John Broadwood (1732–1812), a Scottish joiner and cabinetmaker, came to London in 1761 and began to work for the Swiss harpsichord manufacturer Burkat Shudi.[2] He married Shudi's daughter eight years later and became a partner in the firm in 1770. As the popularity of the harpsichord declined, the firm concentrated increasingly on the manufacture of pianos, abandoning the harpsichord altogether in 1793.[3]
Broadwood's son, James Shudi Broadwood, had worked for the firm since 1785, and, in 1795, the firm began to trade as John Broadwood & Son.[2] When Broadwood's third son, Thomas Broadwood, became a partner in 1808, the firm assumed the name of John Broadwood & Sons Ltd, which it retains to this day.[2] The firm's busiest time period was during the 1850s, when approximately 2,500 instruments were produced annually.[4]
Innovations
1784 square fortepiano
Broadwood produced his first square piano in 1771, after the model of Johannes Zumpe, and worked assiduously to develop and refine the instrument, moving the wrest plank of the earlier pianoforte, which had sat to the side of the case as in the clavichord, to the back of the case in 1781,[5] straightening the keys, and replacing the hand stops with pedals.[2] In 1785 Thomas Jefferson, later to be third President of the United States, visited Broadwood in Great Pulteney Street, Soho, to discuss musical instruments. In 1789, at Jan Ladislav Dussek's suggestion, he extended the range of his grand piano beyond five octaves to CC in the treble, and again to six full octaves in 1794.[6] The improved instruments became popular with musicians such as Joseph Haydn, who used them on his first visit to London in 1791.[6]
Ludwig van Beethoven received a six octave Broadwood in 1818, a gift from Thomas Broadwood,[7] which he kept for the rest of his life. Although his impaired hearing may well have prevented him appreciating its tone,[8] he seems to have preferred it to his Erard which had a similar range. Above the company label on the front edge of the pin block the following text can be read: ″Hoc Instrumentum est Thomae Broadwood (Londrini) donum propter ingenium illustrissime Beethoven.″ [This instrument is a gift from Thomas Broadwood of London in recognition of the most illustrious genius of Beethoven.]
Frédéric Chopin played Broadwood instruments in Britain, including at the last concert of his life given at Guildhall, London, in 1848. Although he liked Broadwoods, he appears to have preferred the French make Pleyel.[9]
1980s and 1990s
After a long period of decline ending in near bankruptcy, the business was rescued in the mid 1980s by a consortium headed up by Geoffrey Simon,[10] a keen amateur pianist and successful businessman from Birmingham. Mr Simon took on the mantle of CEO and under his stewardship John Broadwood & Sons entered a period during which a number of innovations were developed. These included the limited edition 'Linley piano'[11] an upright piano designed by Viscount Linley and his partner Matthew Rice, plus the design and patenting of the 'barless' grand piano in 1997[12] which was manufactured by Birmingham firm of Ladbrooke Pianos, who produced half a dozen a year.
2000s
The company holds a royal warrant as a manufacturer and tuner of pianos.[13] Following the death of Geoffrey Simon in 2006, the company was acquired in 2008 by Alastair Laurence, a piano builder and technician with family ties to the Broadwood firm dating back to 1787. To coincide with the change in ownership, new restoration and conservation workshops are now located at Finchcocks, Goudhurst, Kent, England.[14]
^Ehrlich, Cyril (1976). "Introduction". The Piano: A History. London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. p. 18. ISBN978-0-460-04246-8.
^Bray, David (October 1994). "The Colt Clavier Collection at 50 - A Collection in Distress?". Harpsichord and Fortepiano. Ruxbury Publications, Ltd. 5 (1): 30–33.
^Dolge, Alfred (1972). "Part One Chapter II: The Pianoforte". Pianos and their makers: a comprehensive history of the development of the piano from the monochord to the concert grand player piano. New York: Dover Publications. p. 49. ISBN978-0-486-22856-3. LCCN 11020107. OCLC 1150927805. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
^ abWainwright, David (October 1982). "John Broadwood, the Harpsichord and the Piano". The Musical Times. Musical Times Publications Ltd. 123 (1676): 675–678. doi:10.2307/962117. JSTOR 962117.
