The Queen’s grand piano stole the show
黄金钢琴在英国女王演讲中大放异彩
By Elizabeth Davis
When the Queen addressed the nation for her traditional Queen’s Speech on Christmas Day at 3pm, the nation were distracted by something in the background.It wasn’t the family photographs on the desk – instead it was the piano in the background. The instrument was a gilded, painted and varnished Erard grand piano from 1856.
当女王在圣诞节当天下午3点向全国发表传统的女王演讲时，作为演讲背景的某样事物吸引了全国人民的注意力。此次博取关注度的并非不是摆放在桌面上的家庭照片，而是一架用于布景的钢琴。这架Erard三角钢琴制于1856年，经历了镀金，喷漆和抛光等制作工序。
Who made the Queen’s golden piano?
谁制作了女王的黄金钢琴？
The piano was made by Erard – the French firm whose instruments were famously used by Chopin, Liszt, Mendelssohn and Wagner. And it was made in 1856, during the reign of Queen Victoria and given to the queen on 30 April 1856.
钢琴是由法国的Erard公司制造的，其乐器被肖邦、李斯特、门德尔松和瓦格纳所使用。它是在1856年维多利亚女王统治期间制造的，1856年4月30日送给英国女王。
The Queen's golden Erard piano
女王的黄金钢琴
Victoria and Albert were passionate about music – Mendelssohn was one of the queen’s favourite composers – and the royal couple made sure there was a piano in each of the private apartments in their residences. They played duets together, including arrangements of overtures and symphonies.
维多利亚女王和其丈夫艾伯特热衷于音乐。门德尔松是维克多利亚女王最喜欢的作曲家之一，这对皇室夫妇确保他们家中的每间私人公寓都有一架钢琴。他们一起演奏二重奏，包括序曲和交响乐的乐章。
This particular piano isn’t exactly a standard model. It’s gilded (decorated with gold leaf) and painted by the miniature painter François Théodore Rochard.The designs on the piano depict cherubs as well as ‘singeries’ – comical scenes showing monkeys playing musical instruments and generally causing mischief.
这架特别的钢琴并非依照千篇一律的模型制成。它是镀金的（用金箔装饰），由微型画家弗朗索瓦·塔·罗克哈德绘制而成。钢琴上的图画描绘了小天使以及“singeries”——即猴子戏仿人类演奏乐器的滑稽场面。
How much is it worth?
钢琴值多少钱？
This isn't an easy question to answer. There are Erard grand pianos for sale, from around the same period, for around $175,000 (£138,000). But this piano is a one of a kind, hand-painted model. So it would hard to put a price on it!This piano was intended as a showpiece for the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace. And it still manages to get people talking almost two centuries later.
这不是一个容易回答的问题。与这架钢琴同一时期的在售价大约175000美元。但这架钢琴是世界上独一无二的手工艺品。所以很难给它标价！这架钢琴是为白金汉宫的国宾厅准备的。两个世纪后，它仍然成为了人们的谈资。
（本文转载自微信公众号：音乐文献编译组）
