The M. Steinert Collection of Keyed Instruments.
The Musical Courier,
Vol 24 #19 May 11, 1892, page 24.
The following comprise the M. Steinert collection of keyed instruments, part of them now on exhibition at the National Museum, the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, U.S.A.:
1. One clavichord, four and a half octaves, from C to F, fretted. Three notes are produced on each set of strings a system of clavichord building between 1520 to 1725. At the latter date David Faber, of Crailsheim, gave each semitone its own string.
2. One clavichord, four and a half octaves, from C to F, fretted; two notes are produced on each set of strings.
3. One clavichord, four and a half octaves, from C to F, fretted; two notes on each set of strings.
4. One clavichord, four and a half octaves, from C to F, fretted; two notes on each set of strings.
5. One clavichord, four and a half octaves, from C to F, fretted; two notes on each set of strings.
6. One clavichord, four and a half octaves, from C to F, fretted; two notes one each set of strings.
7. One clavichord, four and a half octaves, from C to F, unfretted; every note [has] its own strings (free).
8. One clavichord, four and a half octaves, from C to F, unfretted; every note its [own] string.
9. One clavichord, five and a quarter octaves, from F to A, unfretted; every note has its own string, large size, made by Michael Voit & Sohn, Schweinfurth, 1811.
10. One spinet, five octaves, from G to G; made by Johannes Hitchcock, London, who made spinets during the early part of the seventeenth century and was the favorite maker of such instruments for Charles I. and II. of England. There is a John Hitchcock spinet, dated 1630, in the possession of Mr. William Dale, of London, which is said to have belonged to the Princess Amelia. There is also a harpsichord of five octaves by John Hitchcock in the possession of Mr. W. T. Legh, of Lyme, Cheshire, England; it is numbered inside 3. The Dale John Hitchcock spinet dated 1630 is numbered inside 21.
11. One spinet, five octaves, from G to G; made by William Pether, London, about 1725 to 1750, having the following inscription on the nameboard: "Sofficitae jucunda oblivio vitae,: the upper keys inland with ivory and ebony.
12. One harpsichord, five octaves, from F to F, omitting the F sharp in the lowest octave; made by Jacobus Kirkman, London, about 1750. It has three registers or stops. The tangents are made of hard leather and serve to pluck the strings. Leather was used as late as 1614 by the celebrated Andraes Rucker, of Antwerp, until superseded by quills. Jacob Kirchmann (afterward Kirkman), a German, went to England early in the last century and worked for Tabel, a Flemish harpsichord maker, who had brought to London the tradition of the Ruckers of Antwerp. Mr. Burney places the arrival of Jacob Kirkman in England in 1740, but that is manifestly too late. He died about 1778 and left nearly $1,000,000.
13. One harpsichord, five octaves, from F to F, omitting the F sharp in the lowest octave; made by Jacobus Kirchman, London, 1755. It has three registers or stops. The tangents that pluck the strings are made of leather. There is a rosette in the soundboard representing King David playing upon the harp between the letters J and K. The Kirchman harpsichords were considered as being the finest instruments in Europe. It is claimed by the former owner of this harpsichord that it was once owned by Napoleon Bonaparte.
14. One harpsichord, five octaves, F to F; made by Jacobus and Abraham Kirchman, London, 1776. It has three stops, the two at the right moved by the hand, the one at the left either by the hand or a knee lever. One of these stops produces the octave.
15. One concert grand piano, five octaves, from F to F. This is a facsimile of the Mozart grand in the Mozarteum Salzburg, made by Anton Walter. It has no maker's name in front. Has black naturals and white chromatics. Has two strings to each note except the 12 upper notes at the end of the keyboard, which has three strings each. It has a double action like the one invented by Stein, of Augsburg, and know as the "Viennese." It has two stops, forte and piano, both actuated by knee levers. Probably made the latter part of the 18th century. The hammers, unlike others, are round and hollow in the shape of a ring.
