The Piano-Forte
Author | : Rosamond E. M. Harding |
Publisher | : Cambridge University Press |
Total Pages | : 529 |
Release | : 2014-07-24 |
ISBN-10 | : 9781107418271 |
ISBN-13 | : 1107418275 |
Rating | : 4/5 (71 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: Originally published in 1933, this book provides a detailed history of the piano-forte from its invention in Italy in the eighteenth century until the presentation of the first European cast-iron frame for a piano at the 1851 Great Exhibition. Harding also analyses the role of the piano as a replacement for a chamber orchestra and its history as a domestic instrument. The text is richly illustrated with images of pianos produced by a variety of makers over time, as well as with images of piano machinery taken from patent registrations. This thoroughly-researched book will be of value to anyone with an interest in one of the most ubiquitous instruments in the Western world and the history of its development.