Overview
About the event
Technically a stringed instrument (although the strings are cleverly hidden inside the case) the history of the piano dates back as far as the 1700s when the instrument was contrived in Padua, Italy by Bartolomeo Cristofori. It began as the �??pianoforte�?�, which had a softer sound and shorter range than the pianos that are well known today.
After its invention, it took several years (even decades) for the piano to become a preferred instrument for those who would compose and perform music. While its range was greater than some other instruments, it was also large, expensive, and not easily portable.
However, over time, musicians and wealthy people began to include pianos in their repertoire as well as having them become a vital part of the inclusion of music in their households. As versions of the piano developed, from the grand to the square to the upright, they became more accessible and practical for middle class families to include in their homes.
Most modern pianos now have 88 keys that include a row of 52 white keys and 36 black keys, as well as three pedals that are accessed by the feet. They vary from the grand piano, baby grand piano, and upright piano, as well as the various electric and specialized versions that have become available in modern times.
