Passing of Wilhelm Gertz

[Pianoman]

It would have been so rewarding to read his book of knowledge and memories 
,IF he would have gotten around to writing one.
Let that be a lesson to all you GREAT ones who remain.
James
James Grebe   Piano Tuning & Repair   Member of Master Piano Technicians.
Registered Piano Technician of the Piano Technicians Guild for over 30 
years.   "Member of the Year" in 1989
Creator of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups, Piano Benches, Writing 
Instruments,Table Timepieces
 (314) 608-4137   1526 Raspberry Lane   Arnold, MO 63010
Researcher of St. Louis Theatre History
BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE!
pianoman at accessus.net
Jimpianowood at yahoo.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Classic Touch Ent" <classictouchent at comcast.net>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2007 4:07 PM
Subject: Passing of Wilhelm Gertz


it is unclear to me who among ptg members may have known Wihelm Gertz.
His obituary follows. Please forgive me if this info is
inappropriate/redundant to this list.


Wilhelm Gertz, born July 1, 1927 in Hanover, Germany, passed away March
14, 2007 at Yale-New Haven Hospital after a long illness. He is
survived by four children: Emil Gertz of Capetown, South Africa; Thomas
Gertz of Dubai, Arab Emirates; Elisabeth Gertz and Wilhelm Gertz, Jr.,
both of New Haven; also Angela Cunningham, his companion of several
years, and many proud friends and associates.

Mr. Gertz grew up around his family’s piano factory established in
Hanover in 1873. The Gertz company made keyboard instruments, supplied
pianos to the likes of Brahms, Liszt, Rubenstein, Saint-Saëns, and
Wagner, designed pianos for prestigious firms Weber and Mason &
Hamlin—the latter of which they were part owner—as part of a long,
respected tradition of excellence, innovation, and service. Wilhelm
himself apprenticed with various factories across Europe, including
Steinway in Hamburg. Over the course of his long and varied career he
established production facilities for a British piano manufacturer in
South Africa, worked with leading musicians in Australia and India,
concurrently making harpsichords and clavichords, was Director of
Quality Control at Mason & Hamlin, Knabe and Chickering, provided
concert services for Bösendorfer in Germany and France, was
a consulting director of John Broadwood & Sons as well as their
operative in London, which included the service contract with
Buckingham Palace.

Establishing his main base of operations in the U.S. in 1987, he
worked as a consultant to Aeolian American Corp. while teaching courses
on Musical Technology at Ithaca College; he also lectured at Cornell
University and Hamilton & Wells College, and provided new and restored
concert pianos for many universities across the northeast and
Midwest. He remained deeply involved in importing European pianos while
maintaining a shop engrossed in all aspects of piano sales, care and
regeneration in New Haven, CT. Most recently he has been closely
associated with Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, consulting and
overseeing the acquisition of new instruments, several of which he
rebuilt and restored.

In addition to his formidable knowledge and skill relating to all
aspects of the piano and also harpsichords (for which he had a special
fondness), Wilhelm sustained an interest in trains, high-end sports
cars, and old clocks. He always kept a garden. His native Germany was
always close to his heart: German cuisine, the River Rhine, old
castles. While thoroughly up-to-date in matters of business, politics,
and culture, he retained an “old world” European style and sensibility.

Those who were close to him knew him to be quite particular in his
tastes, strong in his opinions, and quiet but unstinting in his
generosity. Perhaps most of all, his closest friends realized that to
be his close friend was a privilege indeed, for he was always a very
private person and did not easily surrender that privacy—thus the
memories of him are all the more dear.