Grand piano

Erard is a leading European maker of pianos. The company’s instruments were purchased by famous composers, such as Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi. This piano is decorated with rosewood veneer and brass stringing. The keyboard has eighty-five keys (seven octaves) with ivory-lined naturals, while sharp blocks are made of ebony. The body is reinforced by six metal bars running over the sound board. This device, which first appeared early in the century, is designed to oppose the growing tension exerted by the number of strings that gradually increased as the piano developed to enhance both compass and loudness. This piano has two technical solutions that were patented in 1809 and 1821 by Sébastien, member of the Erard family, precisely the agraffe, brass guide screws on the wrestplank that space and level the strings as they leave the tuning pins, and the double escapement action. Finally, two pedals allow to insert the devices "soft pedal" and "resonance".