Hermann Hauser Sr.

This article is about the luthier. For the technology entrepreneur, see Hermann Hauser (entrepreneur).

Hermann Hauser Sr. (born in Erding, 28 December 1882–died Reisbach, 28 October 1952) was a German luthier. He worked in Munich and later in the Bavarian Reisbach. Guitar models by Hermann Hauser Sr. included the Vienna Model and the Munich Model, the Terz-Guitar, the Prim-Guitar and the Fifth-Bass Guitar (Quintbass). But it was his innovations based on the designs of Antonio de Torres for which he "is generally considered to have been the greatest guitar maker outside Spain."[1] His Torres-based instruments are historically important, having profoundly influenced classical guitar builders and performing artists of the modern era. Andres Segovia described the 1937 Hauser Sr. with which he performed and recorded from 1938 to 1962 as the "greatest guitar of our epoch,"[2] and it is one of two Hauser Sr. guitars in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York collection.[3][4] Met curator of musical instruments Jayson Dobney described Segovia's 1937 Hauser as having "changed music history": "This guitar, as much as Andre Segovia, established classical guitar playing."[5] The British guitarist and lute player Julian Bream described Hausers as "the very essence of classicism in guitar sound" and recorded at least eight of his albums using Hauser Sr. Torres models of various vintages.[6][7] Renowned antiquarian dealers Christie's and Brompton's Fine & Rare Instruments regularly offer Hauser Sr. guitars at auction.[8][9] Hauser's Torres model is "one of the most copied guitars of today,"[10] with master luthiers such as Simon Ambridge (England), German Vazquez Rubio and Brian Cohen (UK), Paolo Coriani (Italy) and Francisco Navarro Garcia (Mexico) among many others, as well as popular manufacturers such as Cordoba, all offering Hauser-inspired models.[11]

  1. ^ Morrish, John (September 1, 2002). The Classical Guitar Book: A Complete History (2nd ed.). Backbeat Books. p. 26. ISBN 0879307250.
  2. ^ Segovia, Andrés (1954). "In Memoriam—Hermann Hauser". Guitar Review. 16.
  3. ^ Metropolitan Museum of Art | Hermann Hauser I Andres Segovia Guitar built 1937 [1]
  4. ^ J. Kenneth Moore, Jayson Kerr Dobney, Bradley Strauchen-Scherer (2015). Musical Instruments: Highlights of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1st ed.). New York, NY: Yale University Press. pp. 170–171, ill. ISBN 978-1588395627.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ https://82nd-and-fifth.metmuseum.org/string-theory [bare URL]
  6. ^ Palmer, Tony (January 1, 1982). Julian Bream, a life on the road. London: Macdonald. ISBN 0356078809.
  7. ^ "Classical Guitars: Classical guitars owned or loaned to Julian Bream while a professional adult guitarist". JulianBreamGuitar.com. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Hermann Hauser Sr". Christie's. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Auction results for Hermann Sr. Hauser". Brompton's Fine & Rare Instruments. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  10. ^ Schramm, David. "The Definitive Elements of the Hermann Hauser Spanish Guitar". The guitar and plucked string instruments. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Hauser". Guitar Salon International. Retrieved 13 November 2020.