Similar to Clinkscale: I.p.58.8;p.92.8
restored by Christopher Nobbs, London, England
Description
Name plaque present but no name visible
Compass: 6 octaves FF-f4
Pitch: A 415 Hz
Tuning: equal tempered
Action: Viennese “prellmechanik”
Hammer coverings: leather
Keyboard: single reversed manual
Keyboard materials: reversed (sharps ebony with ivory caps, naturals ebony)
Bridges: divided bass / treble at G-G#
Strings:
- bass bridge: 15 notes bichord brass FF-G
- treble bridge: 27 notes bichord iron G#-c#1
- treble bridge: 31 notes trichord iron b1-f4
Dampers: felt wedge overdampers throughout
Frame: timber
Accessories:
Knee levers: L; bassoon. C; moderator. R: damper lift
Case: walnut
Case lid: walnut
Keywell lid and fallboard: walnut, attached to case lid
Music desk: detachable
Legs: four tapered squared legs
Dimensions(mm): 2210l x 1175w x 260h (ex lid)
? not original
Repertoire: middle period Beethoven, Hummel, Weber, Ries
Provenance: purchased from Colin Tilney (acting as agent for unknown Canadian vendor) 1994
Condition category: II
Rectification required: damper mechanism Conert dates: 01.05.94, 29.05.94, 25.08.96, 05.09.99
Commentary
Regarding identification of the maker of this instrument, the earliest six octave FF-f4 Dulcken grand (Germanische Nationalmuseum, Nuremburg) is dated 1808 and features the reversed keyboard, no pedals, and three knee-levers found above; the earliest Brodmann grande of this compass (various museums in Berlin, Leipzig and Nuremburg) are dated 1810-1812 and feature unreversed keyboards, pedals and knee-lever only for moderator. Consequently, this instrument could have been constructed by either maker or, more likely, one of their “Viennese” contemporaries.
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