Historical Publication Info
Cramer, Addison & Beale cover 1830s
History
Cramer has been part of London's musical life for nearly 200 years.
Johann Baptist Cramer, the pianist and composer, founded the company with Robert Addison and Thomas Frederick Beale, in 1824 in London. Cramer himself quit as early as 1833, but his name had such brand value that it was retained for over 100 years. There were many changes of ownership in the 19th century, but in the 20th century the firm was more stable, known as J.B. Cramer & Co, in New Bond Street. It acquired the piano maker and publisher Metzler & Co. of London in 1931. It was finally bought, in 1964, by Kemble the piano makers (founded 1911, set up Yamaha-Kemble Music (UK) Ltd in 1960s, factory moved to the Far East 2009). However, a company called Cramer Music Ltd still operates at 23 Garrick Street, W.1.
J.B. Cramer & Co had three fields of business: musical instrument manufacturing, music-publishing and retail music-selling. Cramer’s catalog had very few star names such as Sullivan or Elgar, but it contained a steady stream of songs, piano works, oratorios, operettas and organ music, mainly by British composers.
Imprints, Addresses, Agencies
Imprints
- Cramer, Addison & Beale 1822-43
- Cramer, Beale & Co. 1844-46
- Cramer, Beale & Chappell 1847-61
- Cramer, Beale & Wood 1862-64
- Cramer, Wood, & Co. 1864
- J.B. Cramer & Co.
Addresses
- 201, Regent Street and 67, Conduit Street, 1820s -1890s.
- "Cramer's Great City Warehouse" or "Cramer's City Warerooms" originally between 43 and 46, Moorgate Street, later including nos.40-42. 1873 Showroom
- 207 & 209, Regent Street 1896 to 1901 (these addresses were by the company since at least 1864),
- 126, Oxford Street 1902
- 139, New Bond Street 1912-1964
- 99, St. Martin’s Lane 1965- about 2000 (retail)
Plate Numbers
- Plate numbers appear in the following formats: ###, J.B.C. & Co. Ltd. ###. Dates in italics are estimated.
| Plate # | Full Plate | Composer | Work | IMSLP # | Full Year | Year |
|---|
Sources Consulted
Links