^"Beethoven's relationship to Britain: Piano manufacturer Thomas Broadwood". Beethoven-Haus Bonn. April 2002. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
^Mobbs, Kenneth; Latcham, Michael (August 1992). "Beethoven's Broadwood". Early Music. Oxford University Press. 20 (3): 527. doi:10.1093/earlyj/xx.3.527-b. JSTOR 3127739.
^Zaluski, Iwo; Zaluski, Pamela (May 1992). "Chopin in London". The Musical Times. Musical Times Publications Ltd. 133 (1791): 226–230. doi:10.2307/1193699. JSTOR 1193699.
^Darwent, Charles (June 1994). "Piano Forte". Management Today: 68. ProQuest 214776998. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
^"History". John Broadwood & Sons. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
^"The Piano Time Line: A Chronological History". Concert Pitch Piano Services. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
^"History of John Broadwood & Sons Ltd Piano Manufacturer".
^"John Broadwood and Sons Piano Manufacturers". Surrey History Centre. Surrey County Council. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
External links
Official website
John Broadwood & Sons Piano Manufacturers – Surrey County Council
Johann Christian Bach: Sonate G-Dur, allegro
John Broadwood & Sons Grand Piano (16000, London 1843) – The Piano in Polish Collections
March 14, 2023
john, broadwood, sons, 19th, century, physician, august, förster, physician, english, piano, manufacturer, founded, 1728, burkat, shudi, continued, after, death, 1773, john, broadwood, typeprivateindustrymusical, instrumentsfounded1728, years, 1728, founderjoh. For the 19th century physician see August Forster physician John Broadwood amp Sons is an English piano manufacturer founded in 1728 by Burkat Shudi and continued after his death in 1773 by John Broadwood 1 John Broadwood amp SonsTypePrivateIndustryMusical instrumentsFounded1728 295 years ago 1728 FounderJohn BroadwoodHeadquartersLondon United KingdomProductsPianosWebsitebroadwood co uk1827 Broadwood amp Sons grand piano Contents 1 Early history 2 Innovations 3 1980s and 1990s 4 2000s 5 Broadwood archives 6 References 7 External linksEarly history EditJohn Broadwood 1732 1812 a Scottish joiner and cabinetmaker came to London in 1761 and began to work for the Swiss harpsichord manufacturer Burkat Shudi 2 He married Shudi s daughter eight years later and became a partner in the firm in 1770 As the popularity of the harpsichord declined the firm concentrated increasingly on the manufacture of pianos abandoning the harpsichord altogether in 1793 3 Broadwood s son James Shudi Broadwood had worked for the firm since 1785 and in 1795 the firm began to trade as John Broadwood amp Son 2 When Broadwood s third son Thomas Broadwood became a partner in 1808 the firm assumed the name of John Broadwood amp Sons Ltd which it retains to this day 2 The firm s busiest time period was during the 1850s when approximately 2 500 instruments were produced annually 4 Innovations Edit 1784 square fortepiano Broadwood produced his first square piano in 1771 after the model of Johannes Zumpe and worked assiduously to develop and refine the instrument moving the wrest plank of the earlier pianoforte which had sat to the side of the case as in the clavichord to the back of the case in 1781 5 straightening the keys and replacing the hand stops with pedals 2 In 1785 Thomas Jefferson later to be third President of the United States visited Broadwood in Great Pulteney Street Soho to discuss musical instruments In 1789 at Jan Ladislav Dussek s suggestion he extended the range of his grand piano beyond five octaves to CC in the treble and again to six full octaves in 1794 6 The improved instruments became popular with musicians such as Joseph Haydn who used them on his first visit to London in 1791 6 Ludwig van Beethoven received a six octave Broadwood in 1818 a gift from Thomas Broadwood 7 which he kept for the rest of his life Although his impaired hearing may well have prevented him appreciating its tone 8 he seems to have preferred it to his Erard which had a similar range Above the