A core focus of the CCHK collection is the so-called Viennese piano, a lineage defined first and foremost by its mechanism. Invented by Johann Andreas Stein in the 1770s in Augsburg, Germany, the Viennese piano thrived for roughly 100 years before being superseded by French, English, and American designs. The CCHK collection holds a Stein copy as well as one of the last representatives of the lineage, an 1857 instrument by Stein’s grandson, Johann Baptist Streicher. In this Salon, CCHK artist-in-residence Mike Lee explores why the Viennese piano shot to prominence but fell out of fashion as it grew in size like all other 19th-century pianos. The Salon also traces the storied legacy of three generations of a piano-making dynasty and the pivotal role Nanette Streicher (née Stein) – perhaps the best-known female piano maker ever – holds in the history of music. Excerpts from Mozart and Brahms will be performed on both instruments. Co-sponsored by the Society for the Humanities.

Space is limited, and advance reservations are recommended at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054fa9af2ea3ff2-march

Campus visitors and members of the public must adhere to Cornell’s public health requirements for events, which include wearing masks while indoors and providing proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test.