By 1980, interest in 18th.-century pianos had achieved enough momentum to warrant a conference of national proportions at the Smithsonian. (Note the original name of the Museum of History and Technology – before it evolved into the Museum of American History.) The museum’s keyboard collection, Tom’s restorations of their Broadwood and Dulcken fortepianos, our reproductions of the Dulcken, and the advocacy of the Division of Musical Instruments staff made it a logical site for one of the earliest prominent colloquiums on the subject. Articles prompted by the event brought wider attention to the revival of classical repertoire being played on historically accurate keyboard instruments. The great music critic Harold Schonberg gave his account in the New York Times. The Wolfs, as the youngest up-and-coming participants, felt both honored and a bit visionary.
Meanwhile, another French double made its way out of the shop with our first Louis XVI stand, based on one under the Benoist Stehlin harpsichord at the Smithsonian.
