Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel (1780 - 1826)

Dietrich Winkel was born in Amsterdam in 1780. He was the first inventor of a successful metronome.

In 1812, while experimenting with pendulums, he discovered that a pendulum weighted on both sides of the pivot could beat steady time, even for the slow tempos often used in European classical music.

Unfortunately, Winkel did not appropriately protect his idea, and by 1816, Johann Nepenuk Mälzel had stolen his construction ideas and patented the so-called "Mälzel Metronome," which remains in use to this day.

Thus, even today Mälzel often incorrectly receives credit for what was rightly Winkel's creation.