“A singing phrase the way I liked it”: Friedrich Kalkbrenner’s response to the Viennese piano sound

Friedrich Kalkbrenner (1785-1849) was an eminent composer and performer active in the early 19th century. As a pianist, he developed a preference for the full-rounded sound of English and French pianos which reflected his sound ideals. His opinions about pianos and piano playing focus on one particular element: sound resonance, or as he expresses it, the singing tone of the piano. Kalkbrenner took special care regarding this sonic aspect since it highly influenced his artistic choices. In 1824, during his stay in Vienna, he reported to have manipulated the damper action of a Conrad Graf piano in order to successfully play a singing phrase as expressive as he wished.