page_title: Conrad Graf
section_title: Graf's pianos
hierarchical_section_title: Conrad Graf / Graf's pianos
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Hammerflügel von Conrad Graf (1782–1851). Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim
context_page_description: Conrad Graf was an Austrian-German piano maker. His pianos were used by Beethoven, Chopin, and Robert Schumann Clara Schumann, among others.
context_section_description: As was typical with the pianos of his day, Graf's instruments use rather little metal reinforcement. The only metal structural part was the gap spacer, which reinforced the structure at the gap where the strings cross over the action; otherwise, their construction was entirely of wood. The stringing was straight (that is, all strings parallel, instead of the bass strings crossing over the treble as in modern pianos). The range as C′–f′′′′ or g′′′′. There were from three to five pedals, which other than the standard damper pedal could also include the soft pedal, bassoon stop, piano and pianissimo moderators, and janissary stop).
  Although Graf pianos had no metal frame, they were very strong. According to Wythe, "The frame members, constructed of five-ply laminated oak and spruce, interlock like bricks at each joint and at the belly rail, creating an exceptionally stable frame." The case was laminated (i.e., built in layers, as it usually is in modern grands). The sturdy construction prevented warping, which was a common problem of pianos in Graf's day, when both number and tension of strings was increasing.
  Viennese pianos, including Graf's, are known for effective damping of sound after the key is released. Graf achieved this result by a variety of means. The dampers were graded in size (larger in the bass), and used different materials for different ranges (wool in the treble, leather in the bass). The weight of the dampers was also controlled: dampers for lower notes were made of a heavier wood (beech), vs. lime in the treble. The lowest 13–17 dampers were weighted with lead.
  A curious aspect of some of Graf's pianos was a second soundboard. This had no bridges, but simply floated above the strings (not attached to them). According to Wythe its purpose was to make the sound "mellower and more blended." The instrument shown in this article has such a soundboard.
  The exterior of Graf's pianos was largely undecorated, emphasizing instead the beauty of bookmatched veneers in walnut and mahogany. (The mirror-image motif created by bookmatching is visible in the illustration above.) The natural keys were normally of ivory and the sharps of ebony.
  Thanks to their sturdy construction, Graf pianos have lasted for a long time. Over 60 of them have survived to the present day and can be found in many of the musical instrument museums of Europe and the United States.
  With a single exception, the surviving Graf pianos are grands. The exception is a notable one, an 1829 pyramid piano (a kind of upright) built on commission and extravagantly decorated with caryatids, an ornamental urn, and other sculptures. It is kept in the Gemeentemuseum in the Hague.
caption: Piano by Conrad Graf.  Click for expanded view.
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