The piano was presented at a lecture on November 10 as part of the lecture "Small and large breakthroughs in music and technology".
Over the course of the first half of the 19th century, the piano underwent a series of (r)evolutionary changes that we can compare to the dynamics of the IT industry in the last three decades. Successive "technological" changes entailed musical metamorphoses, and vice versa. We will look at these extremely intriguing entanglements in the networks of people, things and sounds during the fourth meeting, the main character of which will be a Warsaw grand piano produced by Antoni Hofer, one of the most significant piano makers on Polish soil at the time.
Characteristics of the instrument
The instrument, with serial number 1490, is preserved in its entirety with all elements of its construction, veneered with rosewood. Inside the antique instrument is a semi-metal frame with three connectors. Straight-stringed iron string, Viennese mechanics with hammers veneered with felt. Frame muffler. It was equipped with a keyboard with a range of 6 and ¾ octaves (A1-a4) and two pedals - muffler lifter and una corda. Dimensions of the instrument: 198 cm x 138 cm x 90 cm.
In total, more than 2,500 instruments came out of Hofer's workshop - an impressive number in the context of all piano production on Polish soil. Hofer readily adapted patents from foreign companies - Erard, Pleyel and Bossendorfer - for his instruments.
The instrument comes from the Piano and Pianos Workshop of Andrzej Wlodarczyk from Slupno near Radzymin.
The Association of Polish Piano Tuners is implementing the project "Polish Piano. Art - Science - Craft" subsidized by the National Institute of Music and Dance in the framework of Investment A2.5.1 Program to support the activities of entities of the cultural and creative industries to stimulate their development in the framework of the National Plan for Reconstruction and Increasing Resilience. The amount of funding is PLN 81,992.
