Christophe Schroter

Christophe Schroter was born 10 August 1699 in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, and became a composer and organist. Schroter’s part in Piano History, though small, is worthy of being noted. He is one of those figures who is rarely mentioned in books on piano history. Perhaps, if he had been an instrument maker with some financial backing, things might have been different. As it was, he was a man if ideas who tried to sell the idea when the piano was still in its infancy and speculation on such a project would have seemed incautious.

Impressed by the tone and dynamic range of Hebenstreit’s Panteleon, Christophe Schroter realised the potential in making a keyboard instrument using hammers to strike the strings, so invented two ‘piano actions’ - one striking the strings from above, and one from below - diagram of 1717 action. He persuaded a cousin who was a cabinet maker, to produce a working model.

His ‘actions’ were basic, even primitive, but worked well enough as a prototype to be demonstrated to the King of Saxony, the King declined any help or investment. Schroter did not seek to develop his invention any further but his idea did find a following among the instrument makers of Germany who, used the principles of his action and adapted them to make their own pianos.

In 1724 some pianos were being made in Dresden using actions very like Schroter’s and in 1728, Silberman was making pianos at Freiberg using an action based on Schroter’s model. Thus, what became known as the ‘German’ school of piano construction was born.

Christophe Schroter died 20 May 1782 in Nordhausen.

© Steve Burden

Panteleon Hebenstreit

Panteleon Hebenstreit was born 27 November 1668 and was a German dance teacher, musician and composer.

On 29 January 1691 Hebenstreit started at the University of Wittenburg and by 1697 was employed as a violinist, keyboard musician and dancing teacher in Leipzig. However, having to leave Leipzig to escape his creditors, he took a position in Merseburg as a private tutor.

He constructed a large hammered dulcimer which created a flurry of interest. It had 186 strings and was some nine feet long. The strings were struck by hand-held hammers in the manner of performers playing a xylophone. Hebenstreit took it with him on a tour of  Europe. 

In 1705 he played before Louis XIV. The French king, being so impressed both with the instrument and with Hebenstreit's mastery of it, renamed it "Le Pantalon”.

Returning from France, Hebenstreit sought court employment in his home region. He was a versatile and talented musician and took a number positions before in May 1714 he accepted a position at the Electoral Court in Dresden on a very good salary - 1200 Thalers. By 1729 Hebenstreit's failing eyesight, increasingly limited his capacity to fulfil all of his responsibilities.

Despite his undoubted virtuosity as a musician, his Pantaleon was too large, too expensive to build and too difficult to play to generate the kind of demand that would  justify commercial investment. Even so, because the instrument was played using hand-held hammers, thus allowing a huge dynamic range of sound, it carried the hints of the basic features of the piano. Some even deem it a precursor to the modern piano.

On 15 November 1750 Pantaleon Hebenstreit died and was buried in Dresden.

© Steve Burden

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