Fortepiano Virtuoso Brings Rare 1819 Replica to Shanghai Concert

Pianist Wang Yuehan will introduce the charm of fortepiano to music fans with a recital at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center next month.

Fortepiano is a piano used in the mid-18th to early-19th century, featuring a softer sound and smaller frame compared to modern pianos. Composers of the classical era, especially Haydn, Mozart, and the younger Beethoven, wrote their piano music on the fortepianos.

As one of China's few fortepianists, Wang has always considered it a responsibility to introduce the ancient instrument to the public and help audience better understand its appeal.

On September 4, she will present works by Haydn, Beethoven, and Schumann on a replica of an 1819 Graf fortepiano.

This instrument, brought to Shanghai by Wang, is extremely rare and precious in China. Its replica is based on the original Graf No. 318 piano, housed in the Peilstein Goat Castle in the Czech Republic, dating back to 1819.

Compared to the Walter piano Wang previously used at the Oriental Art Center, this piano still retains an all-wooden frame construction, but features larger hammers, a compass of six and a half octaves, an increased number of strings, and pedals operated by foot instead of knee levers.

This instrument combines the clarity and transparency of Viennese instruments from the Classical period with the tenderness and lyricism of the early Romantic era, while offering an exceptionally wide dynamic range.

Wang said the fortepiano helped her to better understand the reasoning and logic behind the compositions of great musicians, and she hopes to share the warmth and intimacy of the fortepiano with music lovers.

Performance info

Date: September 4, 7:45pm

Tickets: 80-300 yuan

Venue: Shanghai Oriental Art Center 上海东方艺术中心

Address: 425 Dingxiang Rd 丁香路425号