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Square pianos like the
one shown here first appeared in London in 1766, and were an immediate
success.
Their distinctive sound and almost indestructible mechanism made them very popular with harpsichord players, and their novelty created a new fashion almost overnight. Famous composers who had such instruments include J.C.Bach and J.C.F.Bach, Gluck, Paisiello, Cimarosa, and Clementi, not to mention Charles Burney, who bought several. But their most influential fans were women such as Queen Charlotte of England and Marie Antoinette of France. Both played well and, like many of their contemporaries, they were charmed by the tone of these pianos, not simply in solo pieces but in ensemble, and in accompaniments for songs. Russian Empress Catherine the Great owned several English square pianos, of which her favourite was reportedly one by Zumpe & Buntebart fitted with organ stops in a cabinet beneath, so that both instruments were heard at the same time. The most prestigious makers in the pre-1780 period were Johann Zumpe and Gabriel Buntebart, Adam Beyer, John Pohlman and Frederick Beck. Shown left: an example by Beck, inscribed, Fredericus Beck Londini fecit 1775, restored by Michael Cole. | |
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Several varieties of tone can be found by use of three hand-operated stops in the compartment at the left of the keyboard. The first stop lifts the treble dampers (from middle C upwards); the second stop lifts the bass dampers; and the third presses buff leather against the end of each string so as to imitate the sound of a gut-strung harp. These were by far the most popular pianos throughout Europe during the eighteenth century. Hundreds of examples survive in France, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Germany and Switzerland. They were equally popular in Sweden and St Petersburg – and in North America. Some were fitted with pedals (the earliest known is dated 1774) either to work the stops already mentioned, or as additions that opened part of the lid (the so-called 'swell' making greater contrasts of piano and forte), Another, much rarer, pedal moved the keyboard to sound a delicate una corda, sounding one string of each unison pair.
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Although many makers continued with this basic
design up to 1810 (sometimes later in America), significant improvements were
introduced by a number of important makers during the 1780s and
1790s. Principally these focused on the touch (making the pianos more
expressive by including an escapement mechanism), and
concurrently, an
upward extension of the compass from five to five-and-a-half octaves. Leading
makers in London at this time were Longman & Broderip, Frederick Schoene, and
John Broadwood, and in Paris, Sebastien Erard. All were
subsequently eclipsed by the pianos of Muzio Clementi who gave up his concert career to
rescue the Longman & Broderip firm after its collapse in 1796
– relaunched under
the name of Longman, Clementi & Co. Later he took a bigger,
controlling stake,
when the firm was renamed 'Muzio Clementi & Co' in 1801.
Shown here is a typical square piano of 1815, this one by William Stodart, London, of five-and-a-half octaves, with damper pedal. Notice that the pedal is under the left foot, not the right. This was customary at that period with all makers, even though grand pianos had the sustaining pedal under the right foot. After 1800 most English square pianos have only one pedal (for the sustaining tone), but German pianos, and many American ones, often had a second pedal for the soft-sounding 'moderator' effect. French square pianos were often supplied with a row of four pedals: dampers, harp, moderator and swell.
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After1820 square pianos were constantly redesigned for a more powerful
tone. The keyboard was extended upwards again, to six octaves, and
afterwards
in both directions to reach seven octaves. To
achieve this stronger tone string gauges were progressively increased,
until the strain was almost four times greater than on eighteenth-century
pianos. The hammers were made larger, and heavier, and in consequence the touch
lost its former lightness and facility. In an effort to prevent structural collapse these
later pianos were fitted with
an iron hitch plate (from around 1828) and afterwards on American pianos full iron framing (from around
1845).
Shown here is the ultimate square piano, for sophistication and quality of workmanship. It was made by Mathuschek & Co of New York, about 1875. It has a full cast iron frame, with over-stringing on three levels. The tone is very strong, almost equal to late nineteenth-century grand pianos. The elaborately carved casework, in a pseudo-baroque style, now has a polished ebonised finish, perhaps applied by an over-enthusiastic piano shop; many by this maker have rosewood veneered exteriors. In England and France the last square pianos were made about 1870. By then the modern style of compact uprights, called 'cottage pianos' or 'piccolo pianos' had become more popular for small rooms. The last American squares were made c.1904. After this square pianos, particularly the earlier examples, were looked on nostalgically as something quaint and old-fashioned, and many artists of genre scenes chose a square piano played by a young lady in Regency dress to evoke a bygone era. New book by Michael Cole Broadwood Square Pianos (click for more information)
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