Summary
This post examines the 360th birthday of Bartolomeo Cristofori, recognised as the inventor of the modern piano. It details his early life, employment with the Medici family, and contributions to keyboard instrument innovation. The article discusses Cristofori’s development of the piano’s hammer mechanism and the significance of this advancement in musical history. It further analyses the subsequent recognition and spread of the piano after his death, emphasising its cultural impact. The post also references Google’s interactive doodle and provides information on surviving Cristofori pianos and their locations.
Bartolomeo Cristofori di Francesco, credited with inventing the modern piano, was born on May 4, 1655 in Padua, Republic of Venice in Northern Italy. Google’s interactive Doodle, published on the occasion of his 360th birthday, drew renewed attention to his life and invention. At the age of 33, Cristofori was employed by Ferdinando de’ Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany, not only as a musical instrument technician but also as a musical instrument inventor. An expert harpsichord maker, he was familiar with the established body of knowledge on creating stringed keyboard instruments. In 1690, he invented two other keyboard instruments, the spinetonne and the oval spinet.
The Invention of the Piano
The first piano model was implemented by Bartolomeo Cristofori at the Florentine Court of Cosimo Terzo de’ Medici. Cristofori’s objective was to create a harpsichord with sound dynamics that could be controlled by the performer. The novelty lay in the application of a hammer mechanism to the harpsichord. His principal achievement as an inventor was solving the central problem of the hammer striking the string without remaining in contact with it and dampening the sound. He called his invention “gravicembalo col piano e forte” — a clavichord with soft and loud — in reference to the instrument’s ability to produce varying volumes depending on how hard or soft the key is struck. Towards the end of the eighteenth century the name was shortened to “fortepiano” and subsequently to “piano”.
Historical Record
Cristofori’s invention is generally regarded as the first real piano, even though other musical instrument makers had sought to address the limitations of the harpsichord. A document of doubtful authenticity suggests the piano was invented in 1698. According to Cristofori’s employers, one of his pianos was already in existence by the year 1700. Google noted on its Doodle blog:
Cristofori apparently invented the piano around 1709, and, according to contemporary sources, four of his pianos existed in 1711.
Three pianos made by Bartolomeo Cristofori dating from the 1720s survive: one at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City (1720, 89.4.1219), one at the Museo Strumenti Musicali in Rome (1722), and one at the Musikinstrumenten-Museum of Leipzig University (1726).
Legacy
Google Doodler Leon Hong’s interactive Doodle featured an animated mechanism showing a figure of Cristofori playing a melody from Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”. The user could adjust the piano’s volume to observe the mechanism enhancing or dampening the sound. The instrument was not widely popular during Cristofori’s lifetime, as many found it difficult to play. It gained broader recognition after his death in 1731, when German musicians and writers helped popularise it through music-related articles and performance. The piano, regarded as the foremost keyboard instrument in Western classical music, became a principal medium for the work of Frederic Chopin, Ludwig Van Beethoven, and many other composers.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information and does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult a qualified attorney before acting on any matter discussed here.