Fortepiano

This fortepiano is after an original by Walter & Sohn, c.1805. It is expertly crafted by world-renowned maker Paul McNulty. His instruments are famous for their performance quality and are housed in the most prestigious concert halls, opera houses and educational institutions. This fortepiano has a five and half octave range from FF to c4. It has a moderator and sustaining knee levers. This instrument is highly attractive and is made from walnut. Dimensions: 221cm x 108cm x 32cm (approx.) Weight: 97kg (approx.) Padded transportation cover, leg bag and flight case complete with heavy duty wheels included. About Walter & Sohn Anton Walter (1752-1826), who had the title Chamber Organ Builder and Instrument Maker in Vienna , was considered to be the most famous fortepiano maker of his time. His improvements in the Viennese pianoforte action remained the standard for many years. He built about 700 instruments which were praised for their quality by many famous musicians including Mozart, who bought a Walter in 1782, and Beethoven, who nearly succeeded in buying one in 1802. According to Mozart’s son Carl: Most remarkable is the wing-shaped Pianoforte for which my father had a special preference to such a degree that he not only wanted to have it in his study all the time, but exclusively used this and no other instrument in all his concerts, regardless of whether they took place in court, in the palaces of noblemen or in theatres or other public places. Walter was born near Stuttgart in 1752 and became active in Vienna in the early 1770’s. In 1800 his stepson joined the company and the firm name was changed to Anton Walter & Sohn . Apart from extending the keyboard range, all basic proportions and tonal concepts were retained until his death 1826.

This fortepiano is after an original by C. Graf , op. 318, 1819 from Castle Kozel near Pilsen, Czech Republic. In this period, Graf's pianos still retained the thin soundboard and light hammers of the Viennese classical era, with somewhat thicker strings. The fuller tone is nonetheless clear and projecting, which, coupled with the various expression tops, provides a convincing Schubertian palette. This fortepiano has a six and a half octave range from CC to f4. It has a moderator, double moderator, sustaining and una corda pedals. This instrument is highly attractive and is made from walnut. Other options include mutation stops (bassoon, Turkish music) and a mahogany case with carved and gilt leg capitals and lyre. It is expertly crafted by world-renowned maker Paul McNulty. His instruments are famous for their performance quality and are housed in the most prestigious concert halls, opera houses and educational institutions. Dimensions: 240cm x 122cm x35cm (approx.) Weight: 151kg (approx.) Optional Extras Padded Transportation Cover with Leg Bag Flight Case - complete with heavy duty wheels About C. Graf Conrad Graf (1782-1851), who held the title of Imperial Royal Court Fortepiano Maker (k k. Hofpiano und Claviermacher) from 1824, was born in Riedlingen (Wurttemberg) and came to Vienna in 1799 as a joiner. He became a piano builder and opened his own workshop in 1807. By 1820 his instruments were considered "the greatest and most renowned in Vienna and throughout the empire" . Graf not only supplied instruments to all the apartments of the imperial court but also provided a pianoforte for Ludwig van Beethoven in 1825. Chopin, Robert and Clara Schumann, Liszt and Mendelssohn all held Graf pianos in the highest esteem.

This fortepiano is after an original by J. A. Stein, c.1788. It is expertly crafted by world-renowned maker Paul McNulty. His instruments are famous for their performance quality and are housed in the most prestigious concert halls, opera houses and educational institutions. This fortepiano has a five octave range from FF to f3. It has a sustaining knee lever and optional moderator stop. This instrument is highly attractive and is made from cherry. Dimensions: 214cm x 98cm x25cm (approx.) Weight: 72kg (approx.) Optional Extras Padded Transportation Cover with Leg Bag Flight Case - complete with heavy duty wheels About J. A. Stein One of the most important fortepiano makers of Mozart‘s time was Johann Andreas Stein (1728–1792), who was born in Heidelsheim into the family of an organ builder. He apprenticed near Stuttgart under J. A. Silbermann and established his own workshop in Augsburg in 1751, building around 700 instruments in 41 years. By 1770 he was well known as an organist as well as an organ and fortepiano builder. When Mozart paused in Augsburg in 1777, he befriended Stein and used Stein‘s fortepianos in a public performance of the triple concerto given on October 22, the three soloists being Mozart, cathedral organist Demmler and Stein. Mozart was most impressed with Stein‘s instruments’ quality and wrote to his father: ...But now I much prefer Stein‘s instruments, for they damp ever so much better than Spath‘s instruments. When I strike hard, I can keep my finger on the note or raise it, but the sound ceases the moment I have produced it. In whatever way I touch the keys the tone is always even. It never jars, it is never stronger or weaker or entirely absent: in a word, it is always even. ...they have this special advantage over others that they are made with escape action. Only one maker in a hundred bothers with this. But without an escapement it is impossible to avoid jangling and vibration after the note is struck. When you touch the keys the hammers fall back again the moment after they have struck the strings... After Stein‘s death, his son Matthäus Andreas and his daughter Nanette Streicher moved to Vienna where they continued building pianos using their father’s designs. Following developing trends, Streicher‘s instru­ments dominated the piano trade in Vienna until the 1870s.