The Piano-Forte Its History Traced to the Great Exhibition of 1851 [Paperback]

Originally published in 1933, this book provides a detailed history of the piano-forte.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.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.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.Preface; List of plates; List of abbreviations; Part I. The Pianoforte in the Eighteenth Century: 1. The invention of the pianoforte in Italy; 2. The invention of the pianoforte in France; 3. The invention and development of the pianoforte in Germany; 4. The tangent action and the cembalo stop; 5. The pianoforte in England; 6. Later developments in France; 7. The pianoforte in America; 8. The musical significance of the new instrument; Part II. The PianlÓÍ