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It is obvious that the emergence of the piano was turning point in the history of art. This invention changed the nature of the whole European music, which is an important part of world culture. Over the past three hundred years, almost all the great composers wrote piano music, and many of them it became famous for their piano works. Today, it is impossible to find a musician - be it a singer or a composer, clarinetist and violinist - who wouldn’t have a piano in the house. Despite its youth, the piano has greater impact on society than any other instrument!

In the Romantic period piano became a popular tool for home improvisation. The growth in popularity has led to the emergence of a piano virtuoso pianists. Yet it must be noted that despite the drop in harpsichord’s popularity, it has not disappeared from the scene altogether. You can still hear its gentle sound in concerts. Composers continue to write music for this instrument, harpsichord produced in relatively large quantities.

Number of lovers of piano music began to grow. More and more people were willing to pay for it, to listen to a soloist. This raised the number of composers who received recognition through piano music.

Classical period has been replaced by the era of romanticism, when in music and art in general, the main role was to play the expression of emotions. This was reflected, in particular piano compositions by Beethoven and Schumann, Chopin. Piano compositions for four hands have became very popular in this period.

Music: Paul Abraham
Title: Good Night
Language: German

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The piano of Kristofori was very simple. The piano did not  a damper actuator, or pedals. The impact of the key forced a hammer to strike the strings, causing its vibration, not at all similar to the vibration of strings from the harpsichord or clavichord.

The most remarkable fact of the piano - the ability to resonate and dynamic range. The wooden hull and steel frame (invented later in the XIX century, frame of the piano Kristofori was wooden) allow the instrument to reach almost bell sound at the fort. Another difference of the piano from his predecessors - the ability to read not only quietly and loudly, but do crescendo and diminuendo, to change the momentum suddenly or gradually.

Another keyboard instrument - harpsichord - most likely was invented in Italy in the XV century.

In this case, the string are picked with feathers or pieces of skin (like the picks). In addition, harpsichord’s keys and strings are parallel in position, like a modern grand piano, not perpendicular, as the clavichord and the modern piano. Sound of harpsichord - quite weak, do not seem to be suitable for performance of music in large halls. Harpsichord is typically used for accompaniment …

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Clavichord was a very simple device. When you press the key a little copper box called Tangenta strikes wire. At the same time raised damper allows wire to vibrate. A clavichord was one wire to each key, while the modern piano each key can be up to three strings. Being very quiet instrument, clavichord still allowed to crescendo and diminuendo. See picture…

Each thing has its own history, so has a piano. Know it certainly, it’s not only interesting but also helpful. This enables better understanding of musical styles and understand the content of a peace.

  

The first keyboard instrument that had strings called clavichord. It appeared in the later Middle Ages, although no one knows exactly when. Harpsichord was a device similar to the modern piano. But its sound was too soft and quiet so that you couldn’t perform in front of a large number of people. Harpsichord was quite popular tool for composing and improvisation at home, and it certainly was found in the homes of baroque composers, including Bach.