Piano
Blüthner
Category
Musical instruments, devices and recordings
Date
1936
Materials
Walnut
Measurements
1000 x 1455 x 1665 mm
Place of origin
Leipzig
Order this imageCollection
Greys Court, Oxfordshire
NT 196006
Summary
Bluthner 'Model 10' baby-grand piano in bleached rosewood, on three legs with brass castors. Serial Number 121044. Leipzig, Germany, 1936.
Full description
Baby grand piano in bleached rosewood, on three legs with brass castors, dating 1936. Manufactured by Bluthner in Leipzig, Germany (founded 1853), this particular piano is their Model 10 in bleached rosewood. Bluthner Pianos was founed by Julius Bluthner in 1853 at a time when Leipzig was a cultural centre equal to Paris, London or Vienna. The list of names associated with Bluthner is almost endless but it includes Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Schumann, Liszt, Mahler and Brahms. In more modern times Bluthner has been linked with Andrew Lloyd Weber, Rubinstein, Gilbert O'Sullivan and the Beatles. The serial number for this instrument (121044) indicates that is was manufactured in 1936. This is the largest of their baby grand pianos manufactured, and is fitted with 'aliquot' system for fullness of sound. The aliquot stringing system was invented by Julius Bluthner himself. The Blüthner aliquot system uses an additional (hence fourth) string in each note of the top three piano octaves. This string is slightly higher than the other three strings so that it is not struck by the hammer. Whenever the hammer strikes the three conventional strings, the aliquot string vibrates sympathetically. This string resonance also occurs when other notes are played that are harmonically related to the pitch of an aliquot string, though only when the related notes' dampers are raised.
Provenance
Gifted to the National Trust from the Estate of Lady Elizabeth Brunner, 2005.
Marks and inscriptions
Underneath strings - left hand side: Serial number stamped underneath strings '121044' along with other markings including manufacturer information. All printed in black ink.
Makers and roles
Blüthner , manufacturer