-
1300
Clavichord
The Clavichord was an European stringed keyboard instrument. It was played by a plectrum strumming against the strings when a key was pressed. -
1450
Harpsichord
The Harpsichord was the next form of the piano and in the 1700s it became the principal keyboard choice of Europe. In comparison to the clavichord, the Harpsichord could reach 4-5 octaves and the strings were very high tension. Similarly to the clavichord, the strings were struck with a plectrum after hitting keys. However the harpsichord lacked dynamics and expressiveness as no matter how hard someone hit the keys, it would hit the string with the same force. -
Fortepiano
The Fortepiano was a keyboard instruments invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori, who was close with Prince Ferdinando de Medici. He wanted to design an instrument that could play loud and be able to have several varying tones of expressiveness. He wanted to have a big keyboard that could play both loud and soft, and the instrument had a linked hammer action to the keyboard. Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn used this instrument to compose. -
Viennese Pianofortes
This piano was very popular with famous composers such as Beethoven, Haydn, and in particular, Mozart, who even wrote to his father describing the instruments. He says that "it never jars, it is never stronger or weaker or entirely absent; in a word, it is always even..." Stein's pianoforte was designed with a special escape action that stopped the hammer from bouncing after its struck which gave the instrument control and a sustainable note. -
The Modern Piano
The modern piano was regard as a perfect accompaniment to the human voice. It began to develop and in the middle of the 19th century, the number of keys went up to 88.
