A piano is a machine of interactive systems connected by three main mechanisms, i) vibrating strings, ii) hammer action, iii) resonating soundboard. The hammer action that strikes the strings is activated by the pianist’s touch on the keys. The resonating soundboard is forced by the strings’ vibrations to vibrate by energy transmitted through the wooden bridges. The soundboard subsequently amplifies the piano sound via the vibrations of its larger mass. 73
The modification of the Italian harpsichord into a gravicembalocol piano e forte74 in 1700, by the Italian harpsichord builder Bartolomeo Cristofori, signified the invention of the piano. Cristofori’s invention of the hammer struck action, occurred at a time in history when a major shift was occurring in the perceptions of art music. The exclusive Baroque, church and aristocratic influence on the arts was experiencing a transition influenced by social trends towards a more centralised business-connected artistic community for both professional and amateur musicians. This shift in social practice subsequently coincided with more frequent staging of public concerts, and the establishment of associations between event entrepreneurs, publishing companies, instrument makers, agents of instrument makers, composers, professional and amateur performers and the general public. Political revolutions and wars were influencing the emergence of egalitarian influences on governments and the aristocracy. The migrations to London of many leading musicians and instrument builders escaping the wars and revolutions of Europe transformed London into the commercial and artistic capital of the world. The empire building colonisations, revolutions and wars of this time influenced the growth of world industry and trade. The colonisation of Australia is well connected in this archetype of empire expansion, trade and science.75
Chronology of Piano Design and Keyboard Compass Expansion.
The text of the following pages is accompanied withan illustrated chronologyof the expansion of the pianokeyboard compassover 313 years, from 1700 to 2013. Associated composers, pianists and technological developmentsare included with several of the illustrations. This illustration is important to this study as it displays how musical compositional style has traditionally been associated with instrumental design. A complete uninterrupted presentation of the piano compass development can be viewed in Appendix 1a.7
The keyboard notes in the illustrations are numbered in the ‘scientific’ system which accommodates a clearer presentation of the compass expansion from 1700 – 2014. The lowest note being C016Hz ; middle C =C4261.63 Hz; to the highest note F8 =5587.65 Hz . Both upper & lower casing is used to identify the same note for example: C0 and C0arethe same note.
74 13Good, 2.
75‘harpsichord with soft and loud’14 Good,41-42.Source: Scipione MaffeiGiornale de’Letterati d’Italia5 (1711):144-59
76Alan Atkinson, The Europeans in Australia, (Melbourne: Oxford Universty Press,1997).
