Johann Fritz   in Wien  ca.1825

 

 

6 and half octaves CC-g'''' - Viennese action

4 pedals : dampers lift - moderator - bassoon - Turkish music

 

Johann Fritz is today known as one of the greatest piano makers in

Vienna ca.1810-1840.

Very little is known about Johann Fritz, despite the fact that he seems

to have been a fairly prolific builder, with a number of his instruments

surviving to this day. Many aspects of his work suggest that he learned

the manufacture of fortepianos in Anton Walter's workshop in Vienna, Austria

His pianos were exported widely to several other countries and are made with high and refined quality of craftsmanship. Like Graf and Walter he was making pianos with a faster speed in developments in seize and compass.

He built pianos which, in terms of their sonority and as pieces of furniture, were perhaps the most truly elegant. (mostly empire style in furniture work, like the present square piano).

 

Johann Fritz fortepianos are today among the 4 original most copied fortepianos by contemporary makers along with Graf, Walter and Streicher.

 

From a nicely restored original ca.1825 Fritz there is a recording by Andreas Staier of Schubert's last sonatas on Teldec which is highly appreciated!

 

This one is one of the few existing square pianos from his workshop, kept in very good original condition. It is one of the earliest examples of Viennese square pianos with CC in the bass!