Sébastien Érard

Sébastien Érard (5 April 1752 – 5 August 1831), born Sébastien Erhard, was a French instrument maker of German origin who specialised in the production of pianos and harps, developing the capacities of both instruments and pioneering the modern piano.

He was born at Strasbourg. While a boy he showed great aptitude for practical geometry and architectural drawing, and in the workshop of his father, who was an upholsterer, he found opportunity for the early exercise of his mechanical ingenuity. When he was sixteen his father died, and he removed to Paris where he obtained employment with a harpsichord maker...


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company's growth led to the opening of a factory and employee village in what is now Astoria, Queens in New York City, followed by a second factory in Hamburg, Germany, in 1880. Its early success has been credited both to the quality of its instruments and its effective marketing, including the company's introduction of Steinway Halls.

Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg's dedication was: "To build the best piano possible". He established at his company three basic principles: "Build to a standard, not a price", "Make no compromise in quality", and "Strive always to improve the instrument». Research and inventions by the company have earned it so far around 130 patents, a greater number than any other piano company.

After merging with the Selmer Company in 1995, Steinway's current affiliates include the Boston and Essex lines of pianos. The Selmer Company, today named Conn-Selmer, is a subsidiary of Steinway.

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This book is being published on the Celebration of the Bi-centennial of the House Pleyel. It redraws, in the first part, the life of the founder Ignace Joseph and his son Camille, friend of Chopin. Second, thank you to the consultation of the (Archives Pleyel) even then unpublished, describes the various models of pianos constructed by Pleyel from 1807 to 1857. The life of Chopin from 1831 until his death, related by the bias of the pianos Pleyel put at his disposal. Many Surprises and revelations arise during many of the pages of this book devoted to the (Passion of the Century)

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