Photograph of Grand Piano Purchased by Anne Brown (1940)
Title
Photograph of Grand Piano Purchased by Anne Brown (1940)
Description
The music room came alive when Anne Seddon Kinsolving married John Nicholas Brown II. They were both avid supporters of the arts and musicians themselves. In 1940, Anne bought what is the centerpiece of the room: the Steinway & Sons’ grand piano. This magnificent 7-foot piano perfectly balanced the quality of sound and aesthetic beauty. This particular size of piano was used in more intimate settings, and so fits the room.
The piano transformed the music room into a center for a family culture of performance and art. Even though the family attended operas, ballets, and concerts in neighboring cities, they would also invite musicians such as a famous Russian cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich to play in their home. John and Anne also encouraged their children, Nicholas, J. Carter, and Angela to practice piano and they wrote mini compositions together. Now, Brown University students use the piano. The music room comes alive again when Applied Music Program (AMP) students come to practice.
The piano transformed the music room into a center for a family culture of performance and art. Even though the family attended operas, ballets, and concerts in neighboring cities, they would also invite musicians such as a famous Russian cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich to play in their home. John and Anne also encouraged their children, Nicholas, J. Carter, and Angela to practice piano and they wrote mini compositions together. Now, Brown University students use the piano. The music room comes alive again when Applied Music Program (AMP) students come to practice.
Creator
Steinway & Sons
Source
Digital copy created by the John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage
Date
1940
Contributor
Minah Seo
Rights
Rights Status Not Evaluated
Citation
Steinway & Sons , “Photograph of Grand Piano Purchased by Anne Brown (1940),” Digital Tours of The Nightingale-Brown House , accessed November 2, 2025, https://cds.library.brown.edu/NBHouse/items/show/49.