Name:
Piano History Part 1
 This assignment is designed for you to learn about the history of the
piano, and listen to / watch some great pianists and compositions
 This is a not a group project! Please work on your own
 Spend about 10-20 minutes working on this each class. The rest of the
time should be spent playing piano
 Type your responses directly onto this document, using full sentences,
correct spelling and grammar
 Do not copy and paste from websites, but type things in your own words
 Do not rush through this. Take your time to read about each topic,
watch the videos, and type your responses thoughtfully
Before the Piano
The piano was not the first keyboard instrument. Some of the predecessors to
the piano were the pipe organ, clavichord, and harpsichord.
Pipe organ- watch this performance
How is it different from a piano?
What is the pedalboard?
What is an organ stop?
Clavichord – watch this performance
How is it different from a piano?
When was it popular?
The clavinet is electric clavichord, invented in the 1960’s, and has been used
by many modern musicians. Watch Stevie Wonder play clavinet on his song
Superstition.
How old was Stevie Wonder when he wrote it?
Harpsichord – watch this performance
What are some differences between harpsichord and piano?
Watch some of this video to get an idea of how a harpsichord works
How does it produce sound differently from a piano?
When was it popular?
Although the harpsichord is used much less now than it used to be, some
composers continue to write music for it. Watch the piece Continuum by the
Hungarian composer Gyorgy Ligeti. It was written in 1968, and requires the
performer to play as fast as possible.
Who invented the piano?
The Piano
Approximately when was it invented?
The modern piano has many differences from earlier pianos. Go to this page
and scroll down until you see “Comparison of piano sound” on the right side.
Listen to the same piece played on a 19th century piano and on a modern
piano. How do they sound different?
How many keys are on a modern piano?
When you press a key on a piano, what happens inside it to create a sound?
Most modern pianos have 3 pedals. What does each one do?
Una corda pedal
Sostenuto pedal
Sustain pedal
The two main types of pianos are grand and upright. How are they different
from one another?
Grand Piano
Upright Piano
Classical Piano Music
Many classical composers write music for the piano. Two main types of piano
pieces are the piano sonata and piano concerto. Please provide definitions
for each type.
Piano sonata
Piano concerto
Ludwig van Beethoven wrote 32 piano sonatas. Watch this performance of
the first movement of his Moonlight Sonata
When was it composed?
Where is Beethoven from?
Sergei Rachmaninoff was one of the best pianists and composers. Watch this
performance of the first part of his Piano Concerto No. 2
When was it composed?
Where is Rachmaninoff from?
For several years before he wrote this piece, Rachmaninoff suffered
from depression and writer’s block. This piece marked a turning point
in his life. What went wrong with the premiere of his Symphony No. 1
that caused all this?
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How to submit this assignment
Proofread your responses for completeness, spelling, and grammar
Rename the file in Google Drive to your name
Share the file with Mr. Schmetterer
o Click “Share” in the top right corner
o Start typing “Schmetterer” in the box that says “Invite people:”
o Uncheck the “Notify people via email”
o Click “OK”
You’re all done! Good work!