grand piano
Michael Rosenberger
built in Vienna in ± 1820
A fortepiano built by Michael Rosenberger in Vienna, ca. 1820. The case is veneered in walnut; the keyboard range is 6 octaves, from FF to f4; it has 5 pedals.
History of this instrument
In 2011, piano restorer Edwin Beunk offered this historic fortepiano—which he had fully restored—to the Musical Instrument Fund for sale. The Musical Instrument Fund had been searching for some time for a high-quality historical instrument for Shuann Chai, a fortepianist who lives and was trained in the Netherlands. To make an informed decision, Bart van Oort, among others, was asked to play the instrument and offer his assessment. He concluded that, despite its six-octave range, the instrument has an “early” sound. The action is virtually perfect. The fundamental tone is clear, charming, appealing, and interesting. The tonal palette is wonderful. Paolo Giacometti also expressed his enthusiasm for it. Kristian Bezuidenhout was very impressed and immediately announced that he would love to use the instrument for a CD recording someday; he considers Shuann Chai “a very lucky person”! After a successful fundraising campaign, the purchase was finalized in 2012. Since then, Shuann Chai has been the fortunate player of this Viennese fortepiano from around 1820.
About the builder Michael Rosenberger
Michael Rosenberger was born on April 13, 1766, in Bavaria and died on November 12, 1832, in Vienna. He was a student of Anton Walter, who is considered the most important piano builder of that era. In 1796, he received his...