short history of the piano
If you have ever played a harpsichord or a clavichord, you know they feel different from a piano. In a piano, a hammer is thrown at the strings when you press a key on the keyboard. The hammer quickly rebounds so the string can vibrate for as long as you hold the key down (or even longer if you use the damper pedal).
The harpsicord is different because the strings are plucked by a plectrum (originally the pointed end of a feather, now made of plastic or other synthetic material). Because the harpsichord plucks the string (as opposed to a hammer striking the string), you are very conscious of the moment the plucking takes place.
The clavichord strikes the string with a metal tangent. Unlike the piano's hammer that rebounds right away, the tangent stays in contact with the string. So the clavichord, too, has its own feel.
There was a keyboard instrument called a virginal, which was a small and simple rectangular form of the harpsichord. The spinet was another small harpsichord-type instrument. These are some of the earliest keyboard instruments. Even the fortepiano, the name given to the earliest piano to distinguish it from the modern pianoforte, or piano, has its own feel - the depth of the key fall is shallow and it takes much less weight to press the key down.
The Cristofori Pianoforte
The piano itself was invented by Bartolommeo Cristofori in Italy in the year 1709. His was a four-octave instrument (compared to our seven-and-a half octave modern instrument), with hammers striking the strings just as they do on a modern piano. The instrument was invented to meet the need to control dynamics by touch, which could not be done on the harpsichord. The early instrument went through many changes before it emerged as the piano we know today. The Cristofori piano was wing-shaped like our grand pianos, with a curved body and a lid that could be raised. There were also square pianos in which the strings ran from left to right as on the clavichord. And by 1800, there were upright pianos whose strings ran perpendicular to the keyboard.
There were many fascinating experiments that produced the giraffe piano, in which the wing-shaped body extended towards the ceiling, or the instrument with six keyboards. A fortepiano built by Johann Andreas Stein had a pedalboard similar to organs. These particular experiments did not lead to the improvement of the piano.
But there have been changes to Cristofori's 1709 instrument. A double-escapement was introduced by Sebastien Erard in 1821; this allowed fast repetition to be made. Using a cast-iron frame instead of a wooden one was important, as it permitted the use of heavier strings whose tension demanded the strength of a metal frame. These thicker strings gave greater volume and brilliance to the piano. Introduced by Alphaeus Babcock in 1830, cross stringing allowed the strings to fan out over a larger section of the soundboard, again giving more resonance and relieving the crowding of the strings.
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the addition of Pedals
On early fortepianos, the mechanism we now know as the pedal was often manipulated by the knees. For example, you would raise a lever with your knee in order to lift the damper from the string.
Can you imagine a piano with five pedals? These existed. Two of the pedals we still have today. The first pedal - the right pedal - is the damper, which releases the dampers from the strings, allowing them to vibrate. The shift, or una corda, pedal is the one on the left that helps change tonal color and play more softly. Then there were other pedals we do not use today: the moderator, bassoon, and harpsichord or Janissary pedals which created various effects.
The third pedal on our contemporary pianos is the sostenuto, invented in 1874. The modern piano acquired its essential characteristics by the 1860s or 1870s.
The first piano in America was made by John Brent of Philadelphia in 1774. There have been many piano companies in many countries through the years. The piano is an instrument found in all parts of the world. Its large range, which practically encompasses that of a symphony orchestra, its ability to whisper the pianissimos and thunder the fortissimos, and its magnificent literature, make it one of the most beloved, useful and popular of instruments.
a pictorial history of the piano
Dulcimer
This ancestor of the piano originated in Iran shortly after the birth of Christ. It illustrates the basic principles of the piano, hammers striking multiple strings tuned over a flat soundboard. Instead of mechanical hammers, dulcimer players used two light sticks ending with broader blades.
Spinet
Though originating in Italy, the spinet was perfected by English builders in the late seventeen century, about the time of composer Henry Purcell. The jack mechanism plucks the strings just as in the virginal, but the wing shape permits longer strings, increasing the volume and expanding the range to as much as five octaves.
Virginal
The typical virginal is a small harpsichord with keys at right angles to a single set of strings. When a key is pressed, a vertical rod (jack) holding a leather or quill plectrum rises and plucks the string, producing a louder tone than the clavichord but without its dynamic variety.
Clavichord
First built around 1400, the clavichord was most popular three centuries later in the music of Bach. When a key is pressed, a vertical brass strip (tangent) is lifted toward a pair of strings. The clavichord has a quiet tone, but the way it's built allows for some control of dynamics and even vibrato.
