My plan is to use this blog for two things:
- to write about my research on music history and the history of technology during the Early Modern period,
- and to present digital resources for historians of these topics and this period.
My research focuses in particular on keyboard instrument building during the latter half of the 18th century, especially in Germany. I try to understand developments in instrument design during this period by asking questions not about the instruments, but about their makers: what do we know about 18th-century builders, how they lived and worked? Were they artisans, artists, musicians, celebrities? Who were their friends and acquaintances; who influenced them? Why did they build as they did?
I have found that research on the history of technology, and most especially traditional craft practice, faces a fundamental challenge: relatively little has ever been written about these topics, either by craftspeople or by scholars. I hope that this blog can become a collection of resources and writing that will help to address that lack.
Robin – Are you familiar with Jacque Andre Roubo and his 4 volumes on woodworking done in 1765-68 L’Art de Menuisier? in Paris. It was reprinted in 1973. Everything is in there.
hie , mu name is octavio and i am from brazil ,,,for more than 20 years my family got a wonderfull shiedmayer upright piano and i would like to knoe more about ,, can you help me out to find things about this piano and his history …. his serial number is 37838 , its very old piano but still original..
so if you e mail me i can send to you pictures of this rare piano ,, and i would like to know how does it ended up being here in Brazil.
Hi Octavio, it sounds like a beautiful piano but I”m sorry, I know very little about Schiedmayer pianos. I wish I could help you. I hope you find someone more knowledgeable to confer with. Best of luck.