Vincent Bach, Cornet/Trumpet Virtuoso & Educator
While it is impossible to know all of Vincent’s performances as a cornet soloist, these are the known performances from documented sources. If you have additional performance information, please get in touch with us through the website.
This example promotional card was distributed in the summer of 1913.
Dennis & Holloway
Mr. Vinzenz Schrottenbach
Cornet Soloist
Scarborough
Below are known performances by Vincent Bach before immigrating to the United States in the fall of 1914. If other documented performance dates are found, please contact us through the website.
Performing with the “Famous Viennese Kunstler Orchestra”
Queen’s Hall (Destroyed in 1941)
Sunday, March 3, 1912
source:
The Daily Telegraph
March 2, 1912
Performing at a summer concert series in Scarborough Spa, England.
source:
Fladmoe, 1975, page 32
Star of England
“Vincenz Schrottenbach” is stamped on this arrangement page. The remainder of the arrangement is stamped Vincent Bach and various versions.
source:
Vincent Schrottenbach (Bach) library
Performing at the Eden Theatre, Hamburg, Germany, in July 1913.
” Located in the city centre district of St. Pauli in front of the famed Reeperbahn, the Eden Concert was a variety theatre that opened in 1886. It was later renamed Eden Theater and had 700 seats. In February 1900, short subject films were screened as part of the variety program. Allied bombs destroyed the building in World War II.”
source:
Scarborough letter, June 23, 1913
Cinema Treasures
Performing at The Spa at Scarborough, England, in late June 1914. Vincent later immigrated to the United States in the fall of 1914.
source:
Musical America, June 1916, p. 55
After Vincent immigrated to the United States, he was a popular soloist, first in the Boston area and later in the greater New York City area.
He was named the second trumpet soloist with the Boston Symphony in November 1914, and his soloist career took off very quickly.
Vincent was named a Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) member as the third trumpet player for the 1914 – 1915 seasons. Vincent left the BSO after one season, after the orchestra’s performance at the 1915 World’s Fair in San Francisco.
source:
Christian Science Monitor, Nov. 1914, page 4
Vincent recorded two songs at the Thomas Edison Recording Studio in March 1915. He recorded “The Nightingale Song” over two days and “Ah! I but once More so Love, Dear.” The Nightingale Song was a popular recording of the time,
source:
BachLoyalist research
Vincent performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the San Francisco World’s Fair 1915 / Panama-Pacific International Exposition over a few weeks in June / July 1915. Vincent received ‘rave” reviews and was a popular performance at the World’s Fair, with sold-out shows where Vincent was performing after the Boston Symphony Orchestra performances stayed in San Francisco as a solo act.
source:
Fladmoe 1975, page 37
Vincent performed for a week at the Hippodrome in downtown San Francisco for a week engagement, after his tour with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the World’s Fair. Below are some of the press clippings of Vincent’s performances.
It is believed Vincent left the BSO and became a Cornet Soloist after his performances in San Francisco.
source:
San Francisco Chronicle, July 12, 1915, page 8
San Francisco Examiner, July 13, 1915, page 5
San Francisco Bulletin, July 14, 1915, page 2
San Francisco Examiner, July 16, 1915, page 8
Vincent performed on July 23-25, 1915 at the Mission Theatre, Santa Barbara, CA. He was touring with the Sullivan Considine Vaudeville traveling show.
source:
Santa Barbara Daily, July 23, 1915
” The George Birkle Co is advertising a number of recitals by Vincent Bach, the noted trumpeter, at its store (in Los Angeles). Herr Bach became an officer in the Austrian Navy and was later taken prisoner by the British. Escaping from an English prison last autumn, he made his way to this country and finally to this city. His recitals are given at Birkle’s three afternoons each week.”
source:
Musical Trade Review, August 1915
Morning Tribune, July 30, 1915
Vincent performed with the Metropolitan Opera’s Ballet Orchestra & Opera Orchestra in 1915.
source:
Fladmoe 1975, page 37
Vincent performed with the Met Opera’s Russian Diaghilev Orchestra’s first US performances of Stravinsky’s “Petroushka” and “The Firebird.” Rehearsals began in September 1915.