16. One concert grand piano, six and a half octaves, C to F; made by Mrs. Nanette Streicher, nee Stein, Vienna, 1816. Maria Ann, known as Nanette Stein, was the daughter of Johann Andreas Stein, called the father of German piano making. She was initiated in her early youth into the details of piano making in her father's workshop, which trade she carried on with a decision and energy almost masculine. In 1793 she married Johann Andreas Streicher, a friend and companion of Friedrich Schiller, and moved to Vienna. Nanette Streicher's name is closely connected with that of Beethoven, as she assisted him greatly in his domestic arrangements, and even looked after his bodily health. In one of Beethoven's many letters of Mrs. Streicher, he writes:
"Perhaps, you do not know, though I have not always had one of your pianos, that since 1809 I have always preferred yours."
This grand has the Stein action. It has five pedals' the first, beginning at the left, shifts the keyboard so that the hammers strike but two strings where there are three. The second pedal shifts the keyboard so that but one string of each set is struck, the invention of Stein and called by him "Spinettchen." This gained the day over the muted stops. The effect of the "una corda," much to be found in Beethoven's piano works, is charming. The third pedal, "the Fagotzug," called bassoon, presses a roll of paper on the strings from C first octave to E of the fourth. The fifth pedal is the forte and raises all the dampers from contact with the strings.
17. One upright piano, four and a half octaves, from C to F. The case has the shape of an old-fashioned secretary. It has two strings to each note. Its action is double, the hammer striking the front side of the strings. It has two pedals, which are operated by knee levers. No maker's name. probably made the latter part of the 18th century.
18. One square piano, four and a half octaves, C to F. The case rests upon a stand similar to those of the clavichord. Its action is single. There are two stops - the piano of the "celeste" and the forte. Both are divided into two section, the bass and the treble, each moved independently of the other by four knobs on the front side. The soundboard is across the ends and does not extend over the action. There are two strings to each note, except the nine lowest C to G sharp, which have but one each; made by Johann Cristoff Jekel, Worms, February 18, 1783. The chief interest in this instrument lies in the forte stop, which raises the dampers in two sections by two knobs. It consists simply of a strip of cloth fastened to a frame, which touches the strings lightly so as to prevent them from sounding when in their neutral state. Having no separate dampers for each set of strings, as the present piano possesses, the construction of this instrument signifies its very primitive construction. Grove (III, 683) speaks of a French instrument similar to this, which he supposes was made in the reign of Louis Quinze. The action is very interesting. Grove calls it "the rudimentary German action, improved by Stein about 1777."
19. One square piano, four and a half octaves, C to F, of the Charles E. Friederici pattern. The keyboard projects from one side of the case. Sixteen of the lowest notes from C of first octave to D sharp of the second octave have but one string each. Above this, two strings to each note. The action is single. It has but one stop, the forte moved by the hand by means of a brass knob. The soundboard extends over the action under the strings. No maker's name, but probably made in Germany about 1760.
20. One square piano, five octaves, G to F; made by Broadwood & Co., London, 1771-1783. It has two strings to each note. The action is single, known as the "Zumpe." It has two stops, the piano and forte. The forte is divided into two sections. They are operated by three levers inside the case at its left end, moved by the hand. The soundboard only extends across the right hand, not over the action.
21. One square piano, five octaves, F to F. The legs of this instrument are fastened to the case. It has double action; originally it had three stops; made by Culliford, Rolfe & Barrow, Cheapside, London. This maker made a harpsichord now in Torquay, England, in 1775.
22. One square piano, five octaves, made by Longman & Broderip, 26 Cheapside and 13 Haymarket, London. It has three stops operated by knobs, is tuned to the right hand of the case and bears the number 2135 near the brass knobs and No. 1019 back of the nameboard; has double action and a double sounding board bearing the advertisement of the firm. The instrument rests upon a frame similar to a clavichord. Longman & Broderip were the predecessors of the firm of Clementi & Co., afterward of Clementi & Collard. They must have manufactured pianos as early as 1770.
23. One square piano, five and a half octaves, made by James Longman, 26 Cheapside, London. The instrument bears the number 1127 on the sounding board, constructed like the one by Longman & Broderip about 1800.
24. One square piano, five and a half octaves, no. 12372; Made by John Broadwood & sons, Great Pulteney Street, Golden Square, London. Tuning pins at the back; has six legs, one pedal, an elegant case inlaid with ebony and brass.
