Johann Fritz   in Wien  ca.1830

 

6 octaves FF-f'''' - Viennese action

2 pedals : moderator - dampers lift

 

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 is the second Johann Fritz square piano in this collection and another rare example of his pianos in rectangular form.

Unlike the earlier square piano in this collection this piano has a narrower compass of 6 octaves! this does not prove that it is an earlier piano to me because it could be ordered by the customer to have only 6 octaves probably because as usual less keys meant less money! but the furniture design clearly shows that it must be from ca.1830-35. Also having only two pedals (now missing) moderator-dampers lift.