Square Piano (Harp Piano) attr. Schmahl, J

The shape of the case of this piano is made to resemble a harp lying on its side. Mozart supposedly carried a piano like this for practicing on his travels. Schmahl referred to this type of instrument as a liegende harfe, or harp piano. This type of instrument was probably made to imitate the hammered dulcimers that were popular at the time, especially the type known as pantalons, made famous by the virtuoso player Hebenstreit Pantaleone. There are two knobs over the keyboard, one controls a mute and the other interposes leather tabs between the hammers and strings. By using these two stops together, the instrument has a more familiar piano sounding tone. Each of the surviving instruments of this form is of a different design, indicating that Schmahl was building them one at a time and not in batches. These utilitarian instruments typify provincial workmanship in southern Germany, outside the mainstream of development.  Credit Met Museum