William Lindeman
Encyclopedia
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
manufacturer who worked in New york City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The third son of Karl Gotthilf Lindemann, a preacher who was rector of the municipal school, Wilhelm learned cabinetmaking, and in 1812 moved to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
where he worked as a fancy cabinetmaker, and later moved to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
working as a pianomaker for about a year, and subsequently for piano manufacturers Breitkopf & Härtel
Breitkopf & Härtel
Breitkopf & Härtel is the world's oldest music publishing house. The firm was founded in 1719 in Leipzig by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf . The catalogue currently contains over 1000 composers, 8000 works and 15,000 music editions or books on music. The name "Härtel" was added when Gottfried...
in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
and Rosenkranz in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
before establishing his own shop. His small output was entirely wholesale, and he was unable to profit from his well regarded and innovative instruments.
Lindeman emigrated to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1834 but had difficulty finding work as a pianomaker due to language and hiring practices at the leading manufacturers, and instead worked tuning and regulating at Geib & Walker's
Geib Company
The Geib Company was a family business which under various partnership names, produced and sold pianofortes, organs, and sheet music in New York City in the nineteenth century.-History:...
music and instrument store. Within a year he was able to send for his family, and by 1836 he established a small factory at the corner of Bank and Fourth street, but removed to Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
due to the bank crisis of 1837.
Lindeman reestablished himself at James Street, New York City in 1842, and within two years produced two pianos a week, and soon moved to larger premises at Centre street. In 1849, Lindeman made his oldest son Hermann a partner, and the firm moved to 56 Franklin street, and then to 171 and 173 Mercer street in 1859. In 1864 Henry and Ferdinand joined the company, reorganized as Lindeman & Sons, and recovering from severe financial difficulties brought on by the civil war
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
they quickly doubled production to eight pianos a week and established new headquarters at 92 Bleecker street.
Herman patented a construction for cycloid pianos in 1860. These semi-circular square pianos with continuous bent laminated wooden frames gained Lindeman & Sons international attention at the 1867 Paris Universal Exposition
Exposition Universelle (1867)
The Exposition Universelle of 1867 was a World Exposition held in Paris, France, in 1867.-Conception:In 1864, Emperor Napoleon III decreed that an international exposition should be held in Paris in 1867. A commission was appointed with Prince Jerome Napoleon as president, under whose direction...
, and their instruments earned gold medals at the American Institute Fairs in 1865 and 1867, the Indiana State Fair
Indiana State Fair
The Indiana State Fair is an annual fair held in Indianapolis, Indiana, usually in the month of August. The first fair was held in 1881 and the 2009 fair had the highest number of attendees at 973,902....
in 1865, from the Kansas Agricultural Society in 1863, and at Ohio State Fair
Ohio State Fair
The Ohio State Fair is one of the largest state fairs in the United States. In 2011 the attendance was 833,000, the fair's highest attendance since 2004. The state fair contributes as much as 280 million dollars to the state economy...
in 1882. Herman established warerooms in Cincinnati in 1874 to promote their sales in western states.
William Lindeman died December 24, 1875. Henry Lindeman took over the company, and admitted his son Samuel G. Lindeman as partner in 1901.