Johannes Zumpe

Johannes Zumpe, born on June 14, 1726, in Fürth, a town near Nuremberg in modern-day Germany, made important early English square pianos. These pianos were special because they had a rectangular shape and could play about five octaves of notes.

Zumpe’s pianos were known for their soft, gentle sound, much like that of a harpsichord. One unique feature of his pianos was a damper stop on the left side of the piano case, which made playing easier and more fun.

Zumpe spent much of his career in London, UK, where he continued to make and improve these square pianos. He passed away on December 5, 1790, and was buried in London. His work helped shape the early development of the piano as we know it today.

Biography

Johannes Zumpe was born in June 1726 in Germany. He learned to make musical instruments from Gottfried Silbermann. During the Seven Years' War, Zumpe and other German instrument makers moved to London. He worked briefly with Burkat Shudi and then opened his own shop called "the Golden Guittar" in Hanover Square in 1761.

Zumpe later worked with Gabriel Buntebart from 1769 to 1778. In 1778, Meincke Meyer joined him. After Zumpe died, Frederick Schoene took over the business and called it "Successors to Johannes Zumpe". Zumpe married Elizabeth Beeston in 1760, and his will from 1784 listed his address as Queen Charlotte Row in St Mary-le-Bow.

Pianos

Zumpe made pianos between about 1760 and 1800. These pianos were smaller and cheaper than big, wing-shaped pianos. This made them easier for many musicians, especially hobby players, to own. They helped many people learn and enjoy playing the piano, and they began to replace the harpsichord.

Famous musician Johann Christian Bach played on a Zumpe piano and might have helped sell these pianos. Zumpe also made other instruments, such as full-sized pianos, harpsichords, a special guitar from 1762, and a mandora from 1764.

Action

These small pianos had a simple way of playing called the "English single." It worked by a small part called a "sticker" pushing up a hammer. At the same time, a rod lifted a damper lever to let the sound play.

The parts of this action include:

1. key; the part the player presses, located on the far right
2. jack; a wire with a leather piece on top
3. whalebone rear guide, helps keep the key steady
4. hammer; hits the string to make sound
5. whalebone jack, called the mopstick
6. damper; stops the sound of the string when lowered
7. whalebone damper spring