Johannes Zumpe

Johannes Zumpe was born 14 June 1726 in Furth, Nuremberg. He trained with Gottfried Silbermann. He was one of the German makers of keyboard instruments who fled to London in the late 1750s. He worked briefly for Burkat Shudi.

On 3 December 1760 he married Elizabeth Beeson. The following year, he set up his own Piano business in Princes Street, Hanover Square. Zumpe's pianos were made from 1761 to about 1800. 

His shrewd business approach recognised that the high-priced offerings from the likes of Shudi were always going to be out of the reach of all but the wealthy, so he set about producing adequate pianos for a modest price. Thus the English square piano was born. It had a compass of about five octaves and was, despite the name, rectangular in shape. Compact and more affordable than the full-size wing-shaped instrument, they were very popular and provided the wider public, especially amateur musicians, access to the new instrument. 

His business partner from 1769 was Gabriel Buntebart until September 1778. He was then joined, for a few years by Meincke Meyer but the business was finally taken over by Frederick Schoene in 1783, who in his adverts, still claimed to be ’Successors to Johannes Zumpe.’

Johannes Zumpe prospered and amassed a fortune that enabled him to retire early - most likely after Frederick Schoene take-over. His will was dated 1784, and gave his address as Queen Charlotte Row in the parish of St Mary-le-Bow. He died 1790 in London.

© Steve Burden