Harpsichord
Pictured as early as the fifteenth century, the harpsichord form (where the keys are in line with strings) reached its peak in the period of Bach and Handel. In this shape, the pattern for the modern grand, the strings are longer,
and the instrument sounds louder than the clavichord.
Cristofori Pianoforte
About 1709, Bartolommeo Cristofori built several instruments in the harpsichord shape but with hammer mechanisms surprisingly like the modern piano action. Because players could control soft and loud (piano-forte), which was impossible on plucked keyboard instruments, Cristofori named his new instrument "pianoforte".
Piano of Beethoven's Time
During the eighteenth century, piano builders gradually extended the keyboard. Two important new developments were the escapement action for faster repetition of notes (about 1770 by Stein in Augsburg), and the damper and soft pedals (1783 by Broadwood in London). Special pedals were often added to produce exotic effects.
Upright Piano
The upright design was already in use for harpsichords in the sixteen century. In the eighteenth century, many builders (especially in Germany) tried to apply this form to the pianoforte. In 1800 the first satisfactory uprights were invented.
Square Grand Piano
The square piano originated when German builders (especially Johannes Socher in 1742) tried to adapt Cristofori's pianoforte to the traditional rectangular shape of the clavichord. The square piano was popular until about 1900.
Piano of the Romantic Era
During the ninteenth century, the piano continued to become more powerful and responsive. The outstanding improvements were the double-repetition action of Sebastien Erard (Paris, 1821) which allowed very rapid repetition; and the full cast-iron frame of Alphaeus Babcock (Boston 1825), the basis for today's extended keyboard.
Modern Grand Piano
The grand piano of today incorporates the best qualities of early keyboard instruments. Cross stringing - a way to achieve greater richness of tone by passing more strings over the center of the soundboard - was invented by Alphaeus Babcock in 1830, but was not used in the grand piano until the second half of the ninteenth century. The sostenuto, or middle, pedal was introduced in the late ninteenth century, permitting greater musical coloring.
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The Piano Time Line: A Chronological History
1700
- 1700
- Bartolomeo Cristofori's "new invention" of the piano e forte recorded, Florence, Italy
- 1711
- Scipione Maffei publishes a journal article about the piano
- John Shaw invents the tuning fork
- Scipione Maffei publishes a journal article about the piano
- 1716
- Jean Marius submits hammer-keyboard designs to Royal Academy of Sciences, Paris
- 1721
- Christoph Gottlieb Schroter submits hammer-keyboard designs to the Saxon Court, Dresden
- 1725
- Translation of Maffei's article into German stimulates widespread interest
- Pianos advertised, Vienna
- Translation of Maffei's article into German stimulates widespread interest
- 1730s
- Gottfried Silbermann experiments in Dresden, Germany with pianos derived from Cristofori
- Pianos known to be in Portuguese and Spanish courts
- Gottfried Silbermann experiments in Dresden, Germany with pianos derived from Cristofori
- 1730
- Fickert advertises hammer-keyboard instrument in Leipzig, Germany
- Kirkman piano makers founded in London, England
- Fickert advertises hammer-keyboard instrument in Leipzig, Germany
- 1732
- First published piano music, by Ludovico Giustini
- 1739
- Domenico del Mela builds earliest known upright piano, Gagliano, Italy
- 1740s
- Christian Ernst Friederici makes upright pianos, Gera, Germany
- 1745
- Franciso Perez Mirabal begins making pianos in Spain
- 1740
- George Frederic Handel plays on a piano, London, England
- 1747
- J. S. Bach plays a Silberman piano at the Prussian Court, Potsdam, and composes Musical Offering
- 1750s
- Pianos advertised for sale in France
- 1753-62
- C. P. E. Bach: Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments published
- 1760s
- Pianos derived from Cristofori built in Spain and Portugal
- Pantalons, small hammer-keyboard instruments, made in Germany