Vincent toured with the Met Opera Serge Diaghilev Ballet Russe Company through various cities in the US, including Pittsburgh, where his mouthpiece was damaged., that Vincent referenced in the founding of his Bach Mouthpiece mfg. business.
source:
Vincent Bach Autobiography
US Library of Congress
Vincent’s advertising as a Cornet & Trumpet Virtuoso in 1916 with management by Dr. Alfred Robyn.
source:
Musical America, Nov. 1916, page 21
Vincent was working as a Musician at the Rialto Theatre in 1917.
source:
WW1 Draft Registration Card
Vincent worked as a musician at the Rivoli Theatre in 1918 and played three shows per day. Vincent worked for Hugo Riesenfeld, the owner of the theatre.
source:
Fladmoe 1975, page 41
Vincent left his job as a musician and soloist at the Rivoli Theatre (1921) to devote his time to his mouthpiece business.
“A sister to the nearby Rialto Theatre, this lost theatre was a palatial early delight and once one of the grandest theatres on the East Coast. “
source:
Fladmoe 1975, page 46
Cinema Treasures
Thursday Concert Series, Augusta, Maine
– March, V. Bach
source:
Daily Kennebec Journal
Aug. 13, 1925, p.12
Vincent Bach is now first trumpeter for Roxy
source:
Musical Merchandise
April 1927, page 26
Vincent Bach will stay on the air
source:
Musical Merchandise
August 1927, page 26
Radio Broadcasting Program
- December 29, 1927
- January 1, 1928
- January 7, 1928
source:
Postcard mailer (December 1927) from BachLoyalist collection
” Celebrated Cornet Virtuoso
Formerly member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and first trumpeter of the Russian ballet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, New York
North Dakota Bandmasters State Band Tournament
- June 23 – 24, 1925
source:
The Bandmaster, July 1928, page 13
” One of the biggest features of the above program was the playing of several trumpet solos by Vincent Bach of New York City. Mr. Bach is a nationally known soloist who has played many times throughout this country and Europe. The trumpet, cornet, alto, baritone, and trombone mouthpieces that bear his name and his instruments rank with the best.”
” He also did frequent radio broadcast performances, with his wife on piano, until 1930, and which helped greatly with business.”
source:
Fladmoe 1975, page 49
Long Beach, California
March 11, 1956
Favorite Vincent Bach quotes in this article include:
of Harry James
“Well, I wouldn’t want to say about Harry James.”
of Louis Armstrong
“Well, I wouldn’t want to say again, but they say even the Russians like his playing.”
of Guy Lombrado’s Orchestra
“Guy Lombardo plays out of tune on purpose, and the people approve.”
“The greatest all-around trumpet player today, he says is Rafael Mendez. The best cornet man – “tops in tone” is Leonard Smith of Detroit.”
“A real musician follows what is written,” Bach says. “All the others – the ones who improvise – are entertainers.”
source:
Independent, March 11, 1956, page 4
Reno, Nevada
March 15, 1956
Former member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Vincent Bach, will present two demonstration lectures at the University of Nevada on Tuesday, Prof. Felton Hickman of the University music department announced yesterday.
Bach’s first lecture entitled “The Technique of Brass Instrument Playing,” will be given in the university gymnasium at 3 pm., March 20. and the second lecture, “Musical Instrument Technology,” will be presented that evening at 7:30.
The music department’s featured speaker was formerly first trumpeter with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He now directs the Vincent Bach Corporation, a brass instrument manufacturing firm in New York. His musical career began with violin and bugle at the age of six. Since then he has studied in Vienna and presented concert tours throughout Europe.
The former musician’s first lecture on brass instrument playing will include everything from correct posture, resonance, production of tones and scales, to the problem of “stage fright.” Subject of his second talk, “Musical Instrument Technology,” will encompass tone and tuning of brass instruments, the nature and construction of trombones, trumpets, cornets and the like, and additional matter peculiar to band and orchestra instruments.
Both presentations by Bach will be open to the public at no charge,
