Metzler

1850s cover

1892 cover

G&S The Sorcerer (2nd ed 1880) cover

History

Metzler & Co. of London published music from the 1820s to the 1920s. The works were mainly light- dances for piano and solo songs. There were also many operettas, of which the most famous was Gilbert and Sullivan's The Sorcerer (1877).

Although it was far from being a minor publisher, the firm's main activity was piano making. It was started in the 18th century, by Valentin Metzler in 1788; it became Metzler & Son in 1816 when his son George Richard was recruited. The name became Metzler & Co. in 1833 and George Thomas Metzler, the third generation of Metzlers, was in charge from 1867 together with Frank Chappell. Later it became a limited company (1893), and was finally bought by J.B. Cramer & Co., another combined piano-maker and publisher, in 1931.

Imprints, Addresses, Agencies

Imprints

• Metzler
• Metzler & Son 1816-1833
• Metzler & Co. 1833-1931

Addresses

Metzler & Son

• 105 Wardour Street (c.1816-1833)

Metzler & Co.

• 105 Wardour Street (c.1833-1842)
• 37 Great Marlborough Street (c.1842-1881)
• 42 Great Marlborough Street (c.1881-1895)
• 40-43 Great Marlborough Street (c.1895-1909)

Metzler and Co. (1909) Ltd.

• 40-43 Great Marlborough Street (c.1909-1911)
• 42 Great Marlborough Street (c.1911-1920)

Metzler and Co. (1920) Ltd.

• 142 Charing Cross Road (1920-1929)
• 14 Rathbone Place (c.1929-1930)

Plate Numbers

• The letters M.##### were usually included as part of the plate numbering scheme.
  Dates in italics are estimated.

Sources Consulted

• Humphries & Smith, Music Publishing in the British Isles
• HMB
• COPAC
• The Horniman Museum, London