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The Harpsichord
A Brief History of the Harpsichord
An instrument used through the 15th and the 18th centuries, Which was then modified and made into the Pianoforte. -
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PIANO
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. -
The Pianoforte
A History of the Piano
Bartolomeo Cristofori, the inventor of the Pianoforte. This was a modified version of the harpsichord, and was often called "hammer harpsichord". The pianoforte struck one of the strings with a small hammer opposed to plucking them like the harpsichord did. -
The Pyramid Piano
Christian Ernst Friederici, a pupil of Gottfried Silbermann, had been thinking up many different ways to design a piano. The pyramid piano, which was a piano that were grand-shaped pianos set vertically, but not to be confused with an upright piano. -
The Square Piano
A History of the Piano
Although this instrument did not become popular until after the Seven Years' War in Germany, Johann Christoph Zumpe had come up with a piano of a different shape. -
The First Upright Piano
The upright piano, first made by Domenico del Mela. It would look like a grand piano stood upright, similar to an upright as we know it today. -
George Frederic Handel's Messiah
George Frederic Handel's Messiah was first performed on this day in Ireland. Most of Handel's music is played on the piano. -
Francisco Perez Mirabal
Francisco Perez Mirabal, a spanish piano maker, The stringing is unusual in that there are three strings for each note in the treble. Through its process of plucking, it would create an unusual harmonic combination. -
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is born. Who, through his childhood and adult life will compose many fabulous pieces of music. -
Ludwig van Beethoven
During this year, Beethoven was born. Another composer who wrote many well known songs. One known today is Fur Elise -
"Una Corda" Pedal
John Joseph Merlin came to England and introduced the "una corda" pedal which moved the action to one side, hitting only two strings instead of three, making the piano quieter. -
The Sustaining Pedal
Broadwood introduced and invented the susatining pedal which, if you are playing a note and you press this pedal, that note, or several notes that you were playing will be sustained and as long as your foot is still on the pedal, you may take your hand off of those notes but the sound will linger on. -
The First Upright Piano
John Isaac Hawkins invented the first true upright piano. In this piano, strings ran below the keyboard with hitch pins at the bottom (unlike the pyramid piano where the strings ran up from the keyboard to the top). The compass was five octaves with an octave span of 158 mm., which is narrow. -
Grand Piano made for Napoleon
Erard made a grand for Napoleon, which had a Viennese action and five pedals. -
Johann Strauss
During this year Johann Strauss was born, a musician who wrote Waltzes, Polkas, Marches and many other types of music. -
Pleyel Pianos
During this year Ignace Joseph Pleyel opened a factory and also was the first to make a double grand, two pianos in one case, with one keyboard at each end. -
Frederic Chopin
Frederic Chopin was born on this day, and grew up to be an amazing pianist, writer and musician. -
Full Iron Frame
Babcock, an American inventor, patented the full iron frame. Since the strings vibrate from the plate at both ends, vibrations absorbed by the plate result in energy loss to the desired (efficient) sound transmission channel, namely the bridge and the soundboard. -
Variety of Hammers
Paint-covered hammers with rabbit's fur and sheep's wool felt were used. during this time, people also used two layers of felt. Buckskin was still commonly used for the top treble. -
Hammer Covering Machine
Wilke of Breslau invented the first hammer covering machine, although it was not adopted for some time. -
Steinweg
Steinweg was making grand pianos in Germany and later moved to America where in 1853 the company name was changed to Steinway. -
Seven Octaves
Most larger grands and uprights had seven octaves, going down to A. While the pianos before this time only went down to a C. -
Modern Times
This is roughly the date when the classical piano-making period gave way to the more modern period, exemplified for example by the greater use of iron frames. -
Baldwin Pianos
D. H. Baldwin established his firm in America. -
Player Piano
Invented by Henri Founeaux, the player piano was a piano that could run itself along a piano roll to play a musical piece in real time according to the drum that was in it at the time. -
Last of the Square Piano
The last square piano to be made by Broadwood. It was dropped because the cottage piano was more popular in the home. -
Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist. He was known for his unique ragtime compositions, and was also known as the "King of Ragtime". -
Goodbye Wrest Pins
Oblong wrest pins went out, in favour of square pins. Also by this time machines were used more for hammer covering. -
Spring and Loop Actions
Spring and loop actions in grands, sometimes incorrectly known as simplex actions, were being made by Herrburger Brooks. This action is a single escapement action. -
George Gershwin
George Gershwin is born on this day, who made a connection to classical and jazz through his song Rhapsody in Blue. -
Transposing Lever
This upright piano was customized for composer Irving Berlin, with a special transposing lever beneath the keyboard, allowing the pianist to play in any key without the need to transpose. -
No More Ivory
Steinway stopped using ivory on piano keys. -
Electronic Keyboard
These instruments show that electronic keyboards are no longer pianos, since they have neither hammers nor strings. Keys activate sounds digitally programmed on microchips and the sound can be heard only through an amplifier or earphones. However, the keyboard has not changed.
