| If you're thinking of taking piano lessons -- or if | | | | composed and published for piano, Mozart's music |
| you already take them -- it's a good idea to learn | | | | has always been a major selling point for the |
| something about the long musical tradition in which | | | | instrument. |
| you will be participating. After all, nobody's choice | | | | By the time Mozart passed away in 1791, the |
| to play piano is made in a vacuum. No, we decide | | | | Industrial Revolution had begun to take hold of |
| to learn the instrument because of its special | | | | Europe, dramatically transforming all aspects of |
| musical qualities and its unique history. | | | | life, including music and the arts. In the early |
| Unlike piano-playing children, whose lessons are | | | | 1800s, technological progress allowed the piano to |
| often strongly urged upon them by parents, adult | | | | evolve almost wholly into the modern instrument |
| piano players like to have as much knowledge | | | | we play today. |
| about our instrument as possible. Such knowledge | | | | Advancements in technology related to the piano's |
| not only enhances the experience of playing, but it | | | | steel strings and iron frame came just in time for |
| also motivates us to play with care and respect | | | | use in Beethoven's later works. Some musical |
| for our piano masters. This is true for both those | | | | historians have even suggested that the amazing |
| who read music and those who play by ear. | | | | musical and acoustic genius of Beethoven's final |
| Most piano players are aware that the | | | | works simply would not have been possible earlier |
| instrument's modern name is actually a shortened | | | | in the composer's life. This is thanks to changes |
| version of its original name, "pianoforte," which is a | | | | made to the piano, the instrument that |
| compound of the Italian words for "soft" and | | | | Beethoven loved above all others. |
| "loud." This name was given to the new | | | | By the end of the 1800s, the piano had all but |
| instrument in order to differentiate it from its | | | | fully developed into the instrument we have now. |
| forbear instrument, the harpsichord, whose | | | | This is why piano works by Romantic and |
| volume range is far less flexible than that of the | | | | Modernist composers such as Chopin, Brahms, |
| piano. | | | | Tchaikovsky, Debussy, and Stravinsky sound as if |
| While earlier instruments such as the harpsichord | | | | they could have been written today. Also, thanks |
| generate sound by plucking strings, the piano was | | | | to the instrument's unprecedented power and |
| the first instrument to successfully generate | | | | range, as well as groundbreaking piano works by |
| sound by striking strings. Invented around 1700 by | | | | Beethoven and others, these composers were |
| the Paduan instrument-maker Bartolomeo | | | | able to expand the instrument far beyond its |
| Cristofori, the revolutionary mechanism of the | | | | early, harpsichord-influenced repertoire. In short, |
| piano, with hammers that return to the rest | | | | the vast range of 20th century music -- from |
| position immediately after striking, made possible | | | | traditional compositions, to experimental orchestral |
| a far greater degree of control and nuance than | | | | music, to jazz, blues, and rock music -- would not |
| previous instruments. | | | | have been possible without the piano. |
| With good reason, second-generation pianos -- | | | | And here we are today, proudly carrying the |
| which came soon after Cristofori's and his | | | | piano tradition into the 21st century. As you |
| followers' groundbreaking developments -- are | | | | already know, the piano is now commonplace in |
| commonly referred to as "Mozart-era" pianos. | | | | middle-class American households. Many children |
| Mozart, whose work was both the pinnacle and | | | | grow up listening to their parents play, and many |
| the embodiment of music during the second half | | | | become pianists themselves at a very early age. |
| of the 18th century, was an immensely popular | | | | Plus, as scientific studies continue to show the |
| figure even in his time. His decision to play, | | | | health benefits of playing music throughout life, |
| compose for, and perform on the piano did more | | | | recent years have seen a surge in adult music. |
| to popularize the instrument than any other single | | | | Because of its beauty, simplicity, versatility, and |
| person has done. Because so many of his works, | | | | its long and storied history, the piano is the top |
| great and small, popular and obscure, were | | | | choice for budding adult musicians. |