Hans G. Adler

Hans Georg Adler (25 February 1904 – 1 February 1979) was a German musicologist, collector, and classical music promoter in South Africa.

Early life (1904–1933) Adler was born in Germany, into a family interested and involved in classical music. His mother, Johanna Nathan, Adler studied Law and Musicology

Southern Africa (1933–1978) Over the course of his career in South Africa, Hans Adler was committed to the collection of rare instruments and classical music works, and the promotion of visiting classical musicians in the country, creating a lasting impact on the growth of classical music in South Africa.

In 1952, he become the vice-chairman of the Johannesburg Music Society Many of these tours included the creation of recordings with the SABC.

Under Hans Adler's lead, the Johannesburg Music Society increased the promotion of classical music, and encouraged international musicians to perform for audiences in South Africa. In turn, this allowed classical music in South Africa to expand and flourish during that time

For this achievement, and for the musical museum he created over the course of his career, an honorary doctorate from the University of the Witwatersrand was conferred on him in 1978.

Collection and museum

After World War II, Hans Adler began expanding the small library inherited from his father. Amongst others, his additions included classical music dictionaries, encyclopedias, manuscripts, complete composer compendiums, in many different languages. The library also included volumes of music scores. Moreover, he acquired early keyboard instruments – a clavicytherium, clavichords, a glass harmonica, an octave spinet, harpsichords, a fortepiano and two modern Steinway grand pianos. The collection eventually comprised 19 instruments, and provided a demonstration of the development of the piano. Along with the keyboard instruments, was a viola d'amore.

Over time, this personal library grew into a sizable collection, especially in keyboard compositions and productions. Together with the instrument collection, this evolved into a museum, which was housed in his Johannesburg home. One highlight included a "showcase of rare and unusual items of intrigue to musicians and musicologists." Tours for university students were sometimes conducted, and the SABC periodically aired early composers' works at the museum, which Adler would perform - often together with touring overseas performers - on the antique keyboard instruments.

The museum was considered by some of the musicologists of the time to be one of the more outstanding museums of this nature in private hands. For the museum opening, a Hans Adler Memorial Volume book, "A Collection of Tributes" A number of the touring musicians also discovered interesting or little-known works, though this exchange (See note 7 in: examples of unusual works referenced).

Notable instruments The collection housed a variety of historical instruments. The principle instruments in the collection are as follows:

17th century upright Italian clavicytherium early 17th century two-manual Italian harpsichord single keyboard harpsichord, built by Ferdinandus Weber, 1750 virginal built by Joannis Veneti, 1689 early 18th century clavichord 18th century fortepiano, built by Goerg Winkler Glass harmonica, built by Beyer, 1786

Unusual works In 1959, Adler donated one of his two rare copies of Frontispice by Ravel to the British Museum, which did not possess the work before that point. At the time, the work was unknown, as Ravel had violated his publisher's sole publishing rights when it appeared in the popular Paris magazine Feuillets d'art in 1919.

Adler allegedly collected evidence of a 6th piano concerto of Beethoven's, and two other piano concertos that may be attributed to him. A violin and piano sonata with two movements by Robert Schumann, one by Brahms and one by Albert Dietrich, in honour of Joseph Joachim

Borodin's almost forgotten piano quintet A signed, numbered copy of Karlheinz Stockhausen's "Skizzen und Manuskripte" and one of Detlef Kieffer's "3 Pieces Breves" donated to him when they toured South Africa A composition for him by John Ogdon and another by Julian Dawson-Lyell. Information and some photographs of the above examples can be seen on the H.A. "showcase of rare and unusual works" site. Adler also donated, to South African composer/conductor/SABC Head of Music Gideon Fagan, a rare copy of Vol 1. of "The Edwin Fleischer Music Collection" for which Fagan had been searching for a decade. Discoveries of unusual cello works by local cello enthusiast/journalist, Joe Sack, which he passed on to other professionals. These included works such as:

References and Bibliography Hans Adler, A Collection of Tributes. ISBN 0854946217 https://hansadlercollection.blogspot.com/2012/12/hans-adler-biography.html Hans Adler's Collection of Music Instruments. https://hansadlercollection.blogspot.com/ Collection of Rare and Unusual items on Display at the Wits Museum including a Boethius 15th Century Incunabula and a curious story of Ravel's Fronticepiece. https://rareclassicalmusicexhibits.blogspot.com/ The Hans Adler memorial Museum at Wits University, South Africa. https://hansadlercollection.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-hans-adler-music-museum-at.html Celebrated and Acclaimed Musicians and Musical Groups Hans Adler brought to tour South Africa. https://classicalmusicianstoza.blogspot.com/ Dedicated Autograph books from these artists. https://hansadlercollection.blogspot.com/2023/10/three-autograph-books-with-musicians.html Interesting Newspaper and magazine Clippings on all the above. https://hansadlermusic-mediainfo.blogspot.com/ Radio (SABC) interview and a few of the radio 4 hand recordings. https://hansadlerradiotranscripts.blogspot.com/