Grand piano
English, ca. 1842
John Broadwood & Sons
The firm of John Broadwood began producing grand pianos, in addition to their celebrated square pianos, in the late eighteenth century. The composer Joseph Haydn was impressed with Broadwood’s improved model of 1788, which boasted increased dynamic range and flexibility. In the Romantic era, compositions for piano emphasized a wide tonal range, and during the same period the piano became a dominant item of household furnishing for the growing middle class. This luxurious example is veneered with amboyna burl and ornamented with lavish gilt moldings. The frame of the piano is made from cast iron, a product of the industrial revolution, Two pedals allow the player to achieve particular coloristic effects; the left shifts the keyboard to the right (“una corda”); the right raises the dampers, creating greater resonance.
It is quite possible that when Felix Mendelssohn visited Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1847, he would have played on such an instrument. An enameled plaque in the center of the nameboard is inscribed:
Patent
Repetition Grand Pianoforte
John Broadwood & Sons
Manufacturers to Her Majesty
23 Great Pultney Street Golden Square
London
LENT BY THE YALE UNIVERSITY COLLECTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
GIFT OF ROSARIO KENNEDY
4959.1998