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First Piano
MetBartolomeo di Francesco Cristofori debuted the first pinao in Florence Italy in 1709. He named it the gravicembalo col piano e forte which translates to "soft and loud keyboard instrument". Over time the name evolved to fortepiano or pianoforte, until it eventually just became piano. The piano differed from its predecessor the harpsichord in that it allowed the performer to create dynamics by poudning on the keys harder or softer. The oldest standing pinao made by Critofori now sits in the Met. -
Piano Reached America
LinkBy this time, German immigrant John Behrent made it to America, along with his piano making skills. Not only were pianos immigrated during the 1750-1800s, but they were also made smaller so that wealthy families could have them in their homes. One of these families happened to be that of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who played on many different versions of the piano and composed pieces according to what type of instrument he played. -
Piano Materials Are Changed
LinkApproximately past Beethoven's time, pianos started to be made with more and more keys. Today we have 88 keys to a piano, but back then it would've only been around 60-78 keys. This time of expansion proved to not only be size wise, but also sound wise. Piano makers began to design the instrument with iron to make louder effects, therefore expanding dynamic possibilities. These improved insturments were then incoroporated more into orchestras. -
Women and Pianos
LinkDuring the 19th century women were shunned for publicly performing on the piano, though it was a staple for all women to know how to play and to play well. In fact, women integrated the instrument so much into their lives that some became piano instructors and others were able to practice both their womanly tasks by using special sewing tables with built in pianos in Germany and Australia. The industrial revolution brought about piano factories like Bechstein and Steinway & Sons. -
Player Pianos, Ragtime, and Asia
LinkNew styles of piano playing came about during this time period, such as ragtime and jazz. Player pianos were also invented to kepp up with the growing technology of televsion and movies. It allowed a family to sing along to their favorite tunes by only pumping the pedals while the keys moved on their own. In addition to this new brands were introduced after manufacturing was taken over in Asia. New companies like Yamaha became very popular. -
Post War Pianos
[Link]('http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/04/arts/harold-rhodes-89-inventor-of-an-electronic-piano.html')Around the 1940s, baby grands and spinets were the pianos of choice, though the same really applies today. After WWII, pianos becmae popular again, as they had been in danger of extinction with all the new technology developments at the time. -
Harold Rhodes and the 26 Key Piano
LinkDuring WWII Rhodes joined the Army Air Corps, where he built a 29 note keyboard using aluminum tubing from a B-17. This xylophone-like instrument was called the Army Air Corps lap model piano. Rhodes went on to found the Rhodes Piano corporation which built the Pre-Piano in 1946. -
First Piano Bass
LinkLeo Fender bought Mr. Rhodes compnay and manufactured the first Piano Bass, which was a keyboard instrument with the bottom 32 notes of a piano. This was the beginning of electric pianos, and the real difference was the the hammers and strings were smaller to allow amplification of the sounds they made. -
Piano Industry Moves Overseas
LinkIn the 1970s, Japan's production of pianos outstripped the U.S. and by 1980 they made twice as many as we did. From there production shifted to Korea, and finally settled in China, where we get our pianos from today. The sound is different from older pianos made here in the U.S., though production here isn't a priority anymore. -
Pianos Today
LinkToday, three companies make pianos in the U.S. which amounts to only about a thousand pianos a year. Despite this, over 30,000 new acoustic pianos are sold here coming from about 70 different brands and made in more than 30 countries. As far as the build of pianos today, not much has changed from the iron framework to the felt hammers. Variety of the instrument also includes mostly the upright piano and the grand or baby grands.
