Abt, Valentine 13.jun.1873-16.jul.1942 USA Pennsylvania, Allegheny (now Pittsburgh) - Pittsburgh Allegheny
mandolinist, harpist, educated at St Mary's School in Allegheny, 1888 placed at the Pittsburgh Catholic College to become priest, he studied violin with Fidelis Zitterbart for 5 years then changed to the mandolin studying with Vitper Bart, he worked for a music publisher for 3 years and studied harmony and composition at the Utica School of Music, 1894 accepted a position as mandolin teacher there, 1895-1900 mandolin teacher with studio at 244 Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh, 1895 residing at 720 Penn Avenue, 1896 at 6015 Howe Street, 1898-1900 residing with his parents-in-law at 9 Morrow Avenue, he made extended US tours as mandolin virtuoso and was soon named 'best mandolinist in the US', 1902 he gave harp recitals which gained him equal reputation, 1901-1911 he was music publisher and teacher mandolin, guitar and harp with studio at 401 Carnegie Hall in New York, 1908 he organized the Plectrum Society mandolin orchestra in New York, 1909 he founded the first American classical quartet of mandolins, mandola and mandocello, 15.apr.1909 he directed the 8th annual convention of the American Guild of Mandolinists, Banjoists and Guitarists at Waldorf Astoria in New York, 1911 he formed the 30 piece New York Plectrum Orchestra, 28.aug.1922 back in Pittsburgh he gave a concert broadcasted over KDKA Westinghouse Radio, 17.may.1923 already seriously mentally disturbed he gave a concert at the Hamline Methodist Episcopal Church in Steubenville, from c1925 until his death he was a patient at South Fayette Mental Asylum in Pittsburgh Allegheny, buried at Saint Marys Cemetery in Pittsburgh ; 1898 he married Theresa Lucile Limegrover (Pittsburgh 9.apr.1876-1.nov.1945 Chicago Illinois) ; by 1910 they had 4 sons, 7.apr.1923 Theresa was granted a divorce on the ground of intolerable cruelty and desertion by her husband