Square Piano

German

Not on view

The layout of the strings of this piano resembles the instruments by Johann Matthaus Schmahl, specifically his liegende harfe, or harp pianos. The fifty-four note keyboard (C-f3)has dark-stained wood naturals and bone slips covering the accidentals. The mechanism is a simple German Stoßmechanik action. The hammers are bare wood and there are no dampers. This type of instrument was probably made to imitate the hammered dulcimers that were popular at the time, especially the type known as pantalons, made famous by the virtuoso player Hebenstreit Pantaleone.

Square Piano, Wood, bone, iron, German

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