company label on the front edge of the pin block the following text can be read Hoc Instrumentum est Thomae Broadwood Londrini donum propter ingenium illustrissime Beethoven This instrument is a gift from Thomas Broadwood of London in recognition of the most illustrious genius of Beethoven Frederic Chopin played Broadwood instruments in Britain including at the last concert of his life given at Guildhall London in 1848 Although he liked Broadwoods he appears to have preferred the French make Pleyel 9 1980s and 1990s EditAfter a long period of decline ending in near bankruptcy the business was rescued in the mid 1980s by a consortium headed up by Geoffrey Simon 10 a keen amateur pianist and successful businessman from Birmingham Mr Simon took on the mantle of CEO and under his stewardship John Broadwood amp Sons entered a period during which a number of innovations were developed These included the limited edition Linley piano 11 an upright piano designed by Viscount Linley and his partner Matthew Rice plus the design and patenting of the barless grand piano in 1997 12 which was manufactured by Birmingham firm of Ladbrooke Pianos who produced half a dozen a year 2000s EditThe company holds a royal warrant as a manufacturer and tuner of pianos 13 Following the death of Geoffrey Simon in 2006 the company was acquired in 2008 by Alastair Laurence a piano builder and technician with family ties to the Broadwood firm dating back to 1787 To coincide with the change in ownership new restoration and conservation workshops are now located at Finchcocks Goudhurst Kent England 14 Broadwood archives EditThe company s archives are held at the Surrey History Centre 15 References Edit Latham Alison 2011 Broadwood The Oxford Companion to Music Oxford Music Online ISBN 978 0 19 957903 7 Retrieved 30 December 2020 a b c d Adlam Derek Ehrlich Cyril 20 January 2001 Broadwood Grove Music Online Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 gmo 9781561592630 article 04030 ISBN 978 1 56159 263 0 Ehrlich Cyril 1976 Introduction The Piano A History London J M Dent amp Sons Ltd p 18 ISBN 978 0 460 04246 8 Bray David October 1994 The Colt Clavier Collection at 50 A Collection in Distress Harpsichord and Fortepiano Ruxbury Publications Ltd 5 1 30 33 Dolge Alfred 1972 Part One Chapter II The Pianoforte Pianos and their makers a comprehensive history of the development of the piano from the monochord to the concert grand player piano New York Dover Publications p 49 ISBN 978 0 486 22856 3 LCCN 11020107 OCLC 1150927805 Retrieved 30 December 2020 a b Wainwright David October 1982 John Broadwood the Harpsichord and the Piano The Musical Times Musical Times Publications Ltd 123 1676 675 678 doi 10 2307 962117 JSTOR 962117 Beethoven s relationship to Britain Piano manufacturer Thomas Broadwood Beethoven Haus Bonn April 2002 Retrieved 30 December 2020 Mobbs Kenneth Latcham Michael August 1992 Beethoven s Broadwood Early Music Oxford University Press 20 3 527 doi 10 1093 earlyj xx 3 527 b JSTOR 3127739 Zaluski Iwo Zaluski Pamela May 1992 Chopin in London The Musical Times Musical Times Publications Ltd 133 1791 226 230 doi 10 2307 1193699 JSTOR 1193699 Darwent Charles June 1994 Piano Forte Management Today 68 ProQuest 214776998 Retrieved 30 December 2020 History John Broadwood amp Sons Retrieved 30 December 2020 The Piano Time Line A Chronological History Concert Pitch Piano Services Retrieved 30 December 2020 John Broadwood amp Sons Ltd Royal Warrant Holders Association Retrieved 30 December 2020 History of John Broadwood amp Sons Ltd Piano Manufacturer John Broadwood and Sons Piano Manufacturers Surrey History Centre Surrey County Council Retrieved 30 December 2020 External links EditOfficial website John Broadwood amp Sons Piano Manufacturers Surrey County Council Johann Christian Bach Sonate G Dur allegro John Broadwood amp Sons Grand Piano 16000 London 1843 The Piano in Polish Collections Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Broadwood 26 Sons amp oldid 1136950676, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
