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A Grand Piano Performance
Pianists and their admirers are forever grateful for the history associated with the grand piano. A direct descendent of the harpsichord, throughout the years it has been transformed.
Bartolomeo Cristofori was the first to experiment by using the ideas that the harpsichord offered. He devised an action that would strike the strings with hammers rather than plucking them with quills. His ideas paved the way for performers to change the tone and expression of the composition.
The format which incurred also allowed playing of the instrument to become more personalized. This new found freedom created a multi-colored palette for pianists to perform their art. As admirers we seem to often acknowledge the progress of the piano through these unique performers. Construction and style of the piano pose as a secondary appreciation but without their incentive we would have missed out on centuries of beautiful music.
Classical music is probably the most common of the genre's associated with this instrument. It was certainly the earliest form. Developed in the 1700's it became infamous by artists such as Beethoven, Chopin, Bach, and Mozart. In the later part of the 1760's a German builder by the name of Zumpe built a square piano with grand appeal. He attached hammer heads to the strings of his instrument by pads of leather which were fixed to the ends of thick brass wires. These were inserted into the back of the keys. He created dampers above the strings where the lever was tipped with cloth and on the left hand side raised all the dampers for the ability to adjust the treble and bass independently. He also divided their black notes into two sections to allow for more distinct tuning of sharps and flats. In 1768 Bach performed the first-ever piano recital on an instrument created by Zumpe.
Adjustments and improvements to the piano continue to be made and the instruments' involvement in music has branched out on a large scale. To the Jazz enthusiasts it has been graced by such artists as Count Basie and Duke Ellington. The Ragtime style was blessed by artists like Scott Joplin. Ray Stevens is not only noted for his comedic reviews, his style is also deeply loved by country music enthusiasts.
Piano has played a tremendous role in the rock genre. Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis were two of the most energetic pianists in history. Perhaps their style brought controversy but their talent could bring nothing short of admiration. Billy Joel and Elton John are likely to be the most flexible in the Rock category. The songs and performances generate a large variety of emotion. Dedications, ballads, and legendary songs brought smiles and tears throughout our lives. Yet, they can shift their effect with their upbeat and innovative performances.
The piano has downsized our prejudice by allowing us to take part in the grand accomplishments of people with disabilities. Ray Charles was one of these people. He was a credit and inspiration to us all. He was not only a masterful pianist and performer but he also mastered life's ethics. Those who know his music are blessed, those who recognized his value were grateful.
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