhibits
  16. ↑ Wits University "Hans Adler Memorial Museum" Photos and Visitors Information Brochure
  17. ↑ Wits University's internet site page on the H.A. Music Museum Collection and Library
  18. ↑ Collection showcase of rare and unusual items
  19. ↑ Musiker, Reuben (1980). Hans Adler Memorial Volume, a Collection of Tributes, page 20, (a tribute by Gideon Fagan, Head of Music, S.A.B.C.) Johannesburg Wits University Library. ISBN 0854946217. Hans Adler Memorial Volume
  20. ↑ Musiker, Reuben (1980). Hans Adler Memorial Volume, a Collection of Tributes, page 49, (a tribute by Joe Sack, Johannesburg daily newspaper Music Critic), Wits University Library. ISBN 0854946217. Hans Adler Memorial Volume
  21. ↑ Newsletter of American Musical Instrument Society, Fall 2004 p11-12
  22. ↑ Johannesburg Musical Society's 80th Anniversary Program, giving a brief history and significant tribute to Hans Adler.See 'best years' and 'resourcefulnes'
  23. ↑ Letters of appreciation from JMS and SABC on retirement
  24. ↑ Displays of two instruments from the H.A. collection included in Wits University 2012 Arts Exhibition pages 30 & 32
  25. ↑ Department of Music, Witwatersrand University, using the collection as a teaching aid
  26. ↑ Hans Adler Memorial Volume
  27. ↑ One of the few substantial private collections of which the British Harpsichord Society is aware
  28. ↑ University of Witwatersrand internet page on the Hans Adler Memorial Museum and Library
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