Objekt 10
Harpsichord ("Grand Modèle de Concert" or "Landowska" model), Paris, 1930
Description
The Pleyel Company
The Pleyel piano manufacturing company was founded in Paris in 1807 by the Austrian composer Ignace Joseph Pleyel (1757 - 1831). The company initially concentrated on adopting and improving features of English piano making.
in 1815, Pleyel took his son Camille Pleyel (1788 - 1855) into the company. in 1829, the pianist Frédéric Kalkbrenner (1785 - 1849) also joined the company. He made great efforts to make Pleyel's instruments better known. Important composers and pianists, such as Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849), were closely associated with the Pleyel company at this time.
After Camille Pleyel's death, he was succeeded by his son-in-law Auguste Wolff (1821 - 1887). The company name was then changed to 'Pleyel, Wolff & Cie.
After Wolff's death, his son-in-law Gustav Lyon (1857 - 1936) took over the management of the company. The name was changed again to 'Pleyel, Lyon & Cie.
The harpsichord on display represents the efforts of the Pleyel company to revive this type of instrument at the beginning of the 20th century and the close collaboration with the famous harpsichordist Wanda Landowska (1879 - 1959). The harpsichord was ordered from Pleyel in Paris by the Basel Chamber Orchestra (BKO) in 1930 and inaugurated by Wanda Landowska on March 12, 1931 as part of the BKO's concerts.
Object description
Pleyel, Lyon et Cie (workshop 1887-1936)
Paris, 1930
Pleyel / Facteur à Paris / Fondé en 1807 (brand stamp, wooden plate inlay, front board)
PC (monogram carved into the rosette, soundboard); 77F987 (brand stamp) / 189.413 (strike stamp) (behind the soundpost, front left); 189413 (strike stamp, underside of the case)
Solid mahogany (case) with fine inlaid stripes (mirror wood); beech (underside of case, front); spruce, fine-grained, with pierced rosette (soundboard); iron frame; Brass (pedals; strings, both 8' [H1 - E], 4' [F1]); steel, wound with copper (strings, 16' [F1 - f3], both 8' [F1 - B1]); steel (strings, both 8' [F - f3], 4' [F#1 - f3])
Range F1 - f3; two manuals; lower manual 16', 8' and 4' stops, upper manual 8' stop with lute slide, 4' stop, coupler; stops operated by seven pedalsH. 968 mm (total); H. 275 mm; W. 1057 mm; L. 2464 mm (case without lid and without bottom rail); pitch 498 mm; octave 165 mm (both manuals)
Deposit Paul Sacher Foundation, Basel
Inv. no. 1996.3.