The Mason Hamlin Piano History
In 1854, two brilliant idealists, Henry Mason and Emmons Hamlin, founded the Mason & Hamlin Company in Boston, Massachusetts,
the birthplace of American piano design and manufacturing. Although their backgrounds and interests were very different, the two men
shared a common goal: to make the world’s finest musical instruments.
Henry Mason was a member of one of America’s oldest families—they were actually descendents of pilgrims who arrived on the
Mayflower. The Masons were renowned for their involvement in the arts. Henry Mason was a pianist and his brother, William, was one
of America’s foremost classical pianists and composers.
Their father was the famous composer and educator Lowell Mason, a visionary who was the first to bring music into the public schools of
America. He was also known throughout the world as a composer and publisher of hymns, and is often called the “father of American
church music.” Henry Mason shared his father’s lifelong dedication to music.
Although the company was started with very little capital, the two owners were determined to make only the very best instruments, even
if there were very few produced. Fortunately, the combination of limited production and great attention to detail paid off, and the
company and its products were instantly successful and in great demand. Arthur Loesser summed up their success in his book, Men,
Women and Pianos, A Social History: “Mason & Hamlin…soon became and remained the foremost in the field.”
In 1881, the company decided to branch out into making pianos. Following traditions established in making its organs, Mason & Hamlin
built its pianos with the very finest materials---slowly and meticulously, with great attention to even the smallest detail. Wisely, it also
hired brilliant designers. Among them was Richard W. Gertz, a genius who contributed many innovations to the piano industry, including
the Duplex Scale, screw stringer and the Tension Resonator, a remarkable device that was designed to maintain the crown of the
soundboard for the life of a piano.
With Mason & Hamlin’s innovations, use of only the finest materials and expert craftsmanship, its pianos were the world’s costliest to
produce and widely accepted as the world’s finest.
By the turn of the century, the Golden Age of the Piano was in full force and the most illustrious concert artists of the day aligned
themselves with piano manufacturers. Mason & Hamlin was at the forefront, and great virtuosos, including Sergei Rachmaninoff, endorsed
Mason & Hamlin pianos.
Great pianists weren’t the only artists endorsing Mason & Hamlin pianos. Many of the opera world’s greatest stars spoke on their behalf.
Anna Case was an American-born singer who debuted with the Metropolitan Opera at the age of 20 and sang her first solo role six months
later. She was in fact the firs American singer at the Met who had no European training or international reputation. She was a brilliant star
there and remained at the opera house from 1909 to 1920. During her incredible career she endorsed the Mason & Hamlin piano.
One of the world’s most famous violinists was the American Yehudi Menuhin. In 1924, at the age of 7, Menuhin made his public debut.
The child prodigy astounded the classical world with his artistry, and in 1935 he undertook his first world tour playing in 73 cities in 13
countries. The Mason and Hamlin archives include many letters from Menuhin extolling the virtues of his Mason & Hamlin pianos:
“Among all pianos none compares with the Mason & Hamlin in beauty and grace of tone, or in mellowness and softness and yet in
bigness, or in anything that a sensitive and, as it were, human piano should have.“ At one time. Menuhin had five Mason & Hamlin grand
pianos in his West Coast home.
Mason & Hamlin continued to produce pianos, but the company underwent several changes of ownership during this period until it
became, in 1930, part of the giant Aeolian American Piano Company.
Beginning in 1945, Mason & Hamlin pianos were made in the Aeolian American plant in East Rochester, New York. Between 1983 and
1995, Mason & Hamlin changed ownership several times. In 1995, the company that owned Mason & Hamlin was forced to file for
bankruptcy and close its doors.
In 1996, one of the most successful businesses in the piano industry was PianoDisc, a manufacturer of computerized player systems for
acoustic pianos. Gary and Kirk Burgett, PianoDisc’s owners, were longtime fans of Mason & Hamlin pianos. When they heard that the
company was for sale in bankruptcy court they put in a bid to buy it. The court ruled in their favor.
