The History of the Piano

The Historyof the PIANO

By Kami Hoss

The piano is one of the most

classic and iconic instruments

in existence.

It seems to have been around for

forever, so where did it come from?

Who invented it?

Stringed instruments have been around since near the

beginning of recorded history. Lyres were iconic instruments

during the Greek Classical period, and the harp has been

seen in cave paintings dating as early as 3000 B.C.

The piano was invented around the

year 1700 in Florence, Italy by

Bartolomeo Cristofori, a craftsman

who repaired harpsichords in the

royal court.

Composers at this time were in

search of an instrument that could be

played with varying dynamics.

One of Cristofori'ssurviving original

designs

Cristofori's invention was visually very similar to the harpsichord

with one striking difference: while harpsichord strings were

plucked to create music, the strings on his instrument were

struck with hammers, allowing for varying dynamics.

Cristofori named his invention

gravicembalo col piano e forteor "harpsichord soft and loud."

By 1730, pianos were gaining

popularity among elite Europeans.

Although they remained expensive, by

the 1760s they were being made

smaller so they could fit into the home.

In 1770, the piano was introduced

in America by John Behrent, a

German immigrant.

As the piano became a staple in orchestral and symphonic

compositions, composers demanded louder, more resonant

sounds to come from the instrument.

Over the next century, the piano underwent rapid evolutions with

new strings added, iron added to the frame to increase volume

and ease string tension on the case, the upright piano was

invented, and the first player piano was created.

The Industrial Revolution saw the birth of

piano factories, allowing the instrument

to reach a more affordable price.

Between 1850 and 1909, the number of

piano sales jumped from a few thousand

to 365,000, quickly cementing the

popularity of the instrument

There are now more styles of pianos available than ever have

been before. Pianos have since become digitalized and are

available electronically and even as software for your computer.

After the numerous changes, evolutions, and its digitalization,

one thing is astoundingly clear:

The piano has had massive impact on the music world, and

the instrument itself isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Kami Hoss, DDS is a lifelong musician and

the proud owner of a 100th Anniversary

Yamaha piano. Visit him on social media

or read his blog to learn more!