The Significance of Piano as a Musical Instrument in the Classical Period

[bach_ko]

As i know, the pianoforte was developing during classical period, it allows performer to do many things thus it stands out as a popular keyboard instrument, the musical genre of piano is expanded because many composers started to focus on piano repertoires (not necessary solo, but also chamber works and concertos)

May i know how the pianoforte has been developed from baroque to classical period? apart from the evolution of the mechanism, why is the piano became more and more popular in 18th century? how does this relate to the growing importance of the classical keyboard concertos as apublic musical genre? what significant role did the piano play for composers who compose classical piano concerto? anyone could reply me?

[stevel]

Originally Posted by bach_ko

As i know, the pianoforte was developing during classical period, it allows performer to do many things thus it stands out as a popular keyboard instrument, the musical genre of piano is expanded because many composers started to focus on piano repertoires (not necessary solo, but also chamber works and concertos)

May i know how the pianoforte has been developed from baroque to classical period? apart from the evolution of the mechanism, why is the piano became more and more popular in 18th century? how does this relate to the growing importance of the classical keyboard concertos as apublic musical genre? what significant role did the piano play for composers who compose classical piano concerto? anyone could reply me?

1. Google "Piano" and look for articles on its history and evolution.

2. Before the Piano, there was the Fortepiano, which is basically a piano with not as strong a frame and is not triple strung, thus it does not have the VOLUME of a "modern" piano.

Before that there were Harpsichord and Clavichord. Harpsichords are quiet, and there's a limit to how quickly you can restrike the key, and, worst of all, they have no dynamics. Dynamics were becoming a "hip" thing to put into music in the 18th century and instruments that did not have dynamics would be considered limiting. That's why the name of a "piano" is what it is - initially the "loud-soft" (fortepiano) and later the "soft-loud" (pianoforte). The instrument got its name because it did something the harpsichord could not - play loud and soft.

It is very important to understand though that the piano as we know it was absolutely NOT an important instrument in the 18th century. The piano became an important instrument in the 19th century and people "retoractively" applied it to pre 19th century works.

Haydn wrote works for "clavecin" or "keyboard instrument" which at the time would mean Clavichord, Harpsichord, or possibly Fortepiano once it was invented. Scholars believe there is a shift in Haydn's Keyboard Sonatas that shows (or proves in their mind) that Haydn started intending his Sonatas to be played on Fortepiano after a certain period because of the technical demands (which would be futile on harpsichord).

Mozart played both.

Beethoven really was the first "only" Fortepiano composer with whom we're familiar, but the Piano as we know it really didn't become commonplace until the mid-1850s with composers like Chopin. Even Schubert and Schumann played on transitional instruments.

Basically put, they wanted more volume and subsequent piano construction was aimed at making the piano louder - cast iron frame, triple strung, hammer action, etc. were all being designed or improved. They wanted the piano to be a viable concert instrument for keyboard sonatas that were being played with ever increasing orchestral instruments. In Mozart's day, a Harpsichord could be heard against the "chamber-size" orchestra of his day - there are Bach Harpsichord concerti (and 4 harpsichord pieces and so on). But the Romantic Period orchestra with much larger forces would drown any feeble instruments - the piano had to get louder to compete.

Now it's unfortunate - pianos are built "clangy" to "cut through" an orchestra (like a Stienway D) and unfortunately they're becoming unsuitable for chamber work.

We have had three Fortepianists in the last years perform (Malcom Bilson and the others' names escape me now) and they come in with this knowledge of exactly what instrument would have been available to Mozart or Beethoven and one of them even used two instruments - one appropriate for Mozart and one appropriate for Beethoven!

The "piano" carries a lot of ignorance and baggage with it. You would do yourself well to investigate the evolution and now the prejudices associated with it that's kept it form evolving any further.

Steve

[bach_ko]

hi, Stevel! thanks a lot for ur information. But right now i need to focus on the musical genre - one of the factors which caused the piano became an important musical instrument in the late 18th to 19th century. As i know composer started to write more and more music for piano, for instance, Mozart wrote 27 piano concertos and Beethoven wrote piano concertos. How does it (development of piano) relates to the emergance of piano concerto? What significat roles did the piano play for composers who composed classical piano concertos? I have came out some points of this topic..

the development of piano:
1. Technological aspect:
-Dynamic range is wider
-Note range
-Development of mechanism – the hammer will be released after plucking the string while the leather / feather of harpsichord would not.
-Improvement of tone – note can be sustained longer, able to produce variety of tone colour. (more sensitive)
-Pedaling is invented

2. Economical aspect:
-The emergence of upright piano
-The instrument is getting cheaper, almost everyone could afford to get one.

3. Pedagogy:
-Piano provide wider note range, anything will be able to do on piano.
-Piano is a more “concrete” musical instrument as we can ‘see’ all the single notes (visual), it gives clearer explanation in teaching theory and aural.
-To assist musician doing analysis – orchestral score is being transcribed into piano, easier to study.

4. Musical aspect:
-It replaces orchestra as an accompaniment (performance practice)
-Composition
-The musical genre of piano expanded, composer started to write more sonata and concerto, it gets more people to learn it therefore piano stand out as an important instrument. At the past, keyboard instrument mostly worked as part of the basso continuo
-More solo pieces were written for entertainment use, to please the audience.

*piano is more popularly used, piano learner was increased
*It produces richer texture and harmony, it stands out as a solo instrument without accompaniment
*tone quality is totally diferent from orchestral instrument, onctrast can be successfuly made in a concerto piece. for instance, in a piano concerto, the piano solo would not being doubled by the orchestral member (there is only one piano, whereas a clarinet concerto, clarinet is doubled by the the clarinets in wind ensemble.
*Able to compete with orchestra due to the instrument;s volume, wider range of notes, display higher technical difficulties, it allows performer to do more things.



other than this, what significant role did the piano play for composers who composed classical piano concerto? does anyone know?