Frits Janmaat - Sébastien Erard - The Greatest Harp and Piano Builder of All Time

Janmaat, Frits: Sébastien Erard. The Greatest Harp and Piano Builder of All Time
Amsterdam 2020
ISBN 978-90-830413-1-5

This work by Dutch restorer and Erard expert Frits Janmaat offers the most comprehensive account to date of the life and work of Sébastien Erard (1752-1831) and his family. It describes the development of the Erard company from its beginnings in Strasbourg to the large workshops in Paris and London, which became the leading instrument makers in Europe.

Particular attention is paid to Erard's pioneering inventions such as the double pedal harp (1810) and the double escapement for pianos (1821), which revolutionised playing. Over two thirds of classical music between 1820 and 1837 was written on Erard instruments; numerous composers such as Haydn, Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Verdi, Ravel and many others appreciated his pianos and harps. Janmaat also describes the chequered history of the company in times of revolution, monarchy and restoration, illustrated by technical, economic and cultural aspects.

The book combines detailed workshop and production history with an insight into the musical and social environment of the 18th and 19th centuries and honours Erard as one of the most important inventors and instrument makers of his era.

Curriculum vitae of Sébastien Erard

• Year of birth and origins: Born on 5 April 1752 in Strasbourg to an emigrant Swiss family.

• Education and early years: He moved to Paris at the age of 16, where he quickly established himself as an exceptionally talented piano maker. in 1780, he founded his own piano factory in Paris.

• First successes: In 1786, he received a special licence from King Louis XVI, which made him independent of the guild of instrument makers. This marked the beginning of the rapid rise of his company.

• Expansion: In 1792, he founded the company "Maison Erard" together with his brother Jean-Baptiste. in 1794, he opened a second branch in London. Harps in particular were manufactured there.

• Technical innovations:

  • 1810: Introduction of the double pedal harp.

  • 1821: Patent for the double escapement mechanism in the piano, still the basis of modern piano designs today.

• Artistic significance: His instruments were played by leading composers and virtuosos of the 18th and 19th centuries. Over two thirds of the classical music of this period was composed on Erard instruments.

• Circumstances: Despite political turbulence (French Revolution, Napoleonic era), Erard was able to maintain his business. His workshops exported instruments to North and South America as well as Australia.

• Family: His nephew Pierre Erard (1794-1855) continued to run the company after his death and perfected production. Jean-Baptiste, his brother, was also a partner.

• Artistic interests: Erard also collected works of art and owned a considerable collection of paintings.

• Death: Sébastien Erard died in Paris in 1831 at the age of 79.

You can find two beautiful harps from the Erard workshop in my archive under the following links:

https://www.galerie-balbach.de/en/antiques/antique-harp-by-sebastien-erard/

https://www.galerie-balbach.de/en/antiques/erard-antique-harp/

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