Klavier#
Piano (piano construction): The German piano builder J. A. Stein invented a fundamentally new piano mechanism, which was in use as "Viennese action" for a long time in Austria and Germany and made the piano a solo instrument. His daughter Nanette, who was married to J. A. Streicher, a friend of Schiller's, moved the factory from Augsburg to Vienna, which quickly developed into a centre of piano making. By 1823 there were already 92 piano makers, by 1845 their number had increased to 107. Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt and Clara Schumann all played grand pianos from Graff in Vienna, and the Vienna trademarks of Schweighofer, Doerr and Streicher were also highly esteemed. From 1828 onwards the Boesendorfer grand pianos (Ignaz and Ludwig Boesendorfer) gained the worldwide reputation which continues today, and the trademark of Ehrbar (Friedrich Ehrbar) became sought after. Nowadays there are only a few piano makers and piano factories left in Austria.