- Pianos derived from Cristofori built in Spain and Portugal
- 1763
- Reports of earliest public performances on pianos by Johann Baptist Schmid, Vienna
- 1766
- Probable invention of the square piano by Johannes Zumpe, London
- 1767
- Early public piano performances, one by Johann Christian Bach, London
- 1768
- First public piano performance in Paris
- 1771
- Americus Backers produces the English grand piano, London;
- Earliest reported public piano performance in North America by David Propert, Boston
- Robert Stodart takes out a patent using the name "Grand" to describe his instrument. This was the first know use of the word "Grand" in a patent
- Americus Backers produces the English grand piano, London;
- 1772
- Johann Andreas Stein, a former apprentice of Silberman from 1749 -1750, develops the Viennese action in Augsberg, Germany
- 1773
- First public piano performance in New York
- Broadwood Company established, London
- First public piano performance in New York
- 1774
- John Joseph Merlin comes to England in 1760 Introduced the "Una Corda Pedal" which moved the action to one side just hitting two strings instead of three, making the piano quieter
- 1775
- John Behrendt makes and advertises a square piano in Philadelphia, PA
- 1777
- Sebastien Erard makes his first square piano, Paris
- Robert Stodart patents the English grand action, London
- Sebastien Erard makes his first square piano, Paris
- 1779
- Muzio Clementi publishes his first piano sonatas, London
- 1780s
- Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach publishes series of sonatas and fantasias for piano
- Haydn takes up the piano
- Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach publishes series of sonatas and fantasias for piano
- 1780
- Anton Walter making pianos, including one for Mozart, Vienna
- 1781
- Mozart and Clementi 'duel' in Vienna
- 1783
- Paris Conservatoire founded
- Broadwood introduced a sustaining pedal, Broadwood is credited with the invention of the sustaining pedal. However, there is a Backers Grand of 1772 in the Russell Museum, Edinburgh with 2 pedals. It has 2 pedals 1 on each front leg pointing inwards. The right is a sustaining pedal, the left a una corda. Americas Backers was probably the first to use the sustaining pedal and the una corda,
- Paris Conservatoire founded
- 1784
- William Southwell makes a 5 1/2-octave square piano, Dublin
- 1784-6
- Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 14-25 composed
- 1786
- John Geib patents the "grasshopper" square action, used for 70 years, London
- Erard establishes piano manufacturing in London
- John Geib patents the "grasshopper" square action, used for 70 years, London
- 1794
- John Broadwood makes 5 1/2-octave grand piano, London
- William Stodart patents a large upright piano, a grand set on its head, London
- Matthaus Andreas Stein and Nanette Streicher, children of Johann Andreas Stein, move to Vienna
- Ibach established, Schwelm
- John Broadwood makes 5 1/2-octave grand piano, London
- 1794-5
- Haydn: 'London' piano sonatas and trios composed
- 1795
- Johann Jakob Konnicke makes a 6-octave, 6-keyboard piano, Vienna
- Beethoven: 3 Piano Trios, Op. 1 and 3 Piano Sonatas, Op. 2 published
- Johann Jakob Konnicke makes a 6-octave, 6-keyboard piano, Vienna
- 1796
- Broadwood makes a 6-octave grand for the Queen of Spain, London
- 1797
- First piano magazine, The Pianoforte, London
- James Hewitt: The Battle of Trenton published
- First piano magazine, The Pianoforte, London
- 1798
- Francois-Adrien Boieldieu named professor of piano at Paris Conservatoire
Go To: 1700s 1800s 1900s 2000
- 1800
- John Isaac Hawkins, Philadelphia, and Matthias Muller, Vienna, make small uprights
- Alexander Reinagle: Piano Sonatas completed, Philadelphia
- 1801
- Edward Riley obtains a patent for a transposing piano, in which the keyboard moved laterally, allowing keys to work on different notes
- 1802
- Nanette Streicher separates from her brother, Matthaus Andreas Stein, to make pianos in her own name
- 1803
- Erard Brothers of Paris present Beethoven with a piano
- 1804
- Jan Ladislav Dussek plays a concerto with his profile toward the audience, Prague
