List of Keyboards
Clavichord by Pisaurensis, D
1 manual, C/E–c3, 8'8'.
Hexagonal case with projecting keyboard, 1227 (1248) mm wide, 265 (286) mm deep, with keyboard 370 (391) mm deep, 152 mm high. Bottom panel made of spruce, 7.5 mm thick, between the sides. Sides made of cypress, 6 to 7 mm thick, mitred and glued. Soundbar made of spruce, sloping, without a window, extending only as far as the keyboard soundboard glued onto it here. To the left of the keyboard, beneath the main soundboard, a second soundbar, straight; between this soundbar and the keyboard soundboard, a 9 mm high slit. Soundpost made of walnut, 52 mm wide at the side wall, 38 mm wide at the treble end, approximately 24 mm thick, angled, not covered by the soundboard. The attachment strip beneath the soundboard – timber species and exact dimensions as yet unknown – is also angled to match the shape of the body. Pegs arranged in 4 rows on the side wall and in 2 rows on the back wall. No string numbers. Main soundboard made of cypress, half of which is of standard construction running parallel to the edges of the sides, then curved downwards over a high rib towards the soundpost, which lies 22 mm lower; 2.8 to 3 mm thick at the bridge, without a rosette; surface area 875 cm². Below the bend, one rib, 5 mm wide, 17 mm high; a further rib starting at the rear corner of the body, 6 mm wide, 13 mm high; both lying at right angles between the keyboard side and the back panel and extending to the sides.
Credit: Uni of Leipzig
Square Piano by Pfrang, F
The piano features double-stringing and a distinctive pusher-jack action—lacking an escapement mechanism—with individual dampers. Three draw-stops are distributed on either side of the keyboard: one each for *forte* and *piano*; the third—possibly originally a lute stop—is currently non-functional.
Credit: Uni Leipzig
Square Piano by Pfeiffer
While the formal Flügel- und Klavierfabrik JA Pfeiffer was founded later by Josef Anton Pfeiffer in 1862, piano-making by members of the Pfeiffer family began in Upper Swabia and Stuttgart much earlier. Craftsmen in the family built handmade instruments, meaning an 1827 square piano from this line is an early, highly specialized piece of German keyboard history
Photo Credit: Finoskov Wikicommons
Square Piano by Pfeiffer
This elegant piano-table was built by Jean Pfeiffer (1769–1838), one of the leading piano and harp makers working in Paris during the early nineteenth century. The instrument is a superb example of the Empire style, with a case veneered in richly figured mahogany and adorned with gilded bronze mounts. It stands on four legs fashioned as Doric columns, while the keyboard is strikingly decorated with ebony and mother-of-pearl veneers. The nameboard, executed in églomisé glass, bears the inscription: Pfeiffer / Brevetés et Encouragés du Gouvernement / Rue du Mail N°29, à Paris 1818
Beyond its luxurious appearance, the instrument is notable for its unusual mechanical features. Whereas most pianos of the period were equipped with only two or three pedals, this example has five: bassoon, lute, forte, céleste, and turquerie. The first four alter the tone colour of the instrument, creating a variety of distinctive sound effects.
The fifth pedal, however, is particularly remarkable. Known as the turquerie pedal, it activates a tambourine mounted beneath the instrument, adding a percussive accompaniment to the music
Square Piano by Pether, G
Key range: C–f3 (four octaves and a fourth). The lower keys are fitted with ivory, whilst the upper keys are made of ebony. The instrument is veneered in mahogany and adorned both inside and out with inlays of various types of wood. It rests on a similarly decorated frame with four turned legs joined in a cross. It has double-stringed action and a distinctive, Pether-patented over-strike mechanism: the hammers, which rest with their heads facing forwards in the split key levers, are snapped against the strings by a felted strip mounted above the hammers when the keys are pressed down. As soon as the finger leaves the key, a small piece of lead attached to the end of the hammer shank returns the hammer to its original position. A wooden rod, leather-covered at the lower end and attached to the side of the key lever, serves as a damper. There are no levers or pedals.
Credit: Uni of Leipzig
