(The following article is reprinted from the Winter, 1983, issue of The Clarinet, with the permission of the publisher and the authors. Dr. and Mrs. Zetzer have also provided some additional photographs for this printing. Editor.)
The name Hans Moennig is certainly no secret to music appreciators throughout the country and in Europe. His work on clarinets, oboes, bassoons and flutes has been well-known over the years. It is a type of work that honestly can be called one of a kind.
A visit to Mr. Moennig's shop at 15 South 21st Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an unique experience. In many ways It is an instant transition to the old world from our world of 1983. On entering his shop, one immediately sees the sign that says, 'W. Hans Moennig--Clarinets and Flutes' on the door. On the wall are pictures and tributes of some of his earlier and longstanding clients. Some of those who have known the Moennig experience are Daniel Bonade, Robert McGinnis, Alfred Zetzer, Bernard Portnoy, Robert Marcellus, Ignatius Gennusa, Harold Wright, Anthony Gigliotti, Marcel Tabuteau, William Kincaid, Walter Guetter, Sol Schoenbach, Marc Lifschey, George Goslee, John Mack . . . and their students and their students' students.
Mr. Moennig does a caliber of work the likes of which is rarely seen these days. He pays great attention to detail. One can take the finest new instrument, subject it to Mr. Moennig's attention, inspection, and alterations and come up with an almost entirely new instrument.
His perfectionism has been appreciated for years by the very finest conductors and musicians, such as Leopold Stokowski, George Szell and Eugene Ormandy. One need only listen to the clarinet, oboe and bassoon sections of virtually any major orchestra in the United States and some in Europe to hear the results of his work. Over the years the tuning of major orchestras of the United States has been done by Mr. Moennig's most apt ear and hands, and his dedicated soul.
On a typical morning at his shop one may answer long distance calls for him from Hawaii, Israel, or California. Everyone is trying to get his most expert artistry and advice regarding the remaking of their woodwind instruments.
He was born in 1903 in a town called Markneu-Kirchen in what is now East Germany, a town which existed largely for the purpose of music and the making of musical instruments. His family had lived for generations by doing this specialty and he himself started this at a young age. He recalls that prior to the age of six his father gave him a toy to play with, which was a musical instrument, and he proceeded almost by instinct to disassemble it and assemble it again in a more naturally perfect way, even at that age.
Moennig came to the United States in 1923 and spent a period of time working at several different jobs. He first worked in Providence, Rhode Island for G. Pruefer who was, at that time, a well-known clarinet maker. In 1924, he worked at making clarinets for Cundy-Bettoney in Boston. While working there, he made a very important improvement on the bassoon for his famous cousin, Walter Guetter. Later he worked for George Haynes in New York, and thereafter he went back to Germany for a year to help start his family's business of making bassoons. Walter Guetter then helped to persuade Moennig to come to Philadelphia and start his own shop in 1926. He practices his craft in the same shop today.
His first private client in this old world shop was Robert McGinnis who, at that time, was a student at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Shortly thereafter he became a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the following year its Principal Clarinetist. Moennig continued to work industriously; he recalls fondly a statement made years ago to him by Daniel Bonade, another of his illustrious early clients. Bonade said that he thought that the clarinet had been perfected as far as it could be until he met Mr. Moennig, and that Moennig's invention of the use of the cork pad was a great improvement.
This was only one of the many innovations for which Hans Moennig was responsible. The Moennig barrel, which is thought by many people to improve the intonation, sound and quality and longevity of clarinets, was another invention. When a special extension was needed on modern-day standard bass clarinets in order to play part of the orchestral repertoire, he was innovative and helpful in creating and adding such extensions. When one musician who played on cruise ships complained of having his clarinets crack frequently, Moennig made him a clarinet out of lucite. Generally then, when something needed to be invented to improve the quality of a particular instrument or a particular note on that instrument, Mr. Moennig made the necessary invention. These inventions have occurred almost on a daily basis.
In 1936, Moennig married his wife, Mrs. Gertrude Moennig. He first met her while she was working in his father's shop in Markneu-Kirchen. She is a very gracious person who has many interests, including the arts, hiking and mountain climbing. She and her husband frequent the higher peaks region of the Adirondacks during their one-week vacation in the summer.
Mrs. Moennig is also from a geographic region which includes Markneu-Kirchen. This region has produced many famous musical instrument makers and famous musicians. Mr. Moennig's contemporary colleague, Rudolph Serkin, was born in that area very close to the time of Moennig's birth. Robert Schumann also came from that area, as did Wilhelm Heckel, originator of the Heckel bassoon.
Several famous Moennigs have lived and worked in Philadelphia, including Hans Moennig's uncle, William, who originally had his shop on the street level of the building where Hans Moennig is still located (on the second floor). Still located in Philadelphia is his cousin, William Moennig, who is world renowned for his work on string instruments.
A typical day starts way before dawn. One of the first things Mr. Moennig does are the strenuous physical exercises recommended by the Royal Canadian Mounties. This helps him keep in tip-top physical shape; in fact, every inch of him appears to be muscle. Once he goes to the office it is intense concentration almost from the moment he is there. He starts work at 8 in the morning and takes a break for lunch during which he relaxes as intently and with as much focus on relaxing as is his focus during the other hours on working. He restarts his work again in the afternoon and will work till 7:30 p.m. at the earliest. He has a tendency to work much longer than that if the occasion demands it, which frequently happens. After work, he may meet Mrs. Moennig for dinner and an artistic event -- a concert by the Philadelphia Orchestra, opera, a chamber music event or an art exhibit.
