German Music Industry

Philipp Alexander is proud of his musical past. His family formed Musik-Alexander in Mainz, Germany in 1782. They began as brass instrument makers and later opened a music store while continuing the making of horns. One of the company’s milestones took place in 1909 when they introduced the now famous horn, model 103. The horn has been credited with the creation of the ultimate horn sound. Philipp has guided the company into the computer age and has had great success with e-commerce on their Internet site.

Hans-Jorg Andre’s great great grandfather formed Musikhaus Andre Musikverlag Johann Andre in 1774. The company was the first to bring lithograph processes to the production of printed music, making a profound and everlasting impact on the way music was printed. Over the years the publishing company expanded to become a music retailer in Offenbach. Under Hans-Jorg’s leadership the company embraced the computer age and on-line commerce.  

Winfried Baumbach came to represent the German musical instrument industry beginning in the 1980s. As the managing director of the European Music Industries Association, he has played a vital role in the organization and development of the German market. He has also been key in the expansion of the German music market within the larger global economy. His experience working in the industry began in publishing, where he developed a greater awareness of the music products industry.  

Christian Benker has been an influential leader in the German musical instrument manufacturing industry. With fresh ideas and marketing skills he helped Hofner reinvent itself during the 1950s and 60s. Christian worked alongside Mr. Hofner, the inventor of the widely popular Beatle bass and Mr. Hofner’s daughter, Gerhilde, who Christian would later marry. The couple worked together to keep the company growing and producing innovative projects.

Gerhilde Benker served as president of Hofner Music, a firm founded by her grandfather Karl Hofner in 1864 in Eger, Germany. Her father, Walter, was the inventor of the Hofner bass, which has been known as the Beatle Bass ever since young Paul McCartney began playing the instrument. The endorsement of the electric bass by the top band in the world created a craze and demand for the bass that was unparalleled. While Paul was still playing the Hofner bass in the early 2000s, Gerhilde noted that she has yet to meet the former Beatle in person. The company has also introduced several other innovative products such as their hollow body guitars and unique pick-ups.  

Frank Bilz applied his passion for music into the expansion of the Markneukirchen Germany music school programs entitled Musicon Valley. As Marketing Director of the school, which is located in the music-rich village where musical instruments have been handcrafted for hundreds of years. Frank has helped create the school’s programs and oversees the programs that focus on providing both hands on training and a well-rounded education of the art of instrument making. 

Ingbert Bluthner followed in the rich history of his family tradition of building world-class pianos. Under Ingbert’s leadership the company expanded production and models along with developing new global distribution chains. Over the years, since his own oral history interview, Ingbert has been a strong supporter of the program, supplying research and suggestions of future interviewees. 

Michael Compernass is the president of the Hoyer Guitar Company in Germany. Michael focuses on the history of the company’s innovative products, particularly those created by Arthur Hoyer in the late 1940s until his passing in 1967 and Arnold’s son, Walter, who ran the company for a decade. Michael has become a historian on the models and the materials used in making these important and coveted instruments. The company was established back in 1874 by Franz Hoyer who began making acoustic guitars and selling them in and around Germany.

Irmgard Dittmar has been a part of the music products industry her whole life. Her father was a noted trumpet builder and designer, and she has worked for the Schreiber music company for nearly 40 years. Over the years she has served as President Hugo Schreiber’s assistant and in doing so has gained great insight into the industry.   Irmgard has been a passionate and energetic supporter of this important archive program, providing contact information, historical details and even acting as interpreter during several interviews.  

Theo Dollmann was the sales representative for Schott Music, the famed music publisher located in Mainz Germany. He joined the company in 1939 and continued to work for the company past his retirement. During his NAMM Oral History interview, Mr. Dollmann recounted how the manuscripts and important documents of the Schott company were saved during World War II by the hands of employees who hid the documents in a protected building. He also recalled meeting and getting to know some of the composers that worked with Schott’s, such as Carl Orff.