Bartolomeo Cristofori

 

The Music Medium

The invention of the piano created a new medium of music. It gave a new sound, creating loud and soft sounds that previous keyboard instruments couldn't. And being a new instument it required new techniques. And new techniques ment new material for young musicains to learn. Www. cantos.com reports" Bach tried one of [Cristofori's] pianos but did not like the heavy touch and weak treble." ( Cristofori, Inventor of the Piano) The piano required a differant technique than Bach wasn't used to which is why the touch and treble were not appealing to him.As new (and old) musicains learned to play the piano they began to composed new pieces and it spread .stephane Villemin, author of History of the Piano, said " two of [Bach's] sons... began promoting the new instrument.....[one] wrote the first piano composition worthy of name....[the other] [offered] the first public concert in london in 1768...this was the begining of the piano concert that was enthusiastically received and spread quickly to other European capitals." (villemin,S  History of the Piano). As new and old musicains learned to play the piano thay began to compose new pieces and new performances and it spread.The ripples of this invention moved through out europe and all over the world through travel and media and people are still composing and performing today all over the world.

IThe piano has become the center piece of the music world. Yamaha's education forum website states "An acoustic piano is the musical centerpiece of almost every music education program. Whether the program is oriented toward general music, theory and composition, history, vocal performance, instrumental performance, or keyboard instruction, a piano is required to serve the teacher and the students." Even in musical education teh piano stads center stage. Also often the peak of concerts whether orchistral, classical, or other wise is often a piano peice/accompaniment. The image of the piano symbolizes music.( as seen in the picure above) It is used on programs, brochures, advertizments to give the image that music will be used.And it's one of the most popular instruments which makes it's use as a symbol effective.