How the Piano came to be
I chose the piano as the topic for my blog. I have always liked this instrument, even though I don't have much experience with it. I learned a lot of interesting facts about it while doing research. For example, did you know that March 29, or the 88th day of the year is celebrated as Piano Day because it corresponds to the 88 keys on a standard piano? I enjoy playing the piano whenever I get a chance, even if it's just pressing a few keys. There is something fun and satisfying about making sounds with it. The piano evolved from the harpsichord, which was an instrument that plucked strings to produce notes. By replacing the plucking mechanism with a hammer, the piano allowed more control over the volume and expression of the notes. The origin of the piano can be traced back to the monochord, a simple string instrument that produces sounds by vibration. The piano is also related to percussion instruments because it involves hitting the strings with a hammer. However, it also resembles the harpsichord in its appearance and structure.
The piano belongs to the keyboard family of instruments, which has a long history that goes back to the organ. The organ uses air to create sounds through pipes of different lengths and sizes. The clavichord was an improvement on the organ, as it had keys that could be pressed to vary the pitch and tone of the sound. You can see a picture of it below. The inventor of the modern piano was Bartolomeo Christofori, a harpsichord player who wanted to adjust the volume of the notes on his instrument. He modified the harpsichord by adding hammers that could strike the strings with different force and speed, creating a more expressive and dynamic sound. The piano was originally called "clavicembalo col piano e forte" meaning a harpsichord that can play soft and loud noises. They then decided to change it too just piano.
Bach: Harpsichord Concerto No.1 in D Minor BWV 1052 (Jean Rondeau) (youtube.com) 2017/France
The piano has evolved in the 20th century with new variations. Besides the traditional acoustic pianos, there are also electric pianos and self-playing pianos. We live in a dynamic era with constant changes and innovations. Many music artists still use pianos in their videos or live performances. For example, Lady Gaga often plays the piano. However, I have not seen many people or artists use the self-playing one, but it is an interesting sight.
Exploring the History of the Piano - Musical
Instrument Museum. Musical Instrument Museum, 29 Mar. 2023, https://mim.org/exploring-the-history-of-the-piano/.
Accessed 5 Mar. 2024.
The Origins of the Piano: The Story of the Piano's
Invention - Musical Instrument Guide - Yamaha Corporation. https://www.yamaha.com/en/musical_instrument_guide/piano/structure/#:~:text=The%20piano%20was%20invented%20by,in%20around%20the%20year%201700..
Accessed 5 Mar. 2024.
Great blog post! I did not know that March 29th is piano day. I also did not know that the piano was originally called a clavicembalo. I have always enjoyed listening to the piano so it was great to have more background information about this instrument and learning that there is electric and acoustic pianos.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog about the piano. I never really learned about the piano, but I remember being a little kid when my mom starting playing the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle" on my little toy piano and that was the one thing I only ever knew about notes on the piano... then I noticed I can also play the name notes in order on my kids' toy xylophone, so now I do that for them and they think it's so cool. My sister also recently got married and I was into looking for piano instrumentals for her wedding. Thank you for sharing your info on pianos!
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