Jun 17, 2014

The Birth of the Piano

by Peter Baggenstoss

The Piano was born in Italy in 1709. When Bartolmeo Cristofori first displayed his invention, he called it a gravicembalo col piano e forte, meaning, basically, a keyboard instrument that plays soft and loud. Later it was called a pianoforte, and finally, simply known as a piano.

Two instruments in particular led to the development of the piano: the harpsichord and the clavichord. When you press a key on a harpsichord, the string is plucked, kind of like how you'd pluck a guitar string with a pick. The way the harpsichord was designed meant that no matter how hard you pressed the key, the volume would remain the same. On a harpsichord, it is impossible to vary the dynamics with your fingers, and it was this limitation that would later lead to the piano. Check out this example of a harpsichord:

With the clavichord, the strings were struck by a small piece of metal. This meant that dynamic variation was possible. An expressive instrument, but since the overall volume was so low, the clavichord could not be used for larger performances. The clavichord was used mainly as a practice instrument, or for entertaining a small group of guests within your living room. Here's an example of the clavichord:

And finally we get to the piano, the keyboard instrument where the strings are struck by  padded hammers. What made Cristofori's invention so special was a part inside the piano called the escapement, which allowed the note to be sustained while holding down the key or a pedal.  The piano was much louder than the clavichord, and so could be played in large halls or with large groups. Early composers like Haydn and Mozart saw the expressive capabilities of the piano and helped to popularize the instrument throughout Europe. Since 1709, the piano has continued to evolve into the many versions that we see today, and the instrument is played throughout the world in countless styles of music.

In honor of Father's Day this last weekend, here's a video of a father and son playing two concert Steinways.  Enjoy!

PETER BAGGENSTOSS

Peter was born in northern Minnesota where he began playing piano at the age of five. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he received a bachelor's degree in Piano Performance. Since moving to Madison, Peter has had the opportunity to perform and tour with many groups, and currently he plays with several ensembles of varying styles. Along with being classically trained, Peter also has ample experience studying and performing jazz, blues, pop, world music, and other genres. Peter welcomes students of all ages and skill levels and enjoys helping students achieve their musical goals. As a teacher, he is patient and enthusiastic. While providing a strong foundation in theory and technique, he is able to cater to an individual's musical interests.

Peter teaches piano at Madison Music Foundry.

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