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# Grand Piano **Grand pianos in history** * **c. 200:** Stringed instruments from Persia, possibly inspired the hammer dulcimer, clavichord, and harpsichord. * **1300s:** First written records of the harpsichord, a plucked string instrument. * **1500-1700:** Harpsichord and clavichord were popu...

# Grand Piano **Grand pianos in history** * **c. 200:** Stringed instruments from Persia, possibly inspired the hammer dulcimer, clavichord, and harpsichord. * **1300s:** First written records of the harpsichord, a plucked string instrument. * **1500-1700:** Harpsichord and clavichord were popular instruments in Europe. * **c. 1700:** The Medici family owned a piano, possibly made by Bartolomeo Cristofori. * **Late 1700s:** Johann Andreas Stein improved the piano (Viennese piano). * **1777:** John Broadwood, Robert Stodart, and Americus Backers designed the first grand piano. * **Early 1800s:** Double escapement action invented in France by Sébastien Erard, allowing for fast play. * **1843:** Patent for the first full iron frame grand piano. * **1853:** Steinway & Sons established a prestigious piano company. **Grand Piano** *"The piano is able to communicate the subtlest universal truths by means of wood, metal, and vibrating air." - Kenneth Miller-scientist* * **Range:** Known as the "king of instruments" with a range of more than seven octaves. The word "piano" is short for "pianoforte" meaning it can be played softly (piano) or loudly (forte). * **Response:** The instrument's response, both softly and loudly, is dependent on the player's touch. * **Early Use:** First grand pianos were played in royal courts and wealthy households of Europe. Many were decorated. **Who's the Baby?** Grand pianos come in several sizes: * **Baby Grand:** Starts at 5ft 4 in (162 cm) or smaller. * **Concert Grand:** Up to 9 ft 10 in (3 m) long. Longer pianos, especially concert grand pianos, have longer bass strings, which give a rich tone and resonance. **Action of the Piano** * **Key pressed:** A key pressing on the keyboard moves a felt-covered hammer that strikes a steel string, causing it to vibrate. * **Soundboard:** Vibrates, producing sound, when the strings are played. * **String Material and Construction:** Strings are made of steel wire. Higher-pitched notes have more strings, while lower strings are wrapped with copper wire for increased weight. * **Keys:** Black keys (sharps/flats) are made from ebony wood, while white keys are made from ivory. The keys are made of plastic now. **Pedals** * **Soft pedal:** Makes notes sound softer. * **Sostenuto pedal:** Continues previously played notes, while new notes sound normally. * **Sustain pedal:** Makes notes continue to sound. Grand pianos in the US have three pedals, but in Europe they typically have only two (soft and sustain) **Top Pianists** Classical and Romantic piano works featured virtuoso pianists including Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin, and Schumann. Modern-day pianists include Askenazy, Nelson Freire, and Idil Biret. Famous jazz pianist Oscar Peterson is also noted. **Dimensions, sizes and types of Grand Piano** There is also detail of dimensions and types of grand pianos which have been omitted in order to keep the answer at a reasonable length and detail.