{"id":4367,"date":"2017-08-13T15:49:51","date_gmt":"2017-08-13T19:49:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.musikalessons.com\/blog\/?p=4367"},"modified":"2023-01-25T13:29:56","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T18:29:56","slug":"piano-styles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musikalessons.com\/blog\/2017\/08\/piano-styles\/","title":{"rendered":"Piano Styles"},"content":{"rendered":"

Music as we know it simply wouldn\u2019t be the same if it wasn\u2019t for the piano. There\u2019s no other organic instrument on the planet that matches the piano\u2019s impressive range, dynamicity and power. The piano is a tool that countless musicians have used to compose and perform music with since its invention over three centuries ago, and many groundbreaking and influential styles of playing have developed alongside the instrument<\/a>. We\u2019re going to highlight some of the more prominent piano styles in this article, but first, let\u2019s talk about what this amazing instrument is and where it came from.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Piano origins and construction<\/strong><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

The piano was invented in the year 1700 by an Italian instrument maker named Cristofori. His invention is largely the adaptation of a similar but less well known instrument called the harpsichord. We don\u2019t have many enduring records of Cristofori\u2019s life, but we do know that in 1688, at age 33, he was hired to work for Prince Ferdinando de Medici. Ferdinando was a lover of music, and he hired Cristofori to take care of his vast collection of instruments. Some historians believe that Ferdinando saw potential in Cristofori and hired him specifically to invent new instruments. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

One of Cristofori\u2019s main jobs was to tune and maintain Ferdinando\u2019s collection of harpsichords. The harpsichord is an instrument that consists of a box that holds suspended strings. When one of the keys on its keyboard is pressed down, a corresponding string is plucked and a sound is generated. The first records of Cristofori adapting harpsichords into piano-like instruments are in 1700.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By making a few small changes to the harpsichord, Cristofori inadvertently altered the musical landscape forever by creating an instrument that had never been conceived of before. The brilliant instrument maker created a system of hammers that struck the strings instead of plucking them. His new instrument featured a lighter action which meant it was easier to play because it was more suitable for passages with repetition.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"piano
The harpsichord was the musical predecessor of the piano<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But the biggest difference between Cristofori\u2019s invention and the piano was its uncanny dynamic capabilities. Never before or since has there been an instrument that allows players to play with such power and nuance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The incredible new invention took many years to gain popularity because it was so expensive to make. Pianos didn\u2019t really take off until the 1760\u2019s when cheaper square adaptations of the instrument were made. Cristofori most likely had no idea that his invention would become one of the world\u2019s most popular and important instruments. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Aside from being used in a huge swath of musical genres across the world, the piano is also used as a powerful tool to teach music theory with. Essentially, the piano\u2019s keyboard is a perfect visual representation of the scales, chords and intervals between notes that we hear in music. It\u2019s impossible to be familiar with music theory and not be somewhat acquainted with the piano\u2019s system of white and black keys. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The modern piano<\/strong> <\/span><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pianos have come a long way since Cristofori\u2019s day. Modern pianos are significantly louder, more player-sensitive and easier to play and keep tuned than Cristofori\u2019s early pianos. Pianos or keyboards that feature a version of the piano\u2019s sound are now in literally billions of homes, schools, churches and venues across the world. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"child
Finally an instrument for all ages!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2017, the piano is an instrument used in most musical genres. There\u2019s a few good reasons for the piano\u2019s widespread popularity and longevity. It\u2019s incredibly easy to pick up compared to other common instruments. Instruments like the clarinet or even the guitar require students to master difficult technical skills like pressing down strings hard enough to sustain a pitch or forming the correct embouchure. These are skills that take months to master, but the piano\u2019s operation is incredibly simple. Children as young as three years old can understand that pressing a piano key down creates a pitch. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Another reason is that few instruments can match the piano\u2019s expressive range. It\u2019s a favorite among songwriters and classical composers alike because it can play such a wide range of pitches. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Piano Styles<\/strong><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Playing styles on the piano are a good window into what was happening in a myriad of different cultures and time periods over the past 300 years. The unique musical choices musicians have included in their music over the years can tell us a lot about the social, political and artistic trends of the time the music was written in. We\u2019re going to highlight some of music\u2019s more important piano styles. We\u2019ll give you some background and context as well as some musical insights and visual aids to help you understand each style.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Classical and art styles<\/strong><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve got a good grasp on how to play in the classical style, you\u2019ll have most the technical prowess you need to be able to play within other genres. As the oldest of the piano styles, the classical approach to playing is the model for modern music education. This is because this method of playing effectively displays the rules and concepts found in music theory more than any other style of playing.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Under the umbrella of the classical genre there are different sub-styles of piano playing: <\/span>baroque<\/b>, <\/span>modern<\/b> and <\/span>romantic<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The baroque<\/strong> piano tradition is one part of a larger cultural movement that happened between 1600-1750. A massive social and artistic shift toward secularism occurred during this time period, and it altered the state of music in a huge way. The piano was invented right in the middle of this period. Long, ornate and dazzling passages of melodies written with a technique called counterpoint largely define the baroque piano style of playing. Musicians were just becoming privy to the dynamic power of the piano, so the baroque style of playing is incredibly intricate but not big on feeling or emotion. The harmonic minor scale was often used in the baroque era.<\/span>
\n\"d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The romantic <\/strong>piano style is one that emphasizes emotion and feeling. A stark contrast to earlier styles, the romantic style of piano playing gives the pianist a new role with increased control over the dynamics, rhythm and feeling of a piece. Composers and pianists in the romantic area were the first musicians to be regarded as true musical artists, and the music made in that era reflects a larger cultural shift away from the social and political norms set in the age of enlightenment. Composers and other artists from this era were obsessed with nature, the supernatural and the past. Piano composers like Schubert and Chopin largely define the romantic style of playing.<\/p>\n