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Square piano john broadwood
london 1792
Action: English action
Range:
5 octaves; 61 keys; F₁ – f³
Stringing:
Brass iron-wound: F₁ – F
Brass: F# – c#
Iron: d – f³
Signature:
”Johannes Broadwood Londini Fecit 1792 Patent // Great Pulteney Street Golden Square”
The Broadwood firm, which still exists today, is one of the pioneers of piano manufacturing in England and far beyond. Broadwood was perhaps the first to restructure the manufacturing procedures in specialized internal workshops, from the processing of soundboard and case to keyboard and action, and so on, separated into grand and upright piano construction. Great Pulteney Street in Soho was one of the centres of London’s musical life, as the main competitor, Kirkman, had its address directly across the street. From there, their instruments were shipped to all territories of the British Empire, and beyond.
This square piano represents one of the first significant flourishing phases of English piano making. During this period of the 1790s, when Mozart (who died shortly before his planned trip) and Haydn were performing in London, a Broadwood piano was literally the musical primary choice for domestic enjoyment.