The Erard Grand Piano

Erard Grands are a type of grand piano created by Sebastien Erard, a French instrument maker living in Paris. He built his first piano in Paris in 1777 and soon became known for the quality of his instruments. He was forced to move to London during the French Revolution, as his fame led him to be commissioned to produce pianos for some very important people, even royalty. When Carroll requests a grand piano to be sent to Burma, he is given an Erard. Edgar is a piano tuner who specializes in Erards, and so when Carroll needs a tuner Edgar is commissioned. Edgar thinks the Erard is a particularly fine kind of piano and he admires the model that Carroll has procured.

The piano is incredibly important for Carroll, as he means to use it to share his culture with the local people. He hopes...