Broadwood

Biography

Broadwood is credited with an epoch-making structural change to the square piano. Inspired by the English use of the Christofori action (as modified by Backers), in which the hammer rises at the end rather than the center of the key, Broadwood conceived of relocating the wrest plank to run along the back of the case rather than along the right-hand side, where it had traditionally sat since the clavichord. He completed a new piano embodying this improvement in 1781. Dolge describes the change as revolutionizing square piano construction, allowing a marked increase in the volume of tone obtainable from the instrument. The innovation was gradually taken up by all the leading makers of the day, and even the German school -- which had developed its own square piano design with the wrest plank at the front of the case -- eventually adopted Broadwood's back-mounted wrest plank along with the English action. Broadwood is described by Dolge as more methodical and scientific than Erard in approaching the problem of iron bracing, seeking to obtain the necessary structural resistance using as few bars as possible. This study led to a system, patented in 1827, that combined an iron hitch-pin plate with cross bars. Dolge notes that the firm carrying the name, John Broadwood & Sons, was in 1910 still making grand and upright pianos, now with a notable "barless" steel frame that allowed the soundboard and strings to vibrate unhampered by iron cross bars while also reducing the piano's overall weight. Broadwood's careful, resistance-minimizing approach is presented as characteristic of the more cautious European response to the bracing problem, in contrast to the more aggressive American adoption of full iron frames. Broadwood is named as one of the aristocratic London makers, alongside Tschudi and Kirkman, of high-priced harpsichords and later costly grand pianos, and as one of those whose financial success helped attract capital to the London piano industry. Later, the firm of Broadwood & Sons is described as having lately adopted a progressive policy, equipping its new factory with all known modern improvements and, with characteristic foresight, being the only London firm to manufacture every part of its player pianos in its own factories. The text suggests Broadwood's lead in player-piano development might help the English industry retrieve its lost prestige. Broadwood is named in the author's concluding remarks as having been an intimate friend of Pleyel, the two having 'made front against Erard.' The remark is used as an example of the personal alliances and rivalries typical of the strong-willed founders who built the piano industry. No further biographical detail is supplied in this passage.

Highlights

• Placed the wrest plank along the back of the square piano case instead of the side, completing this new design in 1781.
• Dolge calls the innovation "epoch-making," crediting it with revolutionizing square piano construction and enabling greater tone volume.
• The improvement was gradually adopted by all leading makers, eventually including the German school.
• Combined an iron hitch-pin plate with cross bars, patented 1827
• Firm (John Broadwood & Sons) later produced a "barless" steel frame
• One of the aristocratic London makers of high-priced harpsichords and grand pianos that Zumpe undercut with a cheaper square piano
• Broadwood & Sons was credited with adopting a progressive policy, manufacturing every part of its player pianos in its own new factory, the only London firm to do so
• Described as an intimate friend of Pleyel.
• Allied with Pleyel in opposition to Erard.

Source

Alfred Dolge, Pianos and Their Makers, Vol. I (1911), pp. 172, 173.

Public domain.