Topic by Jake Johnson

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  • Jake Johnson
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Topic: 1892 book on the history of piano construction

Ran across this while researching my new old Chickering, and thought it might be of general interest: "A Noble Art: Three Lectures on the Evolution and Construction of the Piano," published in 1892 and now available as a free download. Discusses the various contributions of Broadwood, Erard, Chickering, Steinway et al to what was then the modern piano. Not, in terms of technical depth, the equivalant of Five Lectures on Acoustics of the Piano, since it has a broader subject, but still, it's about 160 brief pages on the history of the piano written not long after cross-stringing and a cast iron plate were fairly recent innovations:

https://play.google.com/store/books/det...amp;rdot=1

Includes some illustrations of interest, such as a plate of Cristofori's original action and an early Broadwood action.

Last edited by Jake Johnson (14-08-2016 19:07)

Reply by Jake Johnson

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  • Jake Johnson
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Re: 1892 book on the history of piano construction

Hate to reply to myself, but I was surprised to read that this book, on pages 84-85, discusses the metal shoe, the subject of another recent thread here.

The book claims that this shoe unites the beams so that they better transfer the vibrations to the rim, which then becomes another soundboard of sorts, since "Every precaution is taken to connect the vibrations of the wooden parts of the instrument, and to separate them from the iron." In other words, instead of the sound board being isolated and constrained by the iron plate, so that the sound board can vibrate without leaking vibrations, the sound board is instead meant to convey the vibrations to the bracing and the rim. May be old news to more knowledgeable people, but this is news to me. And of course, it may more true of 19th century pianos or Steinways, than to modern ones.

Reply by Beto-Music

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Re: 1892 book on the history of piano construction

Interesting, in the  late 19 century people were starting feeling into the future, who watches the series Murdoch's Mysteries can see that I mean.

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A good Grand piano from 1892 it's very similar a modern piano of today, but somehow different from a piano from 1870.

Last edited by Beto-Music (15-08-2016 01:14)