When was Johann Georg Andreas Stein born and where did he grow up?
Johann Georg Andreas Stein was born on the 16th of May 1728 in Heidelsheim. He learned his trade as an organ builder from his father within that same village.
Questions about Johann Andreas Stein
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What major innovation did Johann Georg Andreas Stein introduce around 1780?
Stein introduced the Prellzungenmechanik mechanism around 1780 which became known as the German hammer action. This design featured hammers sitting on top of keys with a small upward-facing hook called a beak to allow for remarkable control when playing softly.
Why did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart praise Johann Georg Andreas Stein's pianofortes during 1777?
Mozart preferred Stein's instruments because they dampened better than Regensburg models and maintained even tone regardless of how keys were touched. Stein guaranteed structural integrity by testing durability through exposure to rain, snow, and sun before selling them.
How did Nannette Streicher née Stein continue her father Johann Georg Andreas Stein's legacy after 1790?
Nannette took leadership of the firm around 1790 when illness struck her father and later moved the business to Vienna with her brother Matthäus. She developed her father's five-octave piano into a grand piano of six-and-a-half octaves by 1807 and continued improvements until 1811.
Which specific Johann Georg Andreas Stein instruments survive today in public collections?
About fifteen Hammerflügel bearing Stein's label survive today ranging from 1780 to 1794 while others reside in public collections like the Budapest National Museum. Emil Streicher owned the Hammerflügel of 1808 which is now part of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum collection.