Moennig's perfectionism, capacity to concentrate, integrity and sincerity are the keynotes of his daily style. Underneath his serious exterior is a warm and vital human being. He is an overly humble gentleman. If one is to compliment him on his great artistry or his knowledge and experience in remaking woodwind instruments, his response may be to say, "Well, that's what I do, that's what the demands of our great modern orchestras require, and that's what my customers expect of me. "
As far as plans for retirement, I'm not sure that he knows the definition of that word. If it were to ever happen, he said that one thing that he might do is "pick up the litter in the Wissakikon Park" near where he lives, and in which he and Mrs. Moennig enjoy their four or five mile hike every Sunday. Whatever he may do, one thing is certain; the results of his work will live on in the musical world he so appreciates. He is, undoubtedly, one of the great creative and artistic geniuses of our time.
About the writers. . .
June Hargrove Zetzer, co-author and photographer, is a graduate of Chico State University, Chico, California, with a degree in nursing. She has been active in working with the elderly in the Cleveland area.
Stuart Zetzer is a graduate of the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and is currently in fulltime private practice of Psychiatry in the Cleveland area. He is involved actively in performing the Chamber Music Repertoire for Clarinet. He has been a 'client' of Mr. Moennig for over thirty years.
All photos in this article with the one exception indicated are by Ms. Zetzer.
(The following tributes are contributed by some of Hans Moennig's many prestigious clients. Ed )
I've known Hans Moennig for forty years. We are personal friends -- I would even say we have a special friendship. The work he has done on my instruments is always of first-class quality. I always thought he was the greatest, and I still do. -- Harold Wright
Hans makes you believe in metaphysics -- for all of the care, patience, and sensitivity that he puts into his work transforms mundane sound into something more resonant, malleable and profound. He combines craftsmanship with a highly developed sense of beauty, and through his imagination and discipline, inspires us to do the same.
When I joined the Philadelphia Orchestra I noticed that an upper register note on my oboe had a very slight hiss in the sound. When I asked Hans about it he said, indignantly, "Ormandy won't hear that," but then proceeded to make a tiny washer out of cardboard which cleared up the offending sound without affecting anything else. Seeing my amazement he said, with a twinkle in his eye, "I can fix anything! " And he can. -- Richard Woodhams
I have known Hans for around forty-five years. During the early years of my career with the Philadelphia Orchestra, I was, naturally, busy trying to get my instruments in the best shape. The second floor of 15 So. 21 st Street was a very familiar haunt while I spent hours watching Hans work on my clarinets. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Hans, the man who made our lives a lot easier. Without him, we would still be in the dark ages of woodwind playing. -- Anthony M. Gigliotti
Thank you, Dr. Zetzer, for turning to me for some words of appreciation for the most unusual Hans Moennig. It is difficult to express in words the true value of this man. His sense of dedication to his work and the enormous amounts of knowledge he has accumulated over the years have been of inestimable benefit to those of us who perform on woodwinds.
From my first encounter over a half century ago to the present I have never been able to get over the wonder of the man. He can transform any piece of wood or metal into a playing instrument and has improved all existing instruments beyond the scope of the factories that made them. All I can reiterate is what I wrote on a picture hanging in his work shop these many years: "To Hans -- who makes playing possible." -- Sol Schoenbach
I have known Hans Moennig for almost forty years.
Mr. Moennig is a highly innovative perfectionist and gentleman whose work has always been of the highest standards. Often he knows better than the original instrument maker himself how the instrument should work.
It has been a fascinating experience to know this remarkable man for these many years. He has made inestimable contributions in his line of work to players of all ranks.-- John Mack
A standing ovation to Hans. The golden hands of Hans Moennig make the impossible possible.
For over forty years his craftsmanship and artistry have made it a delight for me to play my clarinets. He has been a constant inspiration. Hans has made a fantastic contribution to the woodwind players of the world for the past sixty years. One can hear the results of his work on this continent, in the Middle East, and in Europe.
With sincere appreciation for our great and meaningful friendship and with good wishes for continued success and good health. -- Alfred Zetzer
I first went to Hans Moennig in my freshman year in the Washington National Symphony in 1945. Throughout my career in the Washington National as well as my 20-year-tenure in the Cleveland Orchestra I always went to him for repairs on my clarinets as well as the purchase of all my instruments. His work stands alone, I believe, in relation to that of other clarinet technicians and his key elevations, placement, and spring tensions are unique. I would certainly say that he contributed in a major way to whatever success I may have had as a professional. I find his work to be almost irreplaceable. -- Robert Marcellus
The perfection in the workmanship and devotion to his work have long made the name of Hans Moennig a legend to woodwind players of both America and the Western World. To me, there is an additional dimension which deserves equal recognition and that is the inspiration he has been to all of us for our entire careers. To play a few notes in his shop was not something to be taken lightly, as we knew that his standards of perfection in his work were also to be found in his listening. Thus, his life's work not only made it possible to achieve some of the goals we aspired to but inspired us at the same time. -- John de Lancie
