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Erard, Paris, 1837

Serial no.13871. The keyboard compass is 6 3/4 octaves: CC-a4 (originally CC-f4) The case is of rosewood with inlaid brass lining. Pedals una corda and damping. 
 

Erard, Paris 1837

The illustrious company of Erard was founded in 1780 by Sebastien Erard (born Sebastien Erhard at Strasbourg). He fled to London to escape the French Revolution, having had to many commissions from French nobility. He left his Paris business to his brother, Jean Baptiste. This formed the basis of English French exchange of insights in the piano building trade, resulting in an instrument that paved the way to the modern piano; the repetition action was invented and developed by Erard.
This particular instrument was sold in June 1837 to Monsieur Monnier in Lyon for 3200 francs.

The miniature is of an unknown gentleman by John Turmeau 1837.

015 24 web

restoration, 1997

The instrument was found in Paris, the case of the instrument looked wonderful. It had clearly been well looked after. Apparently the instrument had gone back to the Erard factory in the 1880’s, where it got new hammers and dampers. Our restoration was mainly of the soundboard, which was taken out, taken apart and built back using all the original material.

Recordings, a selection

Erard 1837
Riko Fukuda
Mendelssohn, Fantasia “Sonate Écossaise”, 7 Characterstücke, Variations Sérieuses a.o.pieces
Aliud, ACD HJ 032-2

Alexander Melnikov, Freiburger Barockorchester/Pablo Heras-Casado

Schumann Piano Concerto op. 54
Harmonia Mundi HMC 902198

Mark Padmore & Kristian Bezuidenhout
Schumann, Lachner, Dichterliebe, Liederkreis op.24
Harmonia Mundi, HMU 907521

Yury Martynov
Beethoven-Liszt, Symphonies no. 6 & 2
Zig-Zag Territoires, ZZT301

Yuri Martynov
Beethoven-Liszt, Symphonies no. 7 & 1
Zig-Zag Territoires, ZZT317

Andreas Staier Schumann

Andreas Staier
Robert Schumann, ‘Hommage à Bach’  Clavierstücke, Waldszenen, Kinderszenen  a.o. pieces
Harmonia Mundi, HMC901989

Andreas Staier
Schumann, Variationen & Fantasiestücke.
Harmonia Mundi, HMC 902171

Andreas Staier & Daniel Sepec
Schumann, Sonatas for violin & piano, Ciaconna, Second Grand Sonata   a.o. pieces
Harmonia Mundi, HMC 902048

Andreas Staier
Robert Schumann, Variationen & Fantasiestücke
Harmonia Mundi, HMC 902171

 

 

Hamlet piano trio

Hamlet Piano Trio, Paolo Giacometti, Candida Thompson, Xenia Jankovic
Mendelssohn Trios No. 1, opus 49, no. 2 opus 66
Channel Classics CCS SA 36415

Bertrand Chamayou
Le Cercle de l’HarmonieFranz Liszt, concerto nr. 1 a.o.
Naïve Ambroise, AM 207 

Bezuidenhout-Heras-Casado
Piano Concerto n0. 2
Harmonia Mundi HMM 902369