Customers who swapped their harpsichords for early pianos may have gained a more fashionable sounding instrument, but it might not have looked much different in their home. This piano was made by John Broadwood & Sons in the same year the company produced its last harpsichord. Broadwood initially used similar materials and skills to make both kinds of keyboards, so their early pianos looked very like harpsichords.Made in the same year as his last surviving harpsichord this piano shows how the instrument had developed in directions away from the harpsichord while still looking superficially very similar. The casework is veneered in much the same way as in harpsichords, and the frame is entirely of wood, but the strings have a divided bridge in order to keep the stress on the lower iron strings so that the sound would not be too obvious where the material changed. The sound is warm and has something of a “halo”, rather than a clean, distinct attack and silence. The two pedals operate just as pianos of today, one lifting the dampers, and the other sliding the keyboard to the side so that only one string is hit by the hammer.
John Broadwood was born in 1732 in Oldhamstocks near Cockburnspath in Scotland. He learned carpentry from his father and using letters of introduction went to London in 1761 to gain employment as an apprentice with Burkat Shudi. It is clear he quickly gained favour with Shudi and in 1769 married Shudi’s daughter and became a business partner of Shudi. Broadwood was involved in harpsichord selling, leasing and maintenance but also in selling other instruments and increasingly in piano building. At Shudi’s death in 1773 Broadwood continued the business with Shudi’s son. Later, Broadwood’s sons James and Thomas entered the business and the name of the company became John Broadwood and Sons.
Technical description: English grand pianoforte. Compass 68 notes F₁ - C₇ [FF - c'''']. Trichord stringing. Bridge and nut divided. Two pedals, una corda and damper lift.
Signature/Marks: Inscribed on nameboard "Johannes Broadwood Londini fecit 1793 Great Pulteney Street Golden Square".