Brass Instruments by Adalbert Riedl

Adalbert Riedl is one of the many mysterious characters involved in brass instrument making, but presented here is what has been found of his story so far.  He was born in Graslitz, Bohemia on September 20, 1853, and arrived in the US on May 29, 1880. On February 6, 1881, he married Christiane Kaufmann, a German immigrant. City directories list him in New York as a machinist in 1883 and in Philadelphia in 1885 as a musician. He was listed in the 1900 census in Chicago with the occupation “Brass Instruments”, in 1910 as “Instrument Maker”, 1920 as “Mechanic Musical Instruments” and in 1930 as “Retired”.  He died on October 6, 1935 and his obituary published in “Intermezzo, Official Journal of the Chicago Federation of Musicians” stated that he worked for The Chicago branch of J. W. Pepper as an instrument maker. It is possible that he was hired by Pepper in Philadelphia, leading to his move to the Chicago branch. The obituary goes on to state that he was the first to make detachable bells for helicons, which led to the invention of the sousaphone. It states that he was travelling with Sousa’s band at the time. He later worked for Lyon & Healy and Frank Holton in Chicago. He was a founding member of The Chicago Musical Society and then the Chicago Federation of Musicians.

The author was contacted in September 2011 by John Riedel, the great grandson of Adalbert and had a conversation with his 95-year-old father Roger Riedel. He was asked if Adalbert had worked for another maker and said that he emigrated in order to take a job at Lyon and Healy.  He also reported that he grew up in Riedl’s house at 833 N. Hoyne Ave. (the number was later changed to 1742), the address stamped on the bells of his instruments, and that he had a workshop in the back yard with all the machines, tools and parts needed for his work.

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The family still owns seven instruments made in that shop, including two made according to his 1908 patent covering an automatic A-change in which the three valve slides are lengthened when a rotary valve is turned.  One of these is pictured below.  These two appear to have been made from parts or complete cornets supplied by Martin of Elkhart, Indiana and have serial numbers 9795 and 9796, which would date them to about 1911.  This mechanism uses the same lever and push rods used on Lyon and Healy's Duplex model cornet patented in 1899.  Another example is pictured that appears to be an import or made of imported parts with the mechanism installed.

Another Bb cornet is known with Riedl’s name and patent number stamped on the bell, but unfortunately, the mechanism has been removed. It appears to be made of Lyon & Healy’s “Own Make” model parts. Three more in the family’s collection are pictured below, including two rather unique pocket cornets and the last appears to be a Conn Wonder model cornet from the 1880s on which Reidl has installed his own bell.

Roger Riedel also reported that he was in the possession of a brass plate engraved with Adalbert's name and thoroughly decorated.  It is though that this was made while he was still in Europe and presumed that it was his meisterstuck (masterpiece) made to show his competence in his craft when applying for jobs as a journeyman and/or when qualifying as a meister.  He likely spent much of his employment at Lyon and Healy engraving instruments imported from Europe to be sold through their catalogs and then their “Own Make” instruments after they were introduced in about 1899. 

Of about 12 instruments signed by Riedl that are known, most appear to be imported from Europe and modified by him or built by him from imported parts.  That seems to be the case with the cornet pictured below.  The echo bell is unique and certainly of Riedl's own design with a hemispheric end rather than the far more common flared cone.  There is no patent or patent application for this design, but it isn’t seen on any other known instruments. This is surprising, since it seems to have better acoustical qualities, especially in the low register, where others are difficult or impossible to play.  Also unique is the sliding tube inserted in the end.  This has the same effect as the sliding tube in a modern Harmon "wa-wa" mute.  The tone quality changes markedly dependent on tube being fully inserted, extended or removed altogether.   In each of these positions, the intonation and response are comparable or superior to the best echo cornets.   Perhaps the reason that it wasn’t patented was that it is too close in design to one of the many cornet/trumpet mutes that had already been patented or perhaps he realized that it wouldn't be worth the time and expense to do so.  Another unique feature of this cornet is the tortoise shell finger button inserts.

This cornet belonged to Elden Benge by the 1950s.  At that time Benge made the Bb shank for it.  It is an exceptionally good playing cornet among "stencil" cornets imported from Europe.  After his death, most of Benge's collection of antique instruments, including this cornet, went to Irving Bush, who was a good friend and colleague.  

The overall length with mouthpiece removed is 12 1/8" and bell diameter is 4 7/16".  The bore measures .464".  It is interesting to note that the short valve slides indicate that this cornet originally had a "cut off" mouthpipe assembly to change the key to C.  It seems to be a very common feature in echo cornets: being able to play them in C as well as Bb and A.