- Challen Pianos London were established. Their clam to fame is that they made the worlds largest grand: twelve feet long
- 1807
- Pleyel established, Paris
- The sticker action was invented by William Southwell
- 1808
- Erard patents the agraffe, a metal stud through which strings pass from the tuning pin
- Bracing bars of metals were used to support the wooden frame in Broadwoods grands
- 1809
- Erard patents pinblock bushings, used to strengthen pinblock from string pressure on tuning pins
- Erard introduces the "Roller Double Escapement" or compound escapement action
- 1810
- English and Continental makers design 6-octave pianos, English from C-c, German from F-f
- "Upright grands" made in England and "giraffes" in Germany and Austria
- 1811
- Robert Wornum patents small upright, London
- Conrad Graf established, Vienna
- Prague Conservatory founded
- 1816
- Nanette Streicher makes 6 1/2-octave grands, C-f, Vienna
- 1817
- Thomas Broadwood, London presents a grand piano to Beethoven, Vienna
- Vienna Conservatory founded
- 1819
- Carl Sauter Company established, Spaichingen, Germany
- 1820
- First successful use of metal in grand piano frame by Thom and Allen, London
- Freres Aucher, of France was one of the first piano makers with a folding keyboard, came to be know as a ship's piano
- 1821
- Sebastien Erard patents the double-escapement "repetition" action, basis of modern grand action, Paris
- 1822
- Erard makes a 7-octave piano
- 1823
- Jonas Chickering begins making pianos in Boston
- Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Piano Sonatas Nos. 31 & 32 published
- 1825
- Alpheus Babcock patents first single-piece metal frame for squares, Boston
- 1826
- Henri Pape patents use of felt for hammer covering, Paris
- Robert Wornum patents tape-check action, the basis for modern uprights, London
- Clementi: Gradus ad parnassum published
- Benjamin Carr: Analytical Instructor for the Pianoforte published
- 1828
- Ignaz Bosendorfer making pianos, Vienna
- Henri Pape first uses cross-stringing in small "console" uprights, Paris
- Schubert: Last three piano sonatas composed
- Johann Nepomuk Hummel: A Complete Theoretical and Practical Course of Instruction on the Art of Playing the Piano Forte published
- 1833
- Chopin: Etudes Op. 10 published
- 1835
- Grotrian-Steinweg pianos established by Friedrich Grotrian
- 1837
- Knabe Company established, Baltimore
- Schumann: Carnaval, Davidsbundlertanze, and Symphonic Etudes composed
- Liszt and Thalberg 'duel' in Paris
- 1839
- Moscheles: Methode des methodes published
- Czerny: The Compete Theoretical and Practical Pianoforte School, Op. 500 published
- Liszt establishes the solo recital, performing from memory without assisting artists
- 1840
- Herz modifies Erard's "repetition" action
- 1841
- Becker Company established, St. Petersburg
- Liszt: Norma, Don Juan, and Robert le Diable Fantasies published
- 1843
- Chickering patents one-piece metal frame for grands
- Antoine-Jean Bord invents capo d'astro bar (downbearing bar at tuning-pin end of strings)
- Leipzig Conservatory founded
- 1844
- Schwander opens his piano action making factory in Herrburger, Germany
- 1845
- Leopold De Meyer tours U.S.
- 1846
- Henri Herz tours U.S.
- 1847
- Gaveau Company established, Paris
- 1848
- Debain invents an automatic mechanical piano, Paris
- 1849
- Ed. Seiler Company established, Liegnitz/Kitzingen
- 1850
- Heintzman Company established, Toronto
- 1851
- "Great Exhibition" displays state-of-the-art pianos, Erard favored, London
- 1852
- Mathushek Company established, New York
- Weber established, New York
- 1853
- Steinway & Sons, New York established
- Chickering builds new factory, second largest building in U.S., Boston
- Liszt: B minor Sonata composed
- Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 3 composed
- Louis Moreau Gottschalk returns to U.S. as a touring virtuoso
- Bluthner piano company established in Leipzig, Germany
- Bechstein established in Berlin, Germany
- 1854
- Mason & Hamlin established in Boston
- 1855
- William Mason establishes chamber music series in New York
- 1856
- Wurlitzer Company established, Chicago
- Thalberg tours U.S.
