Franz Hain in Boston, ca. 1914
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Franz Hain was born in Terplitz,
Bohemia on July 10, 1866. He began to study music at the age of seven, and at fourteen became a
student in the
Conservatory of Prague. The following year he was engaged as the first hornist in the Genebehaus
and Phihlarmonic Orchestras, under Nicode, afterwards as first hornist in the Philharmonic at
Hamburg and at Carlsbad. While holding this position he was engaged for the position of third
horn in the Boston Symphony Orchestra and arrived in the United States on September 28, 1891,
Hain was almost always considered a high horn player, and Gebhart usually a low horn player, yet in
this group they played second and third respectively, because in Heim's arrangements the third part
is generally lower than the second, contrary to traditional symphonic voicing.
Hain was also a member of the Longy New York Modern Chamber Music Society according to a concert
review in the Musical Courier, 11/12/13, page 37.
According to the personnel lists, Hain joined the BSO in 1891. He played third horn for thirty-two
years, until the 1923-24 season when he was listed as second horn in the second section. The
following year he was listed as fourth horn in the second section. At this point he retired and
went back to his old home in Europe. His old friends had forgotten him, however, and he was so
unhappy that he came back to Boston and played second horn in the Metropolitan Theater around
1925 to 1927. When the stock market collapsed, Hain wh had invested most of his money, came to
the orchestra for help. He played during the 1933-34 season, and the orchestra's treasurer
complained the Mr. Hain was not cashing his checks. Deciding that he must not have been that
needy, the orchestra dismissed him. Mr Valkenier, who became first horn in the Boston Symphony in
1937 when Max Hess retired from Cincinnati and returned to Boston, recalls that Mr. Hain passed
away in Boston before World War II.
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