In the exposition of the Majit Gafuri Memorial House-Museum, this piano occupies a special place. On his anniversary in 1923, the poet was presented with the piano by employees of the People’s Commissariat for Education. The instrument bears the manufacturer’s stamp: ‘The Oldest Russian Steam Piano Factory of the Diederichs Brothers’.
This famous musical instrument factory was founded in 1810 in St Petersburg. It was opened by Friedrich Diederichs, a native of the Duchy of Braunschweig. At first, the factory was a small workshop where the owner himself and another craftsman worked. By 1822, it became a full-fledged enterprise.
The first instruments made by Diederichs were exact reproductions of Viennese models, which were famous around the world. After his death in 1846, the business was handed over to his widow who remained in business for twenty-two years. After her the factory was inherited by one heir after another.
At the World Industrial Exhibition in Paris in 1900, the factory’s products were awarded the Grand Prix and its owner Andreas Diederichs received an honorary order. In its hundred years of existence, the Diederichs factory produced at least 18,000 grand pianos and pianos. But in 1918, the company closed down.
Famous composers and guests of the Gafuri family, such as Sultan Gabashi, Gaziz Almukhametov and Zagidulla Yarullin, played on the piano, displayed at the exhibition. The poet’s wife Zukhra and son Anvar also used the instrument. Majit Gafuri also loved music and was good at playing folk songs.
The piano is a kind of fortepiano, distinguished by its smaller size. This instrument is designed for home music making in small rooms. Because of its compact size, the piano has a quieter sound than, for example, the grand piano. For this reason, it is almost never used on stage.
The birthplace of the first fortepiano is Italy. The Italian master Bartolomeo Cristofori created it in 1709. He took the case of the harpsichord and the keyboard mechanism of the clavichord as the basis. The piano was invented in 1800. The instrument received its modern form only in the middle of the 19th century.
In Russia, the fortepiano became known in 1818–1820. Subsequently, the most common instrument in the country was the cabinet piano. The exhibit from the museum collection belongs to this type.
This famous musical instrument factory was founded in 1810 in St Petersburg. It was opened by Friedrich Diederichs, a native of the Duchy of Braunschweig. At first, the factory was a small workshop where the owner himself and another craftsman worked. By 1822, it became a full-fledged enterprise.
The first instruments made by Diederichs were exact reproductions of Viennese models, which were famous around the world. After his death in 1846, the business was handed over to his widow who remained in business for twenty-two years. After her the factory was inherited by one heir after another.
At the World Industrial Exhibition in Paris in 1900, the factory’s products were awarded the Grand Prix and its owner Andreas Diederichs received an honorary order. In its hundred years of existence, the Diederichs factory produced at least 18,000 grand pianos and pianos. But in 1918, the company closed down.
Famous composers and guests of the Gafuri family, such as Sultan Gabashi, Gaziz Almukhametov and Zagidulla Yarullin, played on the piano, displayed at the exhibition. The poet’s wife Zukhra and son Anvar also used the instrument. Majit Gafuri also loved music and was good at playing folk songs.
The piano is a kind of fortepiano, distinguished by its smaller size. This instrument is designed for home music making in small rooms. Because of its compact size, the piano has a quieter sound than, for example, the grand piano. For this reason, it is almost never used on stage.
The birthplace of the first fortepiano is Italy. The Italian master Bartolomeo Cristofori created it in 1709. He took the case of the harpsichord and the keyboard mechanism of the clavichord as the basis. The piano was invented in 1800. The instrument received its modern form only in the middle of the 19th century.
In Russia, the fortepiano became known in 1818–1820. Subsequently, the most common instrument in the country was the cabinet piano. The exhibit from the museum collection belongs to this type.
