The

Development
of
the
Piano

Loubna Maachi
Piano I Pd. 1

Who invented the Piano?

Bartolomeo Cristofori (from Italy) is the
inventor of the piano, and he likely made them in the 1720s, because those
are the oldest pianos in existence.

What led him to do this?

At the time, the pianos ancestor, the harpsichord, and it was limited to a
certain volume at which it can be played, and that
meant certain expressions and emotions couldnt
be conveyed when playing. Bartolomeo Cristofori
eventually invented the piano, first calling it,
gravicembalo col piano e forte which means,
soft and loud keyboard instrument. The name
was eventually shortened to piano.
What was the piano before it became todays
piano?

The pianos ancestor is the harpsichord, which was invented in the 15th
century.

Show with
illustrations
how the
change happened over time.

One of Bartolomeos pianos,

c. 1720.

A
harpsichord.

A modern-day
piano.

Compare the differences and similarities of these two instruments.

Differences

A harpischords strings
are plucked, while a
pianos strings are hit
with little hammers.
The harpsichord can only
play at a certain volume,
but because of a pianos
weighted keys, the player
can alternate between
volumes.
A harpsichord has two
sets of strings, but a
piano has only one.

Similarities

Both instruments have strings

(that are either plucked or
struck with a hammer).
The harpsichord and the
piano are keyboard
instruments.