Our company has started an interesting relationship with Paul McNulty, who can be considered indeed one of the most important fortepiano makers in the world. We both feel that there is a great potential for this fantastic instrument, if we just consider the great number of musicians who are searching an historical approach to the early piano repertoire.

We have many things in common, for instance the great interest for the sound quality and the meticulous care of the details. Our common goal is to attract more and more people to the fortepiano world, through a project that will combine our efforts to improve both production and sales in a similar way to what we have realized in the field of harpsichord.

Among the several fortepiano models built by Paul McNulty we have decided to show you three instruments which seem to us of extraordinary quality. In order to have an overall outlook on all the purchasing possibilities, we invite you to write or to call us directly. Moreover, if you wish to try a McNulty instrument we will be glad to invite you in Italy or to Prague. Alternatively, we can tell you where to find one close to where you live. In addition, if you are interested in knowing the personal opinion of musicians like for instance Malcom Bilson, Paul Badura Skoda or Stanley Hoogland we will be glad to provide you with a complete reference list.

Fortepiano after A. WALTER (ca. 1792) Compass: FF - g3 Moderator and sustaining knee levers, veneered in sawn walnut, hand-chased and gold plated brass feet and ornaments, traditional shellac finish “French Polish”. Several options available

Fortepiano after GRAF op. 318 (ca. 1819) Compass: CC - f4 Moderator, double moderator, sustaining and 'una corda' pedals veneered in sawn walnut, gold plated nameplate frame traditional shellac finish “French Polish”. Several options available

Fortepiano after WALTER & SOHN (ca. 1805) Compass: FF - C4 Moderator and sustaining knee levers, veneered in sawn walnut, hand-chased and gold plated brass feet and ornaments, traditional shellac finish “French Polish”. Several options available

Anton Walter (1752 - 1826), who had the title of “Chamber Organ Builder and Instrument Maker in Vienna”, is considered to be the most famous fortepiano builder of his time. He improved the Viennese pianoforte action, which remained a standard for many years. He built about 700 instruments, which were praised for their quality by Mozart, who bought a Walter in 1782, and by Beethoven, who nearly succeeded in buying one in1802. According to Mozart’s son Carl: “Most remarkable is the wing-shaped Pianoforte for which my father had a special preference to such a degree that he not only wanted to have it in his study all the time, but exclusively used this and no other instrument in all his concerts, regardless of whether they took place in court, in the palaces of noblemen or in theatres or other public places”

Anton Walter was born near Stuttgart in 1752 and became active in Vienna in 1778. When in 1800 his stepson joined the company, the firm name was changed from “Anton Walter” to “Anton Walter und Sohn”. The keyboard compass increased, but the basic construction and sound of the instruments stayed the same.

The fortepiano features moderator and sustaining knee levers, the equivalent of pedals on the modern piano. The moderator inserts a piece of cloth between the hammer and the strings, thereby softening and mellowing the sound. The sustaining knee lever is the equivalent to the damper (right) pedal on the modern piano