HARPSICHORDS
Our Story
The origins of the Merzdorf company are in Markneukirchen/Saxony. Company founder Walter Merzdorf, born in 1896, first completed a commercial apprenticeship. After the First World War he worked in the Weißenfels drum factory until he opened a musical instrument shop in Markneukirchen in 1920. At first he dealt in recorders, violins, guitars, etc. After studying in the Berlin Museum for Musical Instruments, he built his first clavichord in 1926. From 1931 he also built harpsichords, spinets, virginals and clavicitheriums. In October 1949 he changed his location from east to south-west Germany to Karlsruhe.
The Workshop in 1938
His son Eckehart Merzdorf completed an apprenticeship as a harpsichord builder in his father's company from 1953 - 1956 and completed the journeyman's examination as a chamber, state and national winner. He passed his master's examination in 1962. In 1970, on the occasion of the company's 50th anniversary, Eckehart Merzdorf took over the workshop that had been based in Remchingen since October 1969.
In 1978 Eckehart Merzdorf was recognized as an artist by the Karlsruhe Regional Finance Office.
In cooperation with Prof. Dr. Basic research has been carried out since 1988 by Wolfgang Stoestel from the Institute for Applied Physics in Karlsruhe. The state of Baden-Württemberg supported the research with innovation funding. At this time, the company found its way into modal analysis, with the help of which the vibrations of a soundboard could now be made visible for the first time. This was a huge step forward, because finally, moving images could be used to see where the individual frequencies originated. Based on these measurements, Merzdorf Cembalobau was now able to make targeted changes to the soundboard and to achieve the best sound construction on a scientific basis.
From 1989 to 1992, Susanne Merzdorf, the youngest daughter of the company owner, completed her training as a harpsichord maker in her father's company. After attending the piano building school in Ludwigsburg for a year, she passed the master examination as a piano and harpsichord maker in 1997, so that the successor to the Merzdorf company was secured. After that she worked for a year in the piano workshop of the Fischer company in Schorndorf.
Eckehart Merzdorf has been researching statics since the early 1990s. He found an interested structural engineer and music lover in Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Heil, who enabled him to calculate the case construction of a harpsichord for the first time. The calculations revealed that the cases of the original harpsichords warped unevenly in some cases. Thanks to Prof. Dr. With the help of salvation, the interior construction was improved to such an extent, taking into account the acoustics, that the housing hardly warps and good tuning is guaranteed. With calculated internal constructions on harpsichords, the Merzdorf company has done pioneering work worldwide.
Beginning in 1998, the Remchinger Harpsichord Day takes place every two years, offering numerous visitors the opportunity to find out more about the instruments made by Merzdorf Cembalobau, the workshop and many other details. In addition to the workshop tour, the daily program also includes an exhibition and a concert, which has always taken place in the Remchinger Kulturhalle. Above all, the concerts are always a highlight due to the collaboration with well-known harpsichordists such as Kenneth Gilbert, Christian Brembeck or Slobodan Jovanovic.
In 2011, Susanne Merzdorf took over the company from her father. She is now leading the family business in the third generation. Since 2015, Susanne Merzdorf, who, in addition to her work, is also a permanent member of the examination committee for journeyman and master craftsman examinations at the Oscar Walcker School in Ludwigsburg, has been organizing a workshop for her customers. Here you learn what to look out for when maintaining and caring for harpsichords and spinets.
Due to the high quality standards, Merzdorf Cembalobau has always enjoyed an increasing number of international customers. For example, in 2017 Susanne Merzdorf gave a lecture at the Princess Galyani Vadhana Music Institute in Bangkok, to which several instruments were delivered. The further expansion of trade relations, especially with Asia, is very important to her. For the company's 100th anniversary in 2020, the first Merzdorf harpsichord made its way to China.
Despite all the research, the construction of the instruments continues to be traditional. The sound of a particularly well-preserved original is still the measure of all things. The quality of the wood plays an important role.
It is built individually, each instrument is unique.
Modal analysis report
In collaboration with Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Stößel of the Institute of Applied Physics in Karlsruhe, fundamental research was conducted since 1988. The state of Baden-Württemberg supported this research with innovation funding. At this time, the company pioneered modal analysis, which made it possible for the first time to visualize the vibrations of a soundboard. This was a tremendous advance, as moving images finally made it possible to determine where the individual frequencies originated. Based on these measurements, Merzdorf Cembalobau was now able to make targeted modifications to the soundboard and achieve the optimal sound design on a scientific basis.
From 1989 to 1992, Susanne Merzdorf, the youngest daughter of the company owner, completed her apprenticeship as a harpsichord maker in her father's business. After attending the piano school in Ludwigsburg for a year, she passed her master craftsman's examination as a piano and harpsichord maker in 1997, thus securing her successor to the Merzdorf company. She then worked for a year in the piano workshop of the Fischer company in Schorndorf.
Since the early 1990s, Eckehart Merzdorf has been researching statics. He found an interested structural engineer and music lover in Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Heil, who enabled him to calculate the case construction of a harpsichord for the first time. The calculations revealed that the cases of original harpsichords sometimes warped unevenly. Thanks to Prof. Dr. Heil's assistance, the internal structures were improved, taking acoustics into account, to such an extent that the cases hardly warp and good tuning retention is guaranteed. The Merzdorf company has pioneered worldwide work with calculated internal structures for harpsichords.
Since 1998, the Remchingen Harpsichord Day has taken place every two years, offering numerous visitors the opportunity to learn about the instruments manufactured by Merzdorf Cembalobau, the workshop, and many other details. In addition to the workshop tour, the daily program, which has always taken place in the Remchingen Cultural Hall, also includes an exhibition and a concert. The concerts, in particular, are always a highlight, thanks to the collaborations with renowned harpsichordists such as Kenneth Gilbert, Christian Brembeck, and Slobodan Jovanovic.
Kenneth Gilbert,
Harpsichord Day 2006
In 2011, Susanne Merzdorf took over the company from her father. She now leads the family business in the third generation. Since 2015, Susanne Merzdorf, who, in addition to her work, is also a permanent member of the examination committee for journeyman and master craftsman examinations at the Oscar Walcker School in Ludwigsburg, has been holding a workshop for her customers. This workshop teaches the basics of maintaining and caring for harpsichords and spinets.
Due to its high quality standards, Merzdorf Cembalobau has always enjoyed an increasing number of international customers. For example, in 2017, Susanne Merzdorf gave a lecture at the Princess Galyani Vadhana Music Institute in Bangkok, to which the company has supplied several instruments. The further expansion of trade relations, especially in Asia, is a major priority for her.
Since January 2024, Mika Merzdorf, son of Susanne Merzdorf, has been completing his apprenticeship as a piano and harpsichord maker in the family business. In doing so, he is continuing the family tradition into the next generation. He is particularly inspired by the combination of artistic precision and the preservation of a rare, time-honored craft that remains alive in our workshop.
Despite all the research, the instruments are still built using traditional methods. The sound of a particularly well-preserved original is still the benchmark. The quality of the wood plays a significant role.
Each instrument is built individually, making it unique.
Our team
Susanne Merzdorf
Wolfgang Merzdorf
Eckehart Merzdorf
Mika Merzdorf