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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



tlie house of Broadwood & Sons, existing at tliis date in London, 

 and still eminent as piano manufacturers. Plenius, another Lon- 

 don liarpsicliord-maker, attempted to co])y Father Wood's x>iano- 

 forte, but failed to poyjularize the form, and ceased manufacturing 

 the instrument in a few years. 



Throughout England little was known of the piano-forte until 

 the arrival of twelve workmen in London from German shops, 

 about 17G0. This turned the tide of popularity in its favor, for, 

 having had practical experience abroad, they produced instru- 

 ments of more musical value than those experimental pianos 

 hitherto made by Plenius and Tschudi, These men were famil- 

 iarly known as the " twelve apostles.'' From Cristofori's time to 

 1760 all the piano-fortes made were in the form of " grands," but 

 very diminutive as compared with those of our time. This shape 

 was borrowed from the harpsichord, out of which the piano-forte 

 was evolved. Zumpe, however, a German workman, who went 

 over to London among the group indicated, produced square 

 pianos for the first time, which he sold at a reasonable figure ; 

 and this feature, combined with their portable appearance and 

 pleasant touch, won rapid popularity for the instrument. 



John Broadwood, the 

 founder of Broadwood 

 & Sons, a young Scotch- 

 man, came to London in 

 1751, and found employ- 

 ment in Tschudi's work- 

 shop. He rose rapidly 

 in the favor of his mas- 

 ter, and subsequently 

 married the latter's 

 daughter. Afterward 

 becoming a partner, up- 

 on the death of Tschudi 

 he inherited the busi- 

 ness. Broadwood, by 

 his personal genius as 

 an inventor and work- 

 man, rescued Tschudi 

 from being a mere harp- 

 sichord - maker, and, 

 toward 1786, Tschudi & Broadwood became pre-eminently known 

 as piano-forte makers. Broadwood was instrumental in intro- 

 ducing the action at present known as the " English grand 

 action," which originated with Backers, a workman in Tschudi's 

 shop, in 1776. Robert Stodart, another graduate of Tschudi's 

 workshop, succeeded to a successful business established by Back- 



FiG. 7. — JoiKv Bkoadwood. 



