PIANO FACTS
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1. IN THE 1920'S MORE HOMES HAD PIANOS THAN TELEPHONES.
2. THE PIANO EVOLVED FROM ORGANS, HARPSICHORDS, AND CLAVICHORDS AND USES HAMMERS ON STRINGS INSTEAD OF PLICKARDS PLUCKING STRINGS.
3. THE FIRST PIANO " PIANO FORTE" WAS BUILT OF WOOD IN 1720 BY BARTOLOMMEO CRISTOFORI.
4. CAST IRON FRAMES CAPABLE OF 30 TONS OF STRING TENSION PRESURE CAME IN 1820.
5. THE FIRST PIANOS SOME TIMES BROKE DURING PERFORMANCES.
6. FIRST GRAND PIANOS WERE SQUAREISH.
7. FIRST PIANOS WERE'NT POPULAR ONLY A HANDFUL OF COMPOSERS SAW AND UTILIZED THEIR DYNAMIC POTENTIAL.
8. THE DAMPENING ACTION AND SOFT PEDAL WAS ADDED LATER.
9. PIANO TUNNING STANDARDIZATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1928 WITH "A"= 440. PIANO TUNNING PRIOR VARIED FROM PIANO TO PIANO.
10. KEITH EMERSON ATTACHED A GRAND PIANO TO A WHEEL THAT CYCLED HIM AND THE PIANO UPSIDE-DOWN AND AROUND AND ROUND.
11. AFTER BEETHOVEN WENT DEAF HE PUT HIS GRAND PIANO ON THE HARDWOOD FLOOR OF HIS STUDIO TURNING THE ROOM INTO A SYMPATHETIC RESONATOR SO HE COULD FEEL THE MUSIC THROUGH HIS CHEST CAVITY RESONATION.
12. JOHN CAGE IS CREDITED WITH THE INVENTION OF THE "PREPARED PIANO" IN THE 1940'S BUT RAVEL USED PAPER MUTES IN A PIANO AND HENRY COWELL PLAYED AND STROKED THE INSIDE OF A PIANO IN THE 20'S ("BANSHEE").