Topmusicanswers
Each one is an important step on the journey to an elite musical instrument worthy of Carnegie Hall. But it would still be a couple centuries before the piano was born. At the end of the 15th century the Pianos closest predecessor, the harpsichord, was invented. The harpsichord was a crude tool.
- Which came first harpsichord or piano?
- When was the harpsichord invented?
- What came before the harpsichord?
- Was the piano developed from the harpsichord?
Which came first harpsichord or piano?
Italian harpsichord maker Bartolomeo di Francesco Cristofori (1655-1731) invented the first piano around the year 1700. Without him, you'd likely be considering either harpsichord or organ lessons instead of dreaming of learning to play the piano.
When was the harpsichord invented?
The harpsichord was most likely invented in the late Middle Ages. By the 16th century, harpsichord makers in Italy were making lightweight instruments with low string tension. A different approach was taken in the Southern Netherlands starting in the late 16th century, notably by the Ruckers family.
What came before the harpsichord?
The psaltery was a hand-held instrument, far smaller than the fully evolved harpsichord. Early harpsichords were evidently small in both pitch range and string length. ... Virdung describes three instruments he calls the Virginal, the Clavicimbalum, and the upright Claviciterium.
Was the piano developed from the harpsichord?
The Development of the Modern Piano
Most people credit the invention of the piano to Bartolomeo Cristofori, who lived in Padua, Italy during the 1600s and 1700s. He was an expert at making harpsichords and decided to expand on the harpsichord, inventing the first piano.
