In a message dated 4/17/1999 11:21:40 AM, Avery wrote: <<"I think it was just simply a reference to the fact that it is neither square nor a grand (in the sense that we think of them).">> Newton , Avery, et al; The question of "square" grands is probably like the term "baby" grand. By that I mean thoroughly confused :-) In searching through Loesser's book hunting for references to "baby grand" I ran across several conflicting accounts of the difference between a grand and a pianoforte. Apparently with the advent of vertically strung and horizontially strung instruments the terms 'grand' and 'pianoforte' took on different meanings, with grand meaning horizontially strung instruments and pianoforte meaning vertically strung instruments. (even this point is debatable:) Even though this may be so, it is hard to imagine a virginal type instrument as being a "grand". The term "grand" is first recorded in 1777, according to Loesser, when Stoddart recieved a patent for a "grand action for pianoforte" Square pianos were known as "squares" but sometimes were referred to as "square grands" because they were horizontally strung and the strings were struck from below. As you might imagine this too is debatable as firms, such as the Franklin Company, of Boston, advertised for sale "two excellent Viennese made Horizontal Grand Pianofortes" (well that is a great help huh?) Several years later Franklin advertised "a great variety of 'uprights', 'grands' and 'squares' made by Clementi and Co. So there was a distinction made......but the criteria used?????? Further muddying these waters is the mention of Alexander Reinagle "presiding over the ochrestra from his Grand Square Pianoforte"..........which Loesser suggests was just a large square! The conclusion?? I don't know, except that the "square grand" definitely is not a "Flugel". This must be some kind of answer as various manufacturers have used various names for these rectangular shaped instruments over the years. I don't know if it makes any difference as the only thing that we can 'definitely' say is that they are extinct as a mass manufactured commoditiy. Once considered the pinnacle of development these "squares", a.k.a. "square grands", were quickly supplanted by designers addressing their many weaknesses and developing what we know today as the "Grand" piano. We owe a debt of gratitude to these old "square grands" as they were a step along the way to todays Grand. Now if we could just do something about hot pressed, laquer soaked, plastic coated hammers :-) Jim Bryant (FL)
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