The piano is a highly versatile instrument made in various forms that can play anything an orchestra can play. It typically has 88 keys, 52 white and 36 black, but the number can vary depending on the size. It can lyrically sustain pitches, creating all musical styles and moods. But what about the first piano ever invented?
The first piano ever invented was introduced in the 18th century, 1700, by Bartolomeo Cristofori, an artful inventor. Cristofori made the piano because he was unsatisfied with the lack of control musicians had over the volume level of the harpsichord (another keyboard musical instrument). He was given credit for switching out the mechanism with a hammer, creating the modern piano in 1700. It was first named “Gravicembalo col piano e forte,” meaning “Harpsichord that plays soft and loud.” This was then shortened to just “piano.” The name refers to the piano’s ability to change loudness according to the amount of pressure applied to the keys.
Little is known about Cristofori’s life. However, it is known that he was born on May 4, 1655, in Padua, Italy, and died on January 27, 1732. He was an Italian harpsichord maker and inventor. At his time, his invention of the piano was not well known. At the request of Prince Ferdinando, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cristofori moved from Padua to Florence in 1690. He established a reputation as a skilled keyboard instrument builder.
One early keyboard instrument is the harpsichord, which, while similar in appearance to the piano, is a very different instrument.
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“The strings of the piano are struck, while those of the harpsichord are strung when a keyboard is pressed” (BBC Music Magazine). Before the piano was created, the harpsichord was one of the most important keyboard instruments from the 16th to the 18th century. The harpsichord contains two or more sets of strings. Unlike the piano, these strings produce different tone qualities. For instance, one set may sound an octave higher than the others. The tone of a harpsichord is amplified by a soundboard placed beneath the strings.
Another keyboard instrument that contributed to the invention of the piano is the clavishord. “The Clavichord is a keyboard instrument that was commonly used in Europe from the 16th to the 18th century” (Soniccouture). The clavichord is more quieter than the harpsichord and piano. Since it wasn’t loud enough for performances, it was used as a practice instrument. Unlike the piano, which operates with hammers that strike a string, or a harpsichord which produce different tone qualities, the clavichord operates with tiny metal blades called “tangents.”
In conclusion, without Bartolomeo Cristofori, we wouldn’t have the piano. People still use the piano today, and it is more popular than ever. It plays a key role in classical music and is a leading instrument for both professionals and amateurs. Some notable people like Mozart, Frederic Chopin, and Beethoven have played the piano. But ever since the invention of the piano, Cristofori has made history.