A Quick History of the Piano

At Resonate, we love giving piano lessons to students of all ages. When you sit down at a piano, it’s not necessarily the same piano that Mozart or Bach. Not only are there different sizes of piano, but the instrument has gone through a number of revisions and updates over the years.

If you’re interested, take a look a this quick history of the piano.

The piano is a beloved musical instrument with a rich history dating back to the 1700s.

The precursor to the modern piano was the clavichord, which was invented in the 14th century. The clavichord was a small, quiet instrument that was popular among musicians and amateurs alike. However, it had limited dynamic range and was not capable of producing the same level of sound as its larger counterparts, such as the harpsichord.

In the early 1700s, Bartolomeo Cristofori, an Italian harpsichord maker, began experimenting with a new type of keyboard instrument that featured hammers striking strings, rather than plucking them like the harpsichord. This new instrument was called the "piano et forte" or "soft and loud" in Italian, which eventually became known as the piano.

Cristofori's piano had a wider range of dynamics than the clavichord, allowing for more expression in the music. It also had a sustain pedal, which allowed notes to continue ringing after the key was released, further enhancing the piano's expressiveness.

The piano quickly became popular among composers and musicians, with Mozart being one of the first to compose specifically for the instrument. Beethoven, who was one of the first pianist-composers, wrote many of his greatest works for the piano, including his famous Moonlight Sonata.

Over the centuries, the piano has undergone several changes and improvements. In the 1820s, the "square" piano was replaced by the "grand" piano, which had a longer and more powerful sound. In the late 1800s, the "upright" piano was invented, which allowed for the piano to take up less space in a room.

The piano has been used in a variety of musical genres, from classical to jazz to pop and rock. Some of the greatest pianists of all time include Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, Frédéric Chopin, and a host of others.

Today, the piano continues to be a popular instrument among musicians and music enthusiasts, and remains an important part of the world's musical heritage.

If you’d like to learn to play this grand, historic instrument, reach out to the team at Resonate Music. We’re currently scheduling piano lessons in Colorado Springs for students of all ages.