Vincent Bach

Vincent Bach (March 24, 1890, Baden bei Wien – January 8, 1976, New York City) was a musician and instrument maker, who founded the Vincent Bach Corporation.

He was born as Vincent Schrotenbach in Baden bei Wien near Vienna, Austria. He received training on the violin and bugle as a youth switching to trumpet at age 12. At age 15, he purchased his first instrument, a rotary valve trumpet. Bach desired to be a musician, but that career was not supported by his family.

Bach graduated from Maschinenbauschule with an engineering degree, at the age of 20. During his subsequent compulsory military service he served in the Austro-Hungarian Imperial Navy. That was followed by a period as an elevator operator before being called-up a second time during which he served as a military musician in the Austrian Marine Band.

His military experience inspired him to go against his family's wishes and pursue a career in music. Vincent Schrotenbach toured Europe performing on an Alexander cornet, but while in England in 1914 became entangled in the politics of World War I finding it necessary to escape confinement as an enemy alien. He changed his name to Vincent Bach and fled to the United States.

Upon his arrival with a Besson instrument, he wrote to Karl Muck, conductor of the Boston Symphony, who employed him. Through fellow Boston trumpeter Gustav Heim Bach was introduced to the Frank Holton Company and began playing a low pitch model Holton trumpet. A year later, he was performing as principal trumpet with the Metropolitan Opera. During his first 3 years in the US, Bach pursued many musical ventures including composing solos, recording on the Edison label, writing a short pamphlet version of his later '’The Art of Trumpet Playing'’ and endorsing Holton instruments.

While touring in Pittsburgh, Bach's mouthpiece was destroyed by a repairman's attempts to rework it. On his return to New York, Bach began experimenting with brass mouthpieces. Bach also realized the need for a higher quality instruments when he served as bandmaster of the 306th Field Artillery band as a result of finding himself inducted once again, this time in the American military during World War 1.

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