History of the firm

1920 Workshop established by Walter Merzdorf in Markneukirchen/Sachsen. At first, business was done with recorders, guitars violines and others. 1926 the first instruments were built according to historical models.

1949 A new workshop was opened in Karlsruhe-Grötzingen.

1953 - 1956 Eckehart Merzdorf's apprenticeship in his father's Workshop; Federal 1st prize winner on the completion of his apprenticeship. 1962 Eckehart Merzdorf's Master exam in Piano and Harpsichord construction and Craftsmanship.

1970 Eckehart Merzdorf took over his father's firm on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the firm.

1978 Awarded the Artist titel. 1981 "Festival de Paris" both finalists played on the Merzdorf-Harpsichord model after Blanchet. 1984 Two concert Harpsichords provided for the ARD-Harpsichord-Competition in Munich. 1986 International Harpsichord Competition "Festival von Flandern" in Brügge the majority of the contestants wished to play the two-manual Harpsichord model after Blanchet originating from the Merzdorf Workshop.

1988 Registration of a Patent the artificial aging of wood in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Stößel, University of Karlsruhe. The beginning of Modalanalysis: With the help of a special computerprogramm the waves (oscillation) of the soundboard could be seen; this technic led to new discoveries concerning the construction of the soundboard. 1989 Invited to the 41th Craftsman Fair in Munich, in a special setting called Exempla 89 where Merzdorf Harpsichords were exhibited. Daughter Susanne Merzdorf begins her apprenticeship to built Harpsichords in her father's workshop.

1991 The beginning of a long cooperation with Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Heil from the Institut for Construction Statistics at the University of Karlsruhe; Calculations for the inner construction of Harpsichords and Spinets: the frame-work construction of the instruments are optimated without leaving out the acustical considerations. The frames thus remain stabile and a better tuning is a result.

1993 Puplication of an article "Klanganalyse eines Cembalos" (Sound analysis of a harpsichord), by Dieter Stehle in the "Musikinstrumentenbau-Zeitung. 1996 "Was hat Baustatik mit einem Cembalo zu tun?" (What does Statistical Construction have to do with a Harpsichord?), Publication of an article by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Heil from the Polytechnical University of Karlsruhe.

1997 Susanne Merzdorf successfully completes her Masterexam as a Craftsman for the building of Pianos and Harpsichords at the Craftsman Chamber in Stuttgart.

 

References:

Almost all German Musikhochschulen (Academies for higher musical education) are in possession of MERZDORF- Instruments. Also in foreign countries, Merzdorf Harpsichords are highly appreciated: The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, the Conservatoire de Musique in Strasbourg, the Tschaikowsky-Conservatory in Moskau, the Gnessin's Musicschool in Moscow, the Musicschool in Trondheim/Norway, Bergen/Norway, San Sebastian/Spain, Verona/Italy etc.have acquired Instruments from the House of Merzdorf. Furthermore the following Broadcasting Corporations belong to our Clientele: Radio Bremen, SWR-Baden-Baden, SWR-Studio Freiburg, SWR-Studio Mainz.