Bach Leadership - New York / Mt Vernon eras
We’re always looking for more information/corrections to include on key persons involved in the history of Bach instruments.
Vincent Bach
- Vincent Bach Corporation
- Founder & President
- 1918 – 1961
Vincent Bach combined his unique talents as both an accomplished musician and a talented engineer to create brass instruments of unequaled tonal quality. Often copied but never duplicated, Bach Stradivarius instruments today remain the sound choice of artists worldwide.
Esther Bach
Vincent Bach Corporation
Marketing / Advertising
1925 – 1961
While not officially in Bach-related history, multiple historical records describe Esther as the leader of the Advertising & Marketing of Vincent Bach’s instruments from 1925 to the sale of the business to H.A. Selmer in 1961.
In the 1950 US Census, Esther’s job was listed as Advertising of Musical Instrument Manufacturer.
source: BachBrass.com, BachLoyalist research, US Census (1950), Bach family
Letter from 1925-1928. Vincent incorporated Vincent Bach Corporation in NYC in 1922, so this letter most likely reflected the corporate officers of the company.
Vincent Bach
President
1922 – 1961
Nic Meyer
Vice President
1922 – 1940s
Nic Meyer was an investor listed as Vincent Bach Corporations Vice President in 1925. His full name was Nicolaus A. Meyer., and was a pupil of Vincent Bach. This investment was for $400.
Vincent later purchased back shares in the company from Nic Meyer in the early 1940s. Vincent provided Bach Stradivarius instruments and lessons for Nic’s children from 1930 to the early 1940s.
Hans V. Bach
Secretary
1918 – 1930s
Vincent Bach’s brother. Ran some local NYC retail outlets. Helped in the early days of Vincent Bach Corp.
” George’s father, Nicholas Meyer (Oct. 21, 1897 to Jan. 8, 1979), had been running a grocery store with his mother after his father had died. He still found time to play trumpet in theater orchestras in Manhatten in the 1920s, where he met Vincent Bach. Bach had been making mouthpieces for years and made a few trumpets, so I assume this was 1925. Bach wanted to increase the size of his trumpet production but needed capital to do so. To accomplish this, he sold Nicholas and his mother’s shares in the company (company records indicate that this was more likely a personal loan).
source: BachLoyalist research
source: RobbStewart.com Bach Trumpet 959 with Original Finish
source: Interview with Nic Meyer's grandson (2023)
Vincent had two key employees in his early company. Email Bundschiu started with Vincent as a shipping cleaner in 1925, and when he left the company in 1956 due to a medical condition, he acted as the day-to-day leader of the company. John Jenney was Vincent Bach Corporation’s first known Sales leader, traveling the country and signing up new Bach musical instrument dealers.
Emil Bundschu
Vice President
1925 – 1956
Emil originally came to work for Bach in 1925 as a shipping clerk. He later did various roles in the Vincent Bach Corporation. In the 1940 census, he was described as a bookkeeper for the Vincent Bach Corporation.
In his 34 years of service with the Vincent Bach Corporation, he rose from shipping clerk to Vice President / General Manager.
Learn more about Emil Bundschu.
Henry Kloetz
Sales Representative
1926 – 1928
” Henry Kloetz of Phildelphia, representative of the Vincent Bach Corporation.”
John Jenney
Sales Executive
~ 1928/1929 to the late 1930s
” Mr. John Kenney, sales executive of the Vincent Bach Corp., will be in charge of the Bach display at Eugene Smart’s studio on Sunday, Nov. 17, from 1 PM to 6PM. This is your chance to meet the factory representative and try the various models and bores.
The father of Jack Jenney was a band leader who taught brass instruments at Columbia College, now known as Loras College.
source: various BachLoyalist research
During the New York -era, Vincent Bach Corporation had key employees in brass manufacturing leadership positions. These are the individuals that Vincent counted on to run his factory and manufacturing operations.
Karl F. Allmendinger
Shop Foreman
1930 – mid 1940s
Mike Tarasevick
Shop Foreman
1930s – 1953
John “Peppy” Pettinato
Chief Repairman
1950s – 1963
Karl Allmendinger was a shop foreman at the Vincent Bach factory in the Bronx, New York.
Later, after the move to Mt. Vernon’s factory in 1953, Karl started to manufacture his own line of trumpets out of his house. These trumpets are occasionally for sale on eBay and other auction websites.
US Immigration Record (1935)
“Mike Tarasevick is the oldest employee at the plant in point of service. In rank of authority and responsibility, he is subordinate only to the president and office manager, and his hourly pay is 25 percent higher than that of the most skilled of the shop’s production employees.
He spends approximately 50 percent of his time in manual work and the balance of his time in overseeing the work of the other production employees.”
[2] [3]
In the 1930 US Census, Michael was listed as a manager at Vincent Bach Corporation.
John Pettinato, also known as John Pepitone or ” Peppy,” was the Vincent Bach Corp.’s chief repairman before 1960.
John F. (Peppy) Pettinato, Jr. was a chief repairman for the Vincent Bach Corporation and made most of the Mt Vernon trombones.
With the closing of the Bach plant, John later opened his repair shop(s) on 48th, 56th, and 41st Streets in New York City.
source: BachLoyalist research, BrassHistory.net
source: [2] National Labor Relations Board archive (Feb. 11, 1948)
source: Collection of Jo Ann Vacchiano.
source: Herald News, June 17, 1953, page 38
A handful of names of Vincent Bach Corporation employees are referenced in various publications and letters from the company. These are the references we have been able to identify.
Benjamin Ritter
Factory Worker
New York-era (1937 – 1940)
He worked in the Bronx factory while in high school. This ITG article includes his full story.
George J. Bukur
Mouthpiece Maker
New York-era
Possible mouthpiece maker for Vincent Bach Corporation. Later, he produced his line of mouthpieces using the Bach mouthpiece blank.
Death: 1962
John Piering
Shop Foreman (< 1950 – 1955 – ?)
Mount Vernon-era
Shop foreman for Vincent Bach Musical Instrument Corporation. Later, he produced his line of mouthpieces using the Bach mouthpiece blank.
Wedding Announcement, Jan. 1950
Shipping Clerk (US Census, 1950)
Standard Star, Feb. 1955, page 10
Horst Molter
Mouthpiece Maker
Mt. Vernon-era
Bach worked as a trumpet and trombone worker for Vincent Bach Corporation in Mount Vernon. Later, he moved back to Germany and produced trumpets and trombones and also provided expert repair services.
Walt Sarad
Mouthpiece Maker
Mount Vernon-era
“Worked for Vincent Bach Corporation for 3 years before starting his own company.”
“Walt Sarad, trumpeter and designer of the Sarad Multi-Kup mouthpiece.”
Casper Star Tribune, August. 1955
source: BachLoyalist research, BrassHistory.net, ITG, etc.
source: ITG Journal, Feb. 1995, The Life & Work of Vincent Bach 1941-1976 (Smith)
