Broadwood archive services 21,ashville street, york, yo31 8ry, uk. Bartolomeo cristofori is credited for inventing the piano around 1720, and john broadwood was established shortly after in 1728 in london, england this is almost 100 years before piano manufacturing was beginning in america. Many books written about the piano give differentdates for the invention of the iron frame, with babcoks patent for a square grand of the 17th of december 1826 being the favourite. On this site are the current pianos in production, the history of broadwoods. The 1816 broadwood grand, serial number 7005, is the same model as the piano made the following year, number 7362, and given to beethoven. Andrew ashe, the original owner of this grand piano, was a celebrated irish flautist who lived from 1758 to 1838. When talking about piano history, mention must be made of the early instruments that paved its way. A grand made as a present for the queen of spain, the case designed by thomas sheraton with wedgwood medallions now in the boston museum of fine art. On this site are the current pianos in production, the history of broadwoods, serial numbers and a letter from beethoven. John broadwood pianos are an inventive british firm with extreme variation in quality and style of upright and grand pianos from very old ones that arent really worth reconditioning if you want an allround piano, to very good grands from about 1893 onwards, and uprights from about 1900, mixed with indifferent ones.
Early history john broadwood, a scottish joiner and cabinetmaker, came to london in 1761 and began to. The beethoven broadwood celebrates two anniversaries world. John broadwoods first piano 1773 was a square instrument modeled after those of johann zumpe, a germanborn pianoforte maker who worked for a time with shudi and who built the first square pianos. He went into business for himself, manufacturing hammers and other components eventually founding the piano town of dolgeville, new york, and achieved an. All this culminated in the 1911 publication of pianos and their makers.
It features a top quality grand piano of its day that beethoven himself owned from new in 1818, when it was delivered to his door as a gift from london by thomas broadwood. A series of special events take place through april, may and june to mark a rather significant anniversary in the history of piano making and piano literature. John broadwood is just about the oldest, most renowned piano manufacturer in the world. You can buy this book the broadwood barless piano by alastair laurence. Ashe was a principal flautist in orchestras in brussels, dublin and london. List of books and articles about piano history online. The archives are extensively used for tracing the history of individual pianos. The square piano in england 1766 1866 this short history fits neatly into just a hundred years. Serial number 21658 piano in walnut was finished the 16th february in the year 1882 and was delivered to his home the same year.
The number books act as an index to the porters books. In vienna he met beethoven, then 47, who was by then quite unwell and starting to become deaf. The americans played had their part to play in piano history. There were pianos before then in italy, for example and the square piano survived longer in mainland europe and particularly america, but the last square piano made in england was delivered by broadwoods in. Thomas broadwood, son of the original john broadwood, met beethoven during a visit to the continent in 1817. Apr 27, 2018 a series of special events take place through april, may and june to mark a rather significant anniversary in the history of piano making and piano literature. The archives of john broadwood and sons, held at surrey history centre, are a rich source for the history of this world famous piano.
First trained in the german piano industry of the 1860s, he continued to work and study under the great mathushek upon coming to the united states. Broadwood piano history research surrey county council. To prepare the reader for more technical exposition, dolge first gives a brief history of stringed keyboard instruments, from the early pianoforte up through the square piano, the development of the upright, and the modern grand. Over the last twenty years it has become more fashionable to leave original surfaces of antiques intact rather than strip and replace finishes, as expert after expert in such public forums as antiques road show drill into the viewing audience the financial importance of. Restoring an 1834 broadwood grand piano, supervised by alan clarke esq of alan clarke pianos, chesterfield. A brief history of the shudi family, and the extraordinary circumstances in which. The performance is nicely recorded in a large studio acoustic environment in a way that the true antiquity and tonal qualities of the instrument can be fully appreciated. A very nice late victorian example of a john broadwood drawing room grand piano in a rosewood case and full 88 note keyboard. See todays john broadwood pianos for sale, best offer and auction. May 10, 2018 may 10, 2018 may 10, 2018 no comments on beethovens broadwood bicentenary. John broadwood pianos historical and archive services. John broadwood was born on 6 october 1732, the son of a cabinet maker and. There were pianos before then in italy, for example and the square piano survived longer in mainland europe and particularly america, but the last square piano made in england was delivered by broadwoods in 1866. Piano sonatas played on broadwood grand fortepiano by.
The two main series of records are the number books and porters or day books. In 1789, at jan ladislav dusseks suggestion, he extended the range of his grand piano beyond five octaves to cc in the treble, and again to six full octaves in 1794. Brilliant center for beethoven studies from pamela emerson of woburn, massachusetts in may 2006 by a select group of donors to the american beethoven society. A fascinating celebration of the piano, including tales of its masters from mozart and beethoven to oscar peterson and jerry lee lewis, told with the expertise of composer and author of temperament, stuart isacoff. Reading the historical record from an early broadwood. In the summer of the year 1817, londonbased piano maker thomas broadwood visited vienna, where he met the 47yearold beethoven, who was suffering from ill health and near total deafness.
