Broadwood & 1823年的儿子大钢琴

This 古钢琴 was purchased for the 爱尔兰共和军F. 才华横溢的 Center for Beethoven Studies from Pamela Emerson of Woburn, Massachusetts in May 2006 by a select group of donors to the 美国贝多芬学会. Based on its serial number, the instrument was 1823年制造.

According to information received from David Hunt (see his website http://www.fortepiano.co.uk for a registry of Broadwood grand pianos), the instrument was first sold on January 9, 1824. 的 instrument was later sold by Zug in Switzerland and by Sotheby’s, London, 于一九七八年六月(地段编号. 59，价格:1600英镑). Ms. Emerson acquired the instrument in 1997 from Edwin Beunk and rented it for recording sessions in her studio and on rare occasions to other venues.

键盘功能

的 Broadwood is a grand 古钢琴 contained in an oak-jointed, framed case with dark stringing on the exterior surfaces. It is 98" long by 49" wide by 36" high with 箱深12”.

的 case retains the squared-off design of the early harpsichord, having a three-parts hinged lid with the usual three brass lid latches on the cheek and bent side. 的 whole is raised on four turned ballaster legs in mahogany with casters.

Two wood foot pedals are mounted on a wood suspended lyre, controlling damper sustain 还有una-duo chorda shift. 的 case work is in fine restored condition. 序列号:9644和 the date "1823" are stamped into the wrest plank.

A plaque above the keyboard, inlaid into the name board, has the following inscription: "John Broadwood and Sons, Makers to His Majesty and the Princesses, Great Pulteney 伦敦黄金广场街."

的 keyboard is compass CC - f”” with ivory covered naturals and ebony accidentals activating the normal Broadwood-patented, single escapement English Action, with over-dampers. 的 spruce soundboard carries a divided bass and treble bridge carrying brass bass strings and soft iron treble strings, trichord.

This fine instrument is in fully restored playing and tuned condition having been through a conservatively conducted restoration in the Netherlands. 这是专业的 used in both public concerts and in recording studios.

Recordings on the Broadwood Fortepiano

• Peter Wispelwey, cellist, and Paul Komen, fortepianist, of the five Beethoven cello sonatas (out of print but available online through vendors such as Amazon)
• Bart van Oort, fortepianist, of the John Field Nocturnes
• David Owen Norris, fortepianist, performing the Mendelssohn Piano Concerto at Symphony 大厅,波士顿
•  Gwendolyn Mok (pianoforte); Diane Nicholeris (violin); and David Goldblatt (cello) 演奏各种贝多芬三重奏 in our very own 贝多芬中心.

Beethoven and the Broadwood Fortepiano

Beethoven owned a Broadwood 古钢琴 built in 1817, a gift from Thomas Broadwood who had met Beethoven in Vienna in the summer of that year. Broadwood asked five fortepianists living in London to help him select the appropriate instrument and had the names of these men engraved on a plaque. 的 keyboard of Beethoven's Broadwood spanned six octaves (CC to c''''), slightly narrower than the 贝多芬中心's 1823 instrument.

的 Journey of Beethoven's Broadwood Fortepiano

In December 1817, Broadwood shipped the instrument from London. 它到达维也纳 seven months later slightly damaged after an arduous journey over sea to Trieste, 然后乘马车去维也纳.

Beethoven enlisted his friend, the Viennese piano builder Nanette Streicher, to make 必要的修复. Beethoven kept the instrument at his home in the Schwarzspanierhaus until his death in 1827, and it was then sold to C. Anton Spina, a music publisher.

In 1845, Spina gave the instrument to Franz Liszt who kept it in his home in Weimar until he donated it to the Hungarian National Museum in 1874. 1991年，贝多芬的 Broadwood was restored to playable condition and was featured in a tour with the fortepianist 梅尔文谭.