Embedded Files
Five pianos were investigated, which are representative examples of the evolution of the piano making by the Stein-Streicher dynasty in Vienna during the 19th Century. The Gert Hecher piano is a copy of a piano made by Nannette Streicher around 1800-1805. The second piano was built by Nannette Streicher, daughter of Johann Andreas Stein, in 1819. The third and fourth pianos were built by Johann Baptist Streicher, son of Nannette, in 1836 and 1851, respectively. The fifth piano was built by the company Johann Baptist Streicher and Son around 1873. Over the years, the instruments show significant modifications (see also Section 2: "Measurements"): gradual increase of hammer mass, sophistication of the hammer action, increasing number of notes, and of the number of strings per note, significant increase of string tension. To withstand the global tension of the strings, and together optimizing the transfer of energy from strings to soundboard, the evolution also shows a gradual increase of the soundboard thickness (and of the ribs and bridges). In addition, the piano manufactoring uses more and more metallic parts.
Gert Hecher piano (after N. Streicher 1800-05).
Photo Iby-Jolande Varga.
This piano is a copy by Gert Hecher of a piano made by Nanette Streicher around 1800-1805. The original is in the Landesmuseum in Stuttgart (Germany). It has 65 notes, from F1 to A6 (5 octaves and a major third). The first 41 notes have 2 strings, the remaining 24 notes have 3 strings.
The soundboard has 10 ribs of width 7 mm and thickness 10 mm. The width of the bridge is 13 mm, and its thickness is equal to 15 mm. The soundboard thickness varies from 4 mm (in the bass range) to 6 mm (in the treble range).
The diameter of the strings varies from 1.0 mm (F1) to 0.33 mm (A6). The strings of the 3 lowest notes are made of red brass, those of the following 10 notes in yellow brass, and the remaining strings in iron. The length of the strings varies from 1.784 m (F1) to 9.2 cm (A6). The string's tension varies from 165 to 65 N. The hammers are covered with 200 years old leather. The hammer action is of the Viennese type.
Piano made by Nannette Streicher (1819).
Photo: Technical Museum Vienna.
This piano was made by Nannette Streicher in 1819 (Nr 1425). It is owned by the Technical Museum in Vienna. The instrument has 73 notes, from F1 to F7. The ten lowest string sets are in brass. The soundboard has ten ribs. The mean interrib distance is 200 mm. The direction of the fibers is parallel to the straight left edge. The direction of the ribs make an angle of -30 degrees with the horizontal edge (almost parallel to the keyboard line). The thickness of the soundboard varies between 4 to 6 mm. The thickness of the ribs is 4.5 mm. The diameter of the strings varies from 1.4 mm (F1) to 0.4 mm (F7). Their length vary from 1.87 m (F1) to 50 mm (F7). The string tension varies between 337 N (F1) and 76 N (F7).
Piano J.B. Streicher (1836).
Photo Iby-Jolande Varga.
This piano was made by Johann Baptist Streicher in 1836 (Nr 2876) and is owned by Gert Hecher. The instrument has 80 notes from C1 to G7 (6 octaves and a fifth). The 4 lowest notes (C1 to D#1) have 2 strings, the remaining notes have 3 strings.
The soundboard has 14 ribs of width 40 mm and thickness 10 mm. The thickness of the soundboard varies from 6 mm (bass range) to 8 mm (treble range). There are two bridges of width 25 mm and thickness 25 mm. The 18 lowest notes are attached to the bass bridge, while the remaining 62 notes are attached to the treble bridge.
The diameter of the strings varies from 2.06 mm (C1) to 0.53 mm (G7). Their length varies from 1.927 m (C1) to 4.9 mm (G7). The tension varies from 430 N (C1) to 157 N (G7). The strings of the 18 lowest notes (C1 to F2) are made of brass. The remaining strings are made of iron.
Piano J.B. Streicher (1851).
Photo Iby-Jolande Varga.
This piano was made by J.B. Streicher in 1851 (Nr 4544). It is presently owned by Gert Hecher. It has 85 notes, from A0 to A7 (7 octaves). The first 3 notes (A0 to B0) have a single (wrapped) string, the following 16 notes (C1 to D#2) have two wrapped strings, and the remaining 66 notes have 3 strings.
The mean value of the soundboard thickness is 5 mm. There are 10 ribs of width 3 cm and thickness 1 cm, and two bridges (thickness 25 mm, width 25 mm). Compared to the earlier pianos of this maker, this model shows two metallic bars parallel to both the left edge and soundboard fibers, to compensate for the static tension of the strings.
The tension of the strings varies from 715 to 320 N. Their length varies from 1.746 m (A0) to 4.7 cm (A7). All strings (and the wrapping) are made of iron. The diameter of the core varies from 1.30 mm (A0) to 0.70 mm (A7). The hammer action is of the Viennese type. The 19 lowest notes (from A0 to D#2) are attached to the bass bridge, while the 66 remaining strings are attached to the treble bridge.
J.B. Streicher and Son 1873.
Photo: Technical Museum Vienna.
This piano was made by the company J.B. Streicher and Son in 1873 (Nr 7406/7.3). It is currently owned by the Technical Museum in Vienna. It is a 7-octaves instrument with 85 notes (from A0 to A7).
The thickness of the soundboard varies from 6.5 mm (bass range) to 9.0 mm. The treble bridge has a width of 30 mm and a thickness of 25 mm. The bass bridge has a thickness of 30 mm, and its width increases progressively from 30 to 40 mm towards the strings of lower pitch. The soundboard has 14 ribs, of width 25 mm and thickness 10 mm.
The piano action is of the Viennese type. The three lowest notes (A0 to B0) have one single string, with brass wrapping over a core in iron. The notes 4 to 19 (C1 to D#2) have two wrapped strings. The notes 20 to 85 (E2 to A7) have 3 strings. The diameter of the core varies from 1.36 mm (A0) to 0.71 mm (A7). The tension varies from 876 N (A0) to 400 N (A7). The string's length varies from 1.745 m (A0) to 5.0 cm (A7).
Google Sites
Report abuse