THE STORY OF THE PIANO

a family

emerged

of keyboard

strings:

instruments

the harpsichord,

with

mechanically

and spinet.

mechanism

(the 'jack')

to pluck

them

when

the key was

released. They differ from one another

in shape, size

sophisticated
strings

and

then

damp

and arrangement
The
outside

spinet

popular,

dynamic

contrast,

either

sympathetic

vibration

all the dampers

the dynamic

with real dynamic

away

more resonance through

of strings)

or by keeping

and suitability

the 17th and l Srh centuries,

or even the clavichord.

instrument

tuned to different

to create a crude sense of

by lifting

In spite of its popularity

introduction

to the

them

in contact with the strings as the notes sounded.

throughout
not provide

a bigger

as the keys) and with

from the strings at once (producing

partially

By contrast

perpendicular

for each note, sometimes

Srops were introduced

though

to produce

running

(in the same direction

several strings

the

to be effective

gatherings.

was expanded

sound, with the strings

octaves.

used a

and virginals,

were roo quiet

of small domestic

the harpsichord
keyboard

These

of strings.

clavichord,

extremely

dulcimer

plucked

virginals

control
That

control

of individual

meant

remained

for concert

the harpsichord
notes

demand

offered

for a concert

unsatisfied,

paving

use

could
by the

keyboard

the way for the

of the piano.

Double-manual harpsichord
For greater musical versatility, extra

CHRISTOFORI'S BRILLIANT INVENTION

keyboards C'rnanuals") were added co some

harpsichords from the 17th century. This two-

By the end of the 17th century,

manual model replicates a 1638 Ruckers original.

organs,

the harpsichord

three types of keyboard

family, and clavichords.

contrasts

performers,

such as violinists

of volume

The first instruments

Bartolomeo
court,

Crisrofori,

at the turn

number

of pianos,

hammers.

players ro achieve the subtle

being

demonstrated

by other

and string orchestras.

recognisable

today as pianos were built by

the keeper of instruments

of the 18th

century.

but brilliantly

posed by an instrument

were in use:

None offered the son of dynamic

response that would allow keyboard

expressive

instrument

at the Florentine

He built

only a small

solved the technical

in which

strings

But his results were pracrically

problems

have to be struck

by

ignored by the musicians

of his own time in Italy.

A visitor to Cristofori
"gravicernbalo

described

the resulting

col piano e forte" (a harpsichord

instrument

as a

with soft and loud),

and it is from this that the modern piano takes its name. (Piano is
short

for pianoforte:

forrepianos.)

some

early

instruments

In spite of the lack of interest,

refine his piano action, even developing

Playing the harpsichord

that corresponds

A musical scene painted by Edith Hipkins in

direct

1885 shows a woman playing a harpsichord. (The

discovered

instrument at rhe back of her chair is a cirtern.)

strings

to the left-hand

the hammer

as
to

the una corda mechanism

pianos. He used a hand stop to

used for each note.

He also
that the

could

at just one of the two strings

be securely

Crisrofori's

maintained

the case and altering

wooden block that supported

are

that longer, thicker strings would produce more tone, providing

strengthening

mechanism,

pedal on modern

known

Crisrofori continued

greatest
whereby

stroke

under

a greater

the way the runing

tension.

That

pins were mounted

meant
in the

them.
of genius

the single downward

was his development

movement

of the escapemene

of the key is convened

into