http://pandapie.friendlinkup.com/ A blog by pandapie en http://pandapie.friendlinkup.com/2008/09/15/the-piano.html Piano is a hybrid invention of the clavichord as well as harpsichord. It inherited the following features from the formal: independent soundboard, metal strings, hammering the strings to produce sound as well as the damper. From the harpsichord, it has the wing-formed case (as to grand pianos), three strings to one note, three pedals as well as the shifting keyboard.  Inventors Many inventors had tried incorporating the hammer action into the harpsichord but none at all succeeded; the first being Marius of Paris in 1716. Subsequently, there were people such as Christofori in 1701, Marius in 1716 as well as Schroter in 1717 who came up with a totally different mechanism from that of a harpsichord. However, the an estimated all perfect invention of the pianoforte should be credited to Bartolomeo Christofori in 1709. In Christofori’s pianoforte, he invented the escapement device, a mechanism that the performer could “through his touch produce a delicate pianissimo as well as also a strong fortissimo”[1].  Christofori’s Piano  Development Due the Industrial Revolution in the 1790s to 1890s, tremendous changes were made to the pianoforte due to increased technological resources. High-quality steel on behalf of strings as well as precision casting on behalf of production of iron frames are now available. Under Broadwood hands, the piano grew in size as well as are more robustly constructed. He extended the keyboard range of the piano from 5 octaves to 5 octaves as well as a 5th in the 1790; 6 octaves in 1810 as well as 7 octaves in 1820.   In 1820, the centre of innovation had shifted to Erard firm of Paris which built pianos used by Chopin as well as Liszt. In 1821, Sebastian Erard invented the double escapement which permitted a note to be repeated even if the key had not yet risen to its maximum vertical position, a great benefit on behalf of rapid playing especially thrills. As revised by Herz in 18540s, the double escapement action ultimately became a standard action on behalf of all grand pianos on behalf of all manufacturers.   Erad piano The other technical innovation to rock the era is the iron frame, also referred to as the eplate. It sits on top of the soundboard, as well as serves as the primary bulwark against the fork of string tension. The iron frame was the ultimate solution to the problem of structural integrity as stings were made thicker, tenser as well as more numerous. The iron frame was invented in 1825 in Boston by Alpheus Babcock, culminating earlier trend to utilize even more iron parts to reinforce the piano. The first iron frame in grand pianos (1840) was the work of the Chickering Firm, at which Babcock was employed.   Iron Frame In 1826, Jean Henri Pape introduced hammers covered by compressed felt, which could stand up to harder, softer strings of Broadwood piano. Additionally, Pape was also the first to introduce over-stringing or cross-stringing: the technique of overlapping two vertically slanted bridges instead of one, allowing longer strings to fit within the piano. Henry Steinway was the first to apply this to grand piano in 1859.  It was also during the same time that the piano received its third pedal (the sostenuto pedal) invented by Jean Louis Boisselot in 1844. The pedal was further improved by Steinway in 1874.  Duplex scaling, invented by Theodore Steinway in 1872, permitting parts of the string near the ends to vibrate freely, adding resonance as well as richness of sound.  Cross-stringing  Upright Piano The first piano invented exists as a ‘grand piano’. The first upright piano was only invented around 1780, 70 years at the end of the grand piano, by Johann Schmidt of Salzburg as well as revised by John Isaac Hawkins of Philadelphia. However, their inventions as well as improvements failed as an instrument. The proper upright piano we have today originated from William Southwell of London as well as he named it the ‘Cabinet’ piano. It was built as well as introduced between 1806-7. It has strings arranged vertically on a continuous frame with bridges extended nearly to the floor.   [1] Alfred Dolge. Piano as well as their makers. New York: Dover Publications. 1972. Pg 47. Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:28:01 -0400 pandapie