A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Oblique Piano

by A. J. Hipkins

OBLIQUE PIANO. A cottage pianoforte the strings of which are disposed diagonally, instead of vertically as is usual in upright instruments. The greatest angle however is at the longest and lowest string: the bias gradually diminishing until the shortest and highest string is vertical or nearly so. The object is to get greater length in the bass strings. The invention of the Oblique Piano is due to Robert Wornum, of London, who, in 1811, took out a patent for an upright piano with the strings set diagonally, and the heads of the hammers in the same rake as the strings. The Oblique Piano was comparatively early adopted in France, especially by Messrs. Roller & Blanchet, who made very distinguished small instruments in this manner. The principle has since been generally adopted by the best French and English makers, and more recently by the Germans and Americans. [See Pianoforte.]

[ A. J. H. ]