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Smaller piano models may take shortcuts with the pedal functions The "soft pedal" may move the hammers closer to the strings instead of shifting them sideways. The "sustaining pedal" may simply disengage the dampers from all of the bass strings, or may be missing altogether.
Smaller piano models may take shortcuts with the pedal functions The "soft pedal" may move the hammers closer to the strings instead of shifting them sideways. The "sustaining pedal" may simply disengage the dampers from all of the bass strings, or may be missing altogether.
==History==
In 1700 a keyboard player was faced with [[harpsichord]] or one of its siblings, which had brilliant sound but little modulation, and even less expressive qualities; or the [[clavichord]] on which one could express emotion, but only softly, and with little chance of being heard within an ensemble. (There was the dulcimer, but it had no keyboard.) Starting from around this date when an [[Italian]], one Bartolemeo Cristofori, began experimenting with “a harpsichord with loud and soft”, to the first decades of the 19th century when the piano reached its more or less modern form, the development of the piano went ahead in Germany and Austria, France, England and America – developments in the mechanics of the action, on the shape and strength of the box, the introduction finally in America of the single-cast immensely strong metal frame, improvements in the pedal action; all helped the formation of an instrument that was to be as suitable for the family parlour as in the concert hall.
By the 1770s the piano, in a stage of development we now often refer to as the “forte-piano” had taken over from the harpsichord as the instrument of choice for the composers of the day: the [[Bach]] sons, [[Joseph Haydn]], [[Mozart]] and others. In another 40 to 50 years its power and expressive range had reached relatively modern standards. (Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is to listen to a piano sonata written by Haydn or Mozart, then compare it to nearly any of the later [[Beethoven]] sonatas – he wrote 32, and their emotional range and expressive power are positively symphonic!)
There are very few great or well-known composers, writing since 1800, who do not have a sizable corpus of piano music amongst their works. As well as Beethoven, the 19th century gave us [[Schubert]], [[Felix Mendelssohn|Mendelssohn]], [[Robert Schumann|Schumann]], [[Chopin]], [[Liszt]], [[Brahms]]; all of which are in the top row of that pantheon of western music, and all of which, if they had written nothing but music featuring the piano (like Chopin) would still be household names today. This would continue into the 20th century with [[Debussy]], [[Ravel]], [[Poulenc]], [[Rachmaninov]], Messiaen and others making important piano contributions. Many of these composers were fine pianists themselves – Liszt and Chopin of course, Brahms (who was offered a concert tour of America when he was only ten, and took up composing against the advice of all those around him. Brahms wrote 4-hand piano versions of all his major works and spruiked them at his concerts, much the same as the “latest CD” is sold in the foyer at a concert or recital today.) Rachmaninov never did work out whether he wanted to play, conduct or write. The young Shostakovich kept himself going by playing “accompaniment” in silent movie houses. Even composers not known for there piano compositions have been concert-class pianists- - [[Benjamin Britten]] and [[Leonard Bernstein]] are examples.
In the 18th century, the piano replaced the [[clavichord]] as the instrument of composition, a position it still holds.
==Major Piano Manufacturers==
==Major Piano Manufacturers==
==Historical pianists (most also were composers)==
==Historical pianists (most also were composers)==
*Wolfgang Mozart
*Wolfgang Mozart
*Carl Philipp Emanual Bach
*Carl Philipp Emanual Bach
*Karl Czerny
*Karl Czerny
*Guimar Novaes
*Guimar Novaes
*Josef Hofmann
*Josef Hofmann
*Sergei Rachmaninov
[[Category:Keyboard Instruments]]
[[Category:Keyboard Instruments]]