piano etymology

Etymology:

Piano is derived from the Italian word "pianoforte", which literally means "soft-loud". It was coined by the Italian inventor Bartolomeo Cristofori in the early 18th century to describe his new invention, which allowed for control over the volume of sound produced.

Meaning:

The term "piano" refers to:

• A musical instrument: A keyboard instrument with strings that are struck by hammers to produce sound. It is characterized by its ability to produce a range of volumes from soft ("piano") to loud ("forte").
• A volume level: In music, "piano" indicates that the music should be played softly. It is often abbreviated as "p".

Origin:

The piano evolved from the harpsichord, which had a much more limited dynamic range. In the late 17th century, attempts were made to modify the harpsichord to create a more expressive instrument. These experiments led to the invention of the piano by Bartolomeo Cristofori in Florence, Italy.

Cristofori's piano used a mechanism of hammers that struck the strings directly, rather than plucking them like a harpsichord. This allowed for a wider range of volumes and more expressive playing. The term "pianoforte" was initially used to describe this new instrument, but it was later shortened to "piano".

The piano quickly became popular throughout Europe and eventually the world. It is now one of the most widely-played musical instruments and is used in a wide variety of musical genres.

piano relate terms

• pianoforte

  Etymology The term pianoforte comes from two Italian words Piano meaning soft or

• pianist

  Etymology French pianiste feminine form of pianiste pianist Italian pianista femi

• piano

  Etymology Piano is derived from the Italian word pianoforte which literally means so

• soft

  Etymology of soft Old English softe from West Germanic saftiz meaning soft sa

• accordion

  Etymology From French accordéon from its inventor s name Kirchner accorded in German

• arabesque

  Etymology French arabesque Italian arabesco Spanish arabesco Arabic عربيسك a

• sonata

  Etymology and Meaning of Sonata The term sonata derives from the Italian word sonar

• chopstick

• spinet

  Etymology From Old Italian spinetta diminutive of spina thorn Meaning A small

• upright

  Etymology The word upright is derived from two Old English words Up Meaning towar

• clavier

  Etymology Clavier is derived from the French word clavier which itself comes from the