The history of the piano begins in Italy. The piano was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori in Florence. According to a survey by Cristofori's employees, the Medici family, one of the first pianos was made around the year 1700.

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The first Crosofori instruments were made with thin strings and were much quieter than the modern piano. However, compared to the clavicord (the only previous key instrument capable of dynamic nuances) the sound was considerably louder, with great sustain.

Crosofori's new instrument remained relatively unknown until an Italian writer, Scipione Maffei, wrote an enthusiastic article about it (1711), including the diagram of the mechanism. This article was widely distributed, and most of the following generations of piano builders started their work due to having read it.

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The design of pianos flourished in the late 18th century in the work of the Viennese school, which included JohannAndreas Stein (who worked in Augsburg, Germany) and the Viennese builders Nannette Stein (daughter of Johann Andreas) and Anton Walter. Viennese pianos were made with wooden frames, two strings per note, and hammers covered with leather. It was on such instruments that Mozart composed his concerts and sonatas, and replicas of them are built today for use with authentic performance.

The term piano-forte is nowadays widely used to distinguish that of the pianos of the 18th century from those of later.

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The development of the modern piano:

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During a long period in the history of the piano, from 1790 to 1890, the piano-Mozart era underwent major changes that led to the modern form of the instrument. This evolution was due to the consistent preference of composers and pianists for a more powerful and sustaining piano sound. The Broadwood firm that sent pianos to both Haydn and Beethoven was the first firm to build pianos with more than five octaves.

Around 1820, the center of innovation moved to the Érard de Paris firm, which built pianos used byhopin and liszt. In 1821. Sébastien Érard invented the double escape action, which allowed a note to be repeated even if the key did not return to its original position completely.

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Piano types:

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Modern pianos come in two basic configurations and various sizes, the grand piano and the upright piano.

Grand pianos have their frame and strings horizontally, with the strings extended beyond the keyboard. This avoids the problems inherent in an upright piano, but it takes up a lot of space and needs a large room.

Upright pianos are more compact due to the frame and strings being arranged vertically, extending in both directions of the keyboard and hammers.

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Great composers and conductors were pianists and even today the piano is known as a fundamental instrument in many practices and the most didactic.

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Reference: Found at < http://www.academiamusical.com.pt/tutoriais/historia-do-piano/>