Pianos – History

Pianos

The modern piano was invented circa 1709 by Bartolomeo Cristofori of Padua and Florence, Italy (1655 to 1731). A harpsichord maker, Cristofori replaced the string-plucking mechanism of his harpsichord with hammers, which allowed the player to adjust its volume by applying different degrees of force to the keys. He called his invention, ravicembalo col piano e forte “the harpsichord that plays soft and loud.” As the instrument grew more popular, the name was [...] Click here to continue reading.

Steinway Pianos

Steinway Pianos

Steinway & Sons was founded on March 5, 1853, by the German immigrant Henry Engelhard Steinway and his sons in New York City, the center of the piano-making industry.

Henry, a master cabinetmaker, built his first piano in the kitchen of his Seesen, Germany, home. Known as the “kitchen” piano, this instrument was exhibited for many years at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and can now be seen at the factory’s gallery [...] Click here to continue reading.

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