"A Short History of a Big Instrument"

When asked - what is a piano - every small child can answer. But if one thinks a little deeper, most people have a poor knowledge of the history of this instrument. This is obviously a mistake, because an object that, with the right skill of a person, plays in such a beautiful way, should be much more known.

Rarely does anyone willingly reach for reading about any instruments or objects that might seem ordinary. However, if one has the opportunity to learn something more, why not take advantage of it? Simply put, pianos are keyboard instruments. Everyone knows what they look like, associates what sounds they produce, and can more or less describe how it all works. And that would be about it. This is usually where knowledge about the piano ends. As it turns out – its history is quite interesting.

The first mention of the piano dates back to 1598. Nevertheless, its first appearance is dated a hundred years later, between 1689 and 1709, and later there are mentions of the construction of this invention in 1711, although these are just dates, since the oldest model of this keyboard instrument comes from 1720. It is difficult to determine when exactly a person first came into contact with the piano. But these are just numbers. The contemporary piano created by Bartolomeo Cristofori was not at the center of interest. Only twenty pieces were produced, as there was a lack of buyers for these keyboard instruments. Later, their production was completely halted.

An article by Scipione Maffei, which provided details on the construction of this instrument, rekindled interest. The German Johann Silbermann improved the original version of the piano and added many conveniences. Even Johann Sebastian Bach got acquainted with it. His favor was gained by an even better version from 1747. Over the following decades, the fame of the piano grew. Companies were created that dealt with the mass production of these keyboard instruments. The creation of the piano as we know it today was contributed to by Ludwig van Beethoven and the London manufacturer Broadwood. All due to the subsequent deafness of the artist, which required a louder instrument. Changes in size, appearance, and an increase in the range of the piano…

All of this gradually transformed the contemporary piano into the one we know today. One can distinguish even four types of this instrument – cabinet, salon, semi-concert, and concert. The piano became the dominant solo instrument from the 19th century and still is. The artistic output based on this keyboard instrument, especially during the periods of Classicism, Romanticism, and Modernity, can be counted in hundreds of thousands of amazing works. So is it worth knowing the not entirely temporally defined history of the piano? Of course! Since it is an instrument still so widely used, we definitely should have some knowledge about it. After all, so many beautiful pieces have been created, are being created, and will certainly continue to be created.