Pedal Piano by Erard

The Érard pedal piano owned by Charles-Valentin Alkan is one of the most remarkable surviving keyboard instruments of the nineteenth century. Built by the Érard firm in 1853, it is now preserved at the Musée de la Musique. The instrument was designed to bridge the worlds of the piano and organ, allowing pianists and organists to perform complex pedal parts without needing access to an organ. It became closely associated with Alkan, who composed some of the most demanding and imaginative works ever written for the pedal piano, including his Études pour le piano-pédalier and Onze Grands Préludes.

Unlike an ordinary grand piano, Alkan's Érard incorporates a full pedalboard beneath the keyboard. The pedals are not simply sustain or soft pedals; instead, they form a second keyboard played with the feet, operating a separate bass mechanism. The 1853 Érard model has a three-and-a-half-octave pedalboard, extending the instrument's range and making it possible to perform organ repertoire and highly independent bass lines. It also features Érard's famous double-escapement action, giving the manual keyboard the rapid repetition for which the firm was renowned

Photo Credit: Louislegrand14 Wikicommons