So, for my essay, I am supposed to discuss the reason why on a subject and I chose discuss the reason why the piano is interesting.
Why is the piano interesting?
The sound of a piano playing
brings many to the room. Several people enjoy the piano and think it is one of
the most beautiful instruments to listen to, but how many people know about
this instrument. What cool kinds of pianos are out there and where are they? Do
they know any interesting facts about the piano? Do they know who originated
it?
Who
originated the piano? It was invented in Italy by a harpsichord maker named Bartolomeo
Cristofori. He constructed it in 1709. His first piano he called gravicèmbalo
col piano e forte which, in Italian, means harpsichord with loud and soft. The
first piano was so expensive that even average rich families couldn’t afford
it. It would be predominantly seen in the home of aristocrats or royalty. It received
a new name, it was called the pianoforte, which changed to just piano. The
first piano looked very different than it does now and was finally perfected in
the 19th century to the piano we use today. In fact, it is known
today as the King of the Instruments.
Why
is the piano called the King of the Instruments? The reason is because it can
reach the highest note of a piccolo and the lowest note of a double bassoon.
Another interesting fact about the piano is that it is technically a percussion
instrument. The reason why is because it only makes a sound if the hammer hits
the string. This often sparks up discussion among musicians and it may come as
a surprise to some that piano is considered a percussion instrument. Although
it features strings throughout, the sound is produced by the hammers hitting
the strings, therefore, the piano has landed itself a place among percussion
section within a symphony orchestra. How many parts are in a piano? There are
over 12,000 parts in a piano, 10,000 of which are moving. What were piano keys
made of and what are they made of now? Piano
keys were originally made from ivory, thus the origin of the phrase, “tickle
the ivories.” This lasted until the 1950s, when cost and environmental concerns
caused piano makers to switch to plastic or resin keys. Although there are some
older pianos out there with ivory keys.
Any piano made between the 1700’s and the 1930’s had
ivory keys. Yes, keys made with ivory. They don’t really make them anymore because
they tend to chip and turn yellow. There are other amazing types of pianos.
Marilyn Monroe’s Baby Grand for example or the rocking piano. The rocking piano
was made by Sarah Davenport. This piano literally rocks while the player is
playing the instrument. Another cool piano is The Crystal Piano
was made designed by Canadian manufacturer
Heintzman Pianos. This beautiful instrument was played for the first time in
front of an audience at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games by a Chinese pianist
Lang Lang. The piano has a beautiful transparent design and is called the
Crystal Piano. It was later sold at an auction for $3.22 million, making
it the most expensive piano in the world.
As
the piano is such an amazing instrument, there is still more to know. About
when and how it came to be, what to most interesting things about the piano are
and what the coolest pianos are. There are always more being made and more
being discovered about the amazing piano.
2 comments:
I really enjoyed reading this good job Alli and u don't know about you but no matter how cool pianos I'll never pay $3.22 million for one
I enjoy playing the piano, but I agree with you completely. 3.22 million dollars is WAY too much money to be spending on a piano. ;p
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