[maren]

Hi… i’m writing a paper on the history of the piano, and i’ve found so many different stories it’s hard to know what to believe. i therefore was hoping that someone here could help me clear things out.
One of my sources says that the piano was made to be an “improved version“ of the harpsichord/cembalo (which was invented when someone found out how to attatch tangents to a psalterium). In other words a harpsichord/cembalo with hammers that was able to play both piano and forte (therefore the name pianoforte), ant that this piano was invented by Bartolomeo Cristoforis in 1709 (or as other sourcer states: “around 1710”/”in 1720”/etc). Another source claims that the origins of the piano was the dulcimer, which got tangents at some point. What’s correct?
Another thing i’ve had problems with, is where the clavichord fits in in all of this. What’s the difference between the clavichord and the early piano (the direction of the strings?), and did the clavichord affect the development of the piano since the attack (sp?) is in many ways the same? Is it wrong to claim that the modern piano goes back to the ducimer via the clavichord, while the cembalo/harpsichord is descended from the psalterium alone?
i’m also a bit curious about the psalterium and the ducimer. Are these two really the same instrument that is played in different ways (the psalterium with a plecter and the ducimer with hammers), or is there a difference between the instruments themselves? In my sources i find (amongst a lot of other things) that both of these instruments were created in “biblical time”/existed whn the old testament was being written. How old are they really? Are these instruments haprs, since they’ve got strings that are uncovered? Is a harp by the way still a harp if you attatch a wood or metal plate on one side of the strings?
The difference between the spinett, the virginal and the cembalo/harpsichord is another thing i find difficult to get a grip on. Is it so that the spinett is a “small cembalo of size” that is called spinett because it can’t be classified a cembalo? And that the virginal is a cembalo where the strings run along side with the tangents? Are there other differences?
Thanx for reading, and have a very merry christmas! =)

[Bill Kibby]

Phew! There is no short answer to all those questions, but yes, Cristofori did invent the "gravicembalo (harpsichord) col piano e forte" around 1707, and it was first documented in 1709. You say "so many different stories" so I presume you are talking about all the rubbish on the internet, even on sites which appear to be authentic, whereas piano textbooks are almost entirely agreed about what is true, so many of your answers lie there - in a library! Spinet and Virginals are types of Harpsichord, but there are differing uses of the term Cembalo. They don't have tangents, that's a clavichord. Press www or email me.
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I do not buy, sell or value pianos, but I sometimes rescue pre-1890 pianos in the UK.

My own website: http://www.pianogen.org

Piano History Centre

The World's Largest Collection of
Historical Information about British Pianos.

[Barrie Heaton]

The Smithsonian believe he produced his first piano in 1700 and was working on the idea in 1697 and by 1709 when the article by Scipione Maffei was published he had made 4 and his first attempts could have been as early as 1700

Barrie,
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Barrie Heaton
Web Master UK Piano Page

[Bill Kibby]

Yes, his "Arpicembalo" was listed among the instruments in 1698, it is believed to have had hammers, dampers and expressive touch, but was perhaps different in some way.
_________________
I do not buy, sell or value pianos, but I sometimes rescue pre-1890 pianos in the UK.

My own website: http://www.pianogen.org

Piano History Centre

The World's Largest Collection of
Historical Information about British Pianos.