- Lebert & Stark: Grand Theoretical and Practical Piano School published
- 1857
- George Steck Company established, New York
- Peabody Conservatory founded, Baltimore
- 1859
- Henry Steinway, Jr. patents cross-stringing for grands
- August Forster Company established, Lobau, Germany
- 1860
- Julius Feurich established, Leipzig
- Broadwood & Sons make their last square; uprights dominant in European homes
- 1862
- At London Exposition, Steinway wins a medal with cross-strung grand
- DH Baldwin established in Cincinnati, Ohio
- 1864
- Petrof Company established, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- 1865
- Grotrian Company established as successors to Theodore Steinway, Braunschweig, Germany
- Oberlin Conservatory founded, Oberlin, Ohio
- 1867
- Chickering and Steinway win the top prizes at Paris Exposition
- New England Conservatory founded
- 1869
- Balakirev: Islamey composed
- 1872
- Theodore Steinway patents the duplex scale to enrich the tone
- Steinway presents Anton Rubinstein's U.S. tour
- Sohmer established, New York
- 1874
- Albert Steinway patents the sostenuto pedal (miDTle pedal on modern grands)
- 1874
- Musorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition composed
- 1875
- Chickering presents Hans von Bulow's first U.S. tour
- 1877
- British Piano Manufacturing Co. established in London
- 1878
- A Japanese square piano is exhibited at Paris Exhibition
- 1880
- Wurlitzer Company begins making pianos
- Theodore Steinway develops the laminated grand piano rim
- 1881
- Mason & Hamlin Company begins making pianos, Boston
- 1882
- Louis Renner Company founded to make piano actions, Stuttgart, Germany
- 1885
- Schimmel Company founded near Leipzig
- Aeolian Organ & Music Co., later Aeolian Co., founded to make automatic organs, later automatic pianos
- 1888
- Steinway & Sons makes its last square piano; other Americans continue making them
- 1891
- D. H. Baldwin Company, Cincinnati, begin making pianos
- Steinway presents Ignacy Jan Paderewski's first U.S. tour
- 1893
- Estonia Pianos opens in Russia
- 1895
- Story & Clark Company making pianos, Chicago, later Grand Haven, Michigan
- Aeolian Company making automatic pianos, New York
- 1896
- Kohler & Campbell Company established, New York
- Edward MacDowell: Woodland Sketches composed
- 1899
- Torakusu Yamaha begins making pianos, Hamamatsu, Japan
- Scott Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag published
- Eubie Blake: Charleston Rag composed
- First competition of pianists, Russia
Go To: 1700s 1800s 1900s 2000
- 1900
- E. S. Votey, Aeolian Company, patents pneumatic piano player, the "Pianola"
- Baldwin wins grand prize at Paris Exposition
- 1901
- Welte-Mignon invents a player-piano mechanism, Freiburg, Germany
- Debussy: Suite pour le piano composed
- Ravel: Jeux d'eau composed
- Piano Manufacturers Association founded, later PMAI
- 1903
- Winter & Co. established, New York
- Rachmaninoff: Ten Preludes, Op. 23 published
- 1904
- American piano manufacturers make bonfire of square pianos, Atlantic City
- Chickening produced a quarter grand, said to be the smallest of its kind, it was 5-foot long, and only 50 inches wide.
- 1905
- Hupfeld makes the "Dea" reproducing-piano mechanism, near Leipzig
- The Juilliard School founded
- Octavius Beale started making pianos in New South Wales Australia
- 1906
- Gulbransen Company established, Chicago
- 1908
- American Piano Co. founded, incorporates Chickering, Knabe, Weber, Haines Brothers, and others
- National Association of Piano Tuners founded
- 1909
- Albeniz: Iberia published
- 1910
- Steinway & Sons moves its factory entirely from Manhattan to Astoria, Long Island
- Broadwood among the first British piano maker to make player pianos
- 1911
- Bartok: Allegro barbaro composed
- Granados: Goyescas published
- Kemble piano company established, England
- 1912
- Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 1 composed
- Eastman School of Music founded
- 1913
- Aeolian Co. patents "Duo-Art Reproducing Piano," New York
- American Piano Co. makes "Ampico" player mechanism, New York
- 1915
- Charles Ives: Concord Sonata composed
- 1916
- Mannes College of Music founded
- 1917
- Manhattan School of Music founded
- San Francisco Conservatory founded
- 1918
- Hector Villa-Lobos: Prole do bebe composed
- 1919
- 156,000 pianos; 180,000 player pianos manufactured in U.S.
- 1923
- Jelly Roll Morton's first recordings, Chicago
- 1924
- Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue premiered
- Curtis Institute founded
- 1925
- Henry Cowell: The Banshee composed
- 1927
- Kawai Company making pianos, Hamamatsu, Japan
- 1928
- Earl "Fatha" Hines records Apex Blues, Weather Bird
- 1928-30
- Neo-Bechstein, electric piano with electromagnetic pickups to amplify struck strings
- 1929
- Great Depression seriously limits piano manufacture everywhere
- 1930
- Koichi Kawai leaves Yamaha and starts his own firm, Japan
- 1932
- American Piano Co. and Aeolian merge to form Aeolian American Corporation
- Tobias Matthay: The Visible and Invisible in Pianoforte Technique
- 1933
- Francois-Adrien Boieldieu named professor of piano at Paris Conservatoire