M. Fetis

Biography

M. Fetis made the first attempt to write a history of the pianoforte, publishing "Sketch of the History of the Pianoforte and the Pianists" in 1830. Dolge calls it the effort of "a brilliant writer" but judges it "of little value to the piano maker." From Spillane (1890): Fétis was a historian of the pianoforte whom Spillane describes as having 'a particular love for disputing dates.' Fétis put forward the French maker Marius as the first to exhibit a pianoforte, based on Marius's 1716 submission of hammer-harpsichords to the Academy in Paris, and separately credited one Frederici with making 'square' pianofortes several years before Zumpe's 1760 instrument. Spillane treats both of Fétis's claims as unproven or of little consequence.

Highlights

• Made the first attempt to write a history of the pianoforte (1830)
• Described by Spillane as having 'a particular love for disputing dates'
• Put forward Marius as the first to exhibit a pianoforte
• Credited Frederici with making 'squares' before Zumpe

Sources

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

Daniel Spillane, History of the American Pianoforte (1890), pp. 16, 20.

Public domain.