History
Around 1900, the International Guitarists’ Association (IGV), founded in Munich, embarced on vigorous initiatives with the intent of revitlizing artistic guitar performance, which had waned in significance. Its membership encompassed orchestral musicians, enthusiasts, guitar teachers, music publishers, and instrument makers from Germany, Central Europe, and Russia. Their communication medium, the publication "Der Gitarrefreund", vividly protrays the collective endeavors aimed at enhancing performing quality, providing fitting guitar literature and instruments, and establishing concert opportunities.
To procure suitable instruments, the protagonists initially turned to historical guitars of the 19th century crafted in Viennese workshops, exemplified by Johann Georg Stauffer’s work.
These guitars emerged within the tonal realm of a cosmopolitan musical center during the twielight of the late Viennese classical era, closely tied to the thriving violin-making tradition, and significantly influenced by Italian musicians and instruments. The guitar was a popular bourgeois musical instrument.
These instruments laid the foundation for replicas and the guitar’s evolutionary trajectory, including the creation of a ‚Münchner‘ model characterized by an expanded contour and a more generously proportioned central bout cutout.
Between 1913 and 1928, virtuosos Emilio Pujol, Miguel Llobet, and Andrés Segovia were invited to perform, ultimately introducing Spanish instruments by Antonio de Torres and Santos Hernandez to Germany. Their romantic timbre and novel tonal possibilities left a profound impression on guitarists and luthiers alike. A multitude of advertisements by guitar makers for a ‚Torres‘ model underscores the rapid dissemination of the Spanish guitar throughout Germany, facilitated by the established framework.
This development was obviously critically observed by Hermann Hauser, who obtained a patent for an innovative guitar top in 1920. According to the patent document, the design was intended to "completely and simply eliminate" the respective disadvantages of the Viennese and Spanish guitars. For this purpose, a transverse brace between the soundhole and bridge, as well as two longitudinal ribs formed a cross on the top. Unlike the Viennese guitars, the transverse brace is not anchored in the sides and also has a special shape, which is supposed to improve both the bass and treble notes.
However, in the subsequent long-term collaboration with Andrés Segovia, Hermann Hauser focused on the Spanish guitar – a crucial turning point for the instrument. The potential of his approach remained untapped.