25. One square piano, six octaves, No. 11250; made by Clementi & Co., Cheapside, London; tunes at the back and has six legs.
26. One square piano, five octaves, made by George Astor, 79 Cornhill, London; bears the number 1750; has one knob that raises the dampers. Probably made about 1770.
27. One square piano, six octaves; made by John Broadwood & Sons, London, No. 41037.
28. One square piano, five and a half octaves; made by Thomas Tomkinson Deans, Soho, maker to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. The single action similar to the "Zumpe;" has one foot pedal and six legs.
29. One square piano, six octaves; made by Clementi & Co., London, highly inlaid with brass.
30. One upright piano, five and a half octaves; made by Clementi & Co., London; two pedals.
31. One concert grand piano, six octaves; made by Clementi & Co., London; two pedals, four legs.
32. One square piano, five and a half octaves, no name, highly decorated with paintings all over the case.
33. One German hammerclavier, made in Nürnberg, five octaves. It has small wooden hammers, which are not covered with leather, as is customary on other pianos. It has the early single action, two stops (knobs), is tuned at the right and rests upon a frame.
34. One square piano, one side bent like a grand, probably of German make, with the tuning pins over the keyboard, six octaves has the Viennese action, two strings to each note, last octave in the treble has three strings. Three pedals. Has white naturals and black sharps.
35. One vertical grand piano, made by André Stein d' Augsbourg, Vienna, 1779; six octaves with four pedals.
36. One square piano, five and a half octaves, from F to C; made by Johann Schantz, Wien; two knee pedals. Schantz was the favorite piano maker of Joseph Haydn. It has the Stein action, called the Viennese-action.
37. One square piano, five and a half octaves, No. 5213. tuning pins to the right, one pedal, four legs; made by John Geib, New York, about 1808.
38. One square piano, five and a half octaves; made by John Geib, Jr. New York, rests upon a frame with claw feet, three pedals, about 1815.
39. One square piano, five and a half octaves; made by A. & W. Geib, New York, four legs and drawers beautifully inlaid, 1820.
40. One square piano, six octaves; made by Geib & Walter, New York; tuning pins to the right.
41. One square piano, five and a half octaves; made by John Kearsing & Sons, New York, rests upon a frame with claw feet, about 1815. Very fine case.
42. One square piano, five and a half octaves, no name of the maker, but bears the following inscription in pencil mark; "William Moore, belly maker, Philadelphia, November 30, 1826."
43. One square piano, six octaves, made by John Tallman, has six legs and a small iron plate for hitchpins.
44. One square piano, made by A. Babcock, Boston, about 1820.
45. One square piano, six octaves, made by A. Babcock for R. Mackey, Boston, dated April 24, 1833.
46. One square piano, five and a half octaves; made by Th. Kearsing, Bowery, New York, about 1820.
47. One square piano, five and a half octaves; made by John Osborn, 12 Orange street, Boston, six legs, about 1815.
48. One square piano, five and a half octaves; made by A. Babcock for Mackey. Boston, about 1825.
49. One upright piano, six octaves, no name.
50. One square piano, six octaves; made by F. R. Burkhart, Philadelphia, probably 1825.
51. One square piano, six and a half octaves; made by Joseph Hiskey, Baltimore, Md., 1820 to 1845, four pedals. Bassoon, forte, celeste, janizary music and drum and triangle.
52. One square piano, six and a half octaves; made by Reuse, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1825; four pedals, the same as the one made by Hiskey in Baltimore.
53. One upright violin piano, seven octaves; made by Baudet, Paris; contains bows made of bristles that rub the strings; it imitates a stringed orchestra.
The following keyed instruments, being part of the M. Steinert collection, will be represented at the International Musical and Dramatic Exhibition in Vienna, 1892:
Five clavichords.
One spinet.
Two harpsichords.
Two concert grands of the Mozart and Beethoven periods.
One ancient upright, four and one-half octaves.
One vertical concert grand, 1779 (André Stein).
Eleven hammerclaviers.
One violin or bowed upright piano.
Total, 24 instruments.