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Artist
Issler's Orchestra
12+ albums
All1890s1880sGrammophon
about
Issler's Orchestra (also billed as Issler's Parlor Orchestra and Issler's Popular Orchestra) was led by pianist Edward Issler (1855- after 1920). Based in New Jersey, their first records were made in 1888 for Edison, probably when they were formed. The members of the orchestra: David B. Dana (1855-1914) playing the cornet, George C. Schweinfest (1862-1949) on flute, A. T. Van Winkle on violin (and for xylophone solos), and Issler on piano. William Tuson may have played clarinet with them (Tuson recorded solos in Newark and West Orange). By 1900, Issler's Orchestra had grown considerably, often doubling brasses or woodwinds. This was the same year that things began slowing up for Issler's Orchestra. Also notable is that Issler's Orchestra didn't record for larger companies, probably because larger companies could and diid pay for in-house or large local bands to record for them. Thus, Issler and his Orchestra usually recorded for the U. S. Phonograph Co. of Newark, NJ Phonograph Co. (U. S.'s parent company) and sometimes for the Consolidated Phongraph Co., also in Newark. Issler's Orchestra made its last recordings in 1900, an Issler gave up on the industry in tha same year. Schweinfest continued to record solos and he was also a member of Columbia's house orchestra. What became of the others is not known, but a photo of Dana shows him in a marching uniform, suggesting he played in another band. Issler and Van Winkle...? Tuson continued to make records for Edison and Colu
