The chief concert technician for Steinway & Sons gave Bibles to the world’s greatest pianists and told them about Jesus.
Franz Mohr, former chief concert technician at Steinway & Sons in New York, has died at 94.
He was, in his own assessment, “just a piano tuner who loves the Lord.”
But Mohr’s expertise and backstage support was valued by the world’s most famous concert pianists, including Van Cliburn, Vladimir Horowitz, Artur Rubinstein, Glenn Gould, Rudolf Serkin, and Emil Gilels. They relied on his deep musical knowledge and technical skill.
He traveled around the world with them, protecting and servicing their concert-grade grand pianos, each of which was built by 200 Steinway & Sons artisans and cost more than $200,000. Mohr prepared the pianos with tuning, voicing, and adjustments for optimal performance to the artist’s particular liking. Between concerts, he could be found in Steinway Hall’s basement in Manhattan, doing regular, meticulous maintenance.
His true passion, however, was unashamedly proclaiming the love and hope of Christ to this niche community.
“He was like a magnet drawing them in,” said Tom Carpino, Franz’s pastor at The Bridge (Nazarene) Church, in Malverne, New York, “and bringing the Bible’s message to whomever he could.”
Franz was a member of The Bridge for more than 40 years and served for many years as an elder. He also regularly spoke to Christian groups and worked with Crescendo International, a Cru ministry.
“With my little tuning hammer I have shared the Lord in unbelievable places,” he said.
He died at home on March 28 from complications related to COVID-19.
Mohr was born in Nörvenich, Germany, on September 17, 1927. He was the second of three sons in a musical family in which Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Beethoven were as …
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