A Brief History Of The Piano

By Author: Wild Edwards
Total Articles: 96
Comment this article

Understanding the evolution of the piano as a musical instrument is something that you should strive to learn about when you are taking piano lessons. Pianists have been popular musicians over the years and the history of the development of the modern piano makes for an interesting read. Around 1700--1720, the first piano evolved from the harpsichord which was invented by an Italian Cristofori. This instrument was almost a century old by the time Beethoven composed his timeless sonatas. The industrial revolution had been largely responsible for modifying the piano technology up to the 1800s. The technology to cast iron frames accurately and the superior quality steel improved the sound of the piano and soon the number of octaves increased.

The upright piano came to be introduced in 1780 by Schmidt of Salzburg in Austria. This was further improved in 1802. In 1879, an automatic piano player emerged which was defined as a device for storing and transferring motive power. When it first made its appearance on the music platform, the response was lukewarm. But over the years its popularity soared. During Cristofori's time, ...
... the demand was for an instrument which could combine the power of a harpsichord and volume of a clavichord. The new instrument that came about was called the pianoforte which later became the modern day piano. Cristofori's design soon came to be used by Germans and Austrians and Johann Sebastian Bach began playing a remodeled pianoforte in the late 1770s. The piano's popularity grew with addition of new stringing techniques, bi-colored keys, and sturdier frames, and shortly afterward the piano came to be accepted as a part of the British and American homes.

Romanticism characteristic of the mid-eighteenth century saw the piano become a popular choice among music lovers. Classical piano music evolved with concerts being organized for solo performances by piano players. In the United States, John Chickering launched his piano-manufacturing company followed soon by Steinway. Pianos became more affordable and a person could buy them even on installments. Interestingly, at this time, women developed a keen interest to learn the art of playing the piano. It soon became a hallmark for the 1920s working classes and new styles like the jazz emerged. When the phonograph and radio came to be invented, piano as a form of entertainment seemed to suffer a setback which was further accentuated because of the depression in the thirties. To get back into the competition the manufacturers launched player pianos.

In today's age, the advent of CD players and video games have contributed to the waning appeal of the piano. For those keen to take up lessons in playing this instrument, learning about its age-long tradition is of utmost value. Its unique history and special melodious qualities is what makes learning the piano such a popular choice among music enthusiasts.

Sue Holland is a member of piano forum, a discussion board for pianists and classical piano music lovers