From: Mason Hamlin Website
In 1854, two brilliant idealists, Henry Mason and Emmons Hamlin, founded the Mason & Hamlin Company in Boston, Massachusetts,
the birthplace of American piano design and manufacturing. Although their backgrounds and interests were very different, the two men
shared a common goal: to make the world’s finest musical instruments.
Henry Mason was a member of one of America’s oldest families—they were actually descendents of pilgrims who arrived on the
Mayflower. The Masons were renowned for their involvement in the arts. Henry Mason was a pianist and his brother, William, was one
of America’s foremost classical pianists and composers.
Their father was the famous composer and educator Lowell Mason, a visionary who was the first to bring music into the public schools of
America. He was also known throughout the world as a composer and publisher of hymns, and is often called the “father of American
church music.” Henry Mason shared his father’s lifelong dedication to music.
Although the company was started with very little capital, the two owners were determined to make only the very best instruments, even
if there were very few produced. Fortunately, the combination of limited production and great attention to detail paid off, and the
company and its products were instantly successful and in great demand. Arthur Loesser summed up their success in his book, Men,
Women and Pianos, A Social History: “Mason & Hamlin…soon became and remained the foremost in the field.”
In 1881, the company decided to branch out into making pianos. Following traditions established in making its organs, Mason & Hamlin
built its pianos with the very finest materials---slowly and meticulously, with great attention to even the smallest detail. Wisely, it also
hired brilliant designers. Among them was Richard W. Gertz, a genius who contributed many innovations to the piano industry, including
the Duplex Scale, screw stringer and the Tension Resonator, a remarkable device that was designed to maintain the crown of the
soundboard for the life of a piano.
With Mason & Hamlin’s innovations, use of only the finest materials and expert craftsmanship, its pianos were the world’s costliest to
produce and widely accepted as the world’s finest.
By the turn of the century, the Golden Age of the Piano was in full force and the most illustrious concert artists of the day aligned
themselves with piano manufacturers. Mason & Hamlin was at the forefront, and great virtuosos, including Sergei Rachmaninoff, endorsed
Mason & Hamlin pianos.
Great pianists weren’t the only artists endorsing Mason & Hamlin pianos. Many of the opera world’s greatest stars spoke on their behalf.
Anna Case was an American-born singer who debuted with the Metropolitan Opera at the age of 20 and sang her first solo role six months
later. She was in fact the firs American singer at the Met who had no European training or international reputation. She was a brilliant star
there and remained at the opera house from 1909 to 1920. During her incredible career she endorsed the Mason & Hamlin piano.
One of the world’s most famous violinists was the American Yehudi Menuhin. In 1924, at the age of 7, Menuhin made his public debut.
The child prodigy astounded the classical world with his artistry, and in 1935 he undertook his first world tour playing in 73 cities in 13
countries. The Mason and Hamlin archives include many letters from Menuhin extolling the virtues of his Mason & Hamlin pianos:
“Among all pianos none compares with the Mason & Hamlin in beauty and grace of tone, or in mellowness and softness and yet in
bigness, or in anything that a sensitive and, as it were, human piano should have.“ At one time. Menuhin had five Mason & Hamlin grand
pianos in his West Coast home.
Mason & Hamlin continued to produce pianos, but the company underwent several changes of ownership during this period until it
became, in 1930, part of the giant Aeolian American Piano Company.
Beginning in 1945, Mason & Hamlin pianos were made in the Aeolian American plant in East Rochester, New York. Between 1983 and
1995, Mason & Hamlin changed ownership several times. In 1995, the company that owned Mason & Hamlin was forced to file for
bankruptcy and close its doors.
In 1996, one of the most successful businesses in the piano industry was PianoDisc, a manufacturer of computerized player systems for
acoustic pianos. Gary and Kirk Burgett, PianoDisc’s owners, were longtime fans of Mason & Hamlin pianos. When they heard that the
company was for sale in bankruptcy court they put in a bid to buy it. The court ruled in their favor.
From: Mason Hamlin Website
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Mason& HamlinPiano History