Beethoven’s Broadwood piano, from Alamy.com
Thomas Broadwood, the London piano maker, met Beethoven in Vienna in 1817. Once he had returned to London he commissioned the building of a piano for Beethoven. It had six octaves, a two-pedal system and Spanish mahogany was used for the case. Thomas Broadwood had an inscription written on a plaque in Latin that is positioned above the keys on the piano. Translated it states “This instrument is a true gift by Thomas Broadwood (London) for the illustrious Beethoven’.
Beethoven, on hearing the news that this piano was en route to him in Vienna wrote to Thomas Broadwood saying -
“My dearest friend Broadwood,
“I have never felt a greater pleasure than that given me by the anticipation of the arrival of this piano, with which you are honouring me as a present. I shall regard it as an altar on which I shall place my spirit’s most beautiful offerings to the divine Apollo. As soon as I receive your excellent instrument, I shall send you the fruits of the first moments of inspiration I spend at it, as a souvenir for you from me, my very dear B., and I hope that they will be worthy of your instrument.
“My dear sir and friend, accept my warmest consideration, from your friend and most humble servant,
Louis Van Beethoven
Vienna, 3rd February 1818.”
From Alamy.com
The piano travelled to Vienna on a ship to Trieste, Italy followed by a journey over the Alps. This piano Beethoven kept until his death in 1827. After his death it was sold to Anton Spina, a music publisher, who gave it to Liszt in 1845. Liszt donated the piano to the Hungarian National Museum where it has remained.
In 1992 the piano travelled throughout Europe on the occasion of the ‘Beethoven Broadwood Piano Tour’. Online there is a video explaining how the piano was moved from venue to venue. The piano had to remain horizontal at all times which obviously made it difficult for it to be moved through some openings. At the time, the piano was insured for $5million (or it could have been UK pounds). The piano had been completely restored.
www.popularbeethoven.com/beethovens-broadwood-piano/