Stephen Birkett wrote:
 
>>I can confirm that Bill is being very modest here - I've played his tangi
>>in the museum and it's an absolutely amazing instrument. You can get
>>sound from harpsichord-like, to piano-like, with a huge range of tone
>>from ppp to almost organ-like power. You can understand precisely
>>Mozart's enthusiasm for these instruments. Too bad they were a
>>*commercial* dead-end.
 
Thanks to Bill, Stephen and all who've responded to my post.  Any ideas
why the "commercial dead end".  It seems practically all of the historical
instruments were built by one firm.  Yet their capabilities seem on a par
with the early fortepiano.  Did they lose the race for more ever more
volume?
 
Best regards,
 
Paul Masser