Casta Diva, che inargenti
queste sacre antiche piante
A noi volgi il bel sembiante,
senza nube e senza vel!

Tempra o Diva,
tempra tu de' cori ardenti!
Tempra ancora lo zelo audace!
Spargi in terra quella pace,
Che regnar tu fai nel Ciel.

CASTA DIVA - Norma – Vincenzo Bellini  (1801-1835)

Norma is a tragedia lirica or opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini with libretto by Felice Romani after Norma, ossia L'infanticidio (Norma, or The Infanticide) by Alexandre Soumet. First produced at La Scala on December 26, 1831, it is generally regarded as an example of the supreme height of the Bel canto tradition. "Casta diva" was one of the most familiar arias of the nineteenth century

John Broadwood & Sons - square piano no 27903 Manufacturers to their Magesties & the Princefs’s

33 Gt Pulteny St Golden Square London

1822

Kuise Godin, moge jij een zilveren licht 
over deze heilige oude planten verspreiden
Naar ons het mooie aangezicht  richten, 
zonder wolk en zonder sluier.

 Temper o Godin,
temper de brandende harten!
Temper ook het onverschrokken vuur!
Verspreid over de aarde die vrede, 
Die jij in de hemel laat heersen.

John Broadwood & Son 1794 & John Broadwood & Sons 1822 square pianos Johann Christian Bach  1735-1782 - Sonate G-Dur

& Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756 -1791 Sonata for Two pianos in D. major, KV 448

1775 - 25

1780 - 50

1785 - 409

1790 - 1266

1795 - 2800

1800 - 5397

1805 - 9637

1810 - 14510

1815 - 20000

1820 - 25570

1825 - 32400

1830 - 40000

1835 - 45280

1840 - 52087

1845 - 58000

1850 - 59600

1855 - 63000

1860 - 63470

1865 - 64000

 

1782 John Broadwood

1794 John Broadwood & Son

1808 John Broadwood & Sons

 

1795

Firm became 'John Broadwood & Son', with the introduction of John Broadwood's elder son James Shudi Broadwood.

 

1796

A grand made as a present for the Queen of Spain, the case designed by Thomas Sheraton with Wedgwood medallions (now in the Boston Museum of Fine Art).

 

1798

Main production, the grand and square. Not yet the upright, although the 'upright grand' was introduced - a grand on its end, over 8 ft high. Important customers included the wives of Nelson and Wellington.

 

1808

Firm became 'John Broadwood & Sons', with the introduction of John Broadwood's second son, Thomas