Alexander Steinert

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Alexander Steinert (b March 12, 1861 in Athens, GA; d November 15, 1933 in Boston, MA) was a son of Morris Steinert, the original Steinway dealer for New England and a close business associate of William Steinway, and Caroline Steinert. Alex was groomed by his father to take over the business and often accompanied him to meetings with William Steinway, during which business deals were negotiated. (Diary, 1894-01-16)

The Steinerts delayed their move north from Georgia until Alex was born. Educated in the public schools of New Haven, CT, Alex at an early age, probably about 16, was employed by his father, who was manufacturing pianos and managing a music store in New Haven.(2) By age 18, Alex was living at a boarding house in Providence, R.I, along with his older brother Henry Steinert and managing his father’s music store in Providence.(4) 

Alex is said to have been the driving force behind the expansion of Steinert's Music stores into a chain serving all of New England. The Steinert’s flagship showroom was initially at the corner of Tremont and Boylston Street in Boston and later moved to Steinert Hall on Boylston Street in Boston, a building that Alex had constructed. Alex recognized the commercial potential in player pianos, which led to the business’s acquisition of the Aeolian Piano Company. Alex later drove the acquisitions of the Hume Piano Company and the Jewett Piano Company. He was for many years very active in the musical life of Boston, a founder of the Boston Singers, and largely responsible for bringing Ignace Paderewski on his first tour to Boston.(1) 

Alex was married to Bessie Shuman on June 6, 1889. They had three sons; Russell, Robert, and Alexander.(3) Alex’s death in 1933 at the age of seventy-two came a year after the loss of his son and heir apparent, Russell, in a diving accident at their summer home in Beverly Farms, MA. Steinert Piano Company survived the Great Depression of the 1930s and still exists.(3)

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 Sources:

2. Dolge, Alfred. Pianos and their Makers. v II. Covina CA: Covina Publishing Co, (1913), pp. 172-174.

3. "About M. Steinert and Sons", http://www.msteinert.com/about/, accessed October 14, 2011

4. U. S. Census. The United States Census 1880.