The double hopper permitted the rapid repetition of notes and better control of dynamics. The late alfred dolge was one of the most remarkable figures in the history of the piano. By 1780 broadwood was making square pianos after an original design. The english piano maker john broadwood 17321812 was the first to develop the present heavier, more sonorous instrument.
In england, broadwood called querpianos small piano fortes, while ganer called them rectangular piano fortes, and wales preferred quadrilateral grand pianofortes, but square piano became the favoured name, sounding very much like querpiano, and translated directly as piano carre in french. John broadwood, a scottish joiner and cabinetmaker, came to london in 1761 and began to work for the swiss harpsichord manufacturer burkat shudi. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. In 1817 leading piano maker thomas broadwood, fourth son of john broadwood, set off on an extended tour of switzerland, austria and germany.
Reading the historical record from an early broadwood grand piano. Aug 17, 2017 thomas broadwood and ludwig van beethoven. Broadwood is credited, together with robert stodart, founder of another famous firm of piano makers, of helping americus backers to perfect the english grand action, which remained in use by many makers virtually unchanged for 70 years and, in broadwoods case over 100 years, and continued in use in various improved forms until the early years. Broadwood is said to have coined the term grand piano forte, but the earliest published use of the term is thought to be in robert stodarts patent of 1777.
Surrey county council broadwood piano history research. The beethoven broadwood celebrates two anniversaries. Broadwood, square piano, book, publication, for sale, author michael cole. Alpheus babcock aust bass strings bassoon belg berlin braces brass bridge broadwood and sons camden town charles chassis chevalet clavichord clavier clementi corda cordes cristofori damper deux ditto downstriking action drum english erard escapement euphonicon firard 9 fitzroy square fixed forte frame gauge george grand pianoforte greiner h. Surrey county council john broadwood and sons piano. Some guide lines to help you find the age of your piano. It is a true piece of history, with a fantastic touch, sleek and fascinating aesthetic, and its bursting with the character of over a century of existence. John broadwood was the major author of this progress, and his shop, aided by. In 1785 thomas jefferson, later to be third president of the united states, visited broadwood in great pulteney street, soho, to discuss musical instruments.
Browse our available selection, or use our filters to refine your search by size, price, location, distance from you, or color. The first historical mention of instruments is in genesis 4. The basic features of the piano as we know it today were established in 1859, with the first appearance of the steinway concert grand piano. Apr 01, 2011 i own and enjoy the 2cd set of books 14 of his 84 spirited etudes on the grand piano label. Dec 03, 2017 restoring an 1834 broadwood grand piano, supervised by alan clarke esq of alan clarke pianos, chesterfield. Piano sonatas played on broadwood grand fortepiano. They have a long history that has been central to the development of the modern day piano as we know it, starting from its beginnings in the harpsichord trade. May 10, 2018 may 10, 2018 no comments on beethovens broadwood bicentenary. John broadwood, the harpsichord and the piano jstor. Broadwood decided to present the composer with his latest grand piano. Used and new broadwood list of vertical pianos and grand pianos. I own and enjoy the 2cd set of books 14 of his 84 spirited etudes on the grand piano label. This is one of the oldest grand pianos in ireland, a truly historic piece.
As a result of the meeting, he decided to present one of the firms pianos to the composer. Sister wendys american collection selected works grand piano. The square piano, with strings parallel to the keys, was the most popular domestic piano until the early19thcentury perfection, in philadelphia, of the upright piano. In 288 years, the ownership of the company has only changed hands two times. Its history traced to the great exhibition of 1851. This instrument, now known as beethovens broadwood, was much loved by the composer and is said to have inspired most of his late piano sonatas. The archives of john broadwood and sons, held at surrey history centre, are a rich source for the history of this world famous piano manufacturing company and the many thousands of instruments they made. Broadwood pianos celebrates 200th anniversary of giving. John broadwood pianos are an inventive british firm with extreme variation in quality and style of upright and grand pianos from very old ones that arent really worth reconditioning if you want an allround piano, to very good grands from about 1893 onwards, and. By 1781, there were already references in the times to grand piano forte, and broadwood made an improved grand piano forte in 1782.
The piano has been restored in the past with new strings, felts, pins, polished case and frame re gilded. The piano was built in 1796 in london during a period of rapid advancement in the art and science of piano making. The decoration, conceived by the wellknown english furniture designer thomas sheraton, includes jasperware cameos by josiah wedgwood and enamel coin casts by james tassie. Broadwood pianos information roberts pianos oxford.
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