Carmichael Piano Studio

When Cristofori invented the piano 🎹 he also invented the pedal that would become the standard sustain pedal on every piano.

Although the piano really hasn’t changed enormously since its invention 🎼 it has expanded in scope and become more and more of a precision instrument over the years 😎 There’s little doubt that it will continue to develop and who knows what will be added next to make it even more extraordinary!

Cristofori 🎹 Inventor Of The First Piano

The maestros wanted more control over the volume. That’s when Bartolomeo Cristofori from Padua, Italy came into the picture. A harpsichord builder, he was hired by Ferdinando de’ Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany, to be his “Keeper of the Instruments”. The exact year when the piano was made cannot be precisely identified, but it is known that the Medici family had a piano in their possession by the year 1700. There are only three Cristofori pianos that survive today and they were built in the 1720’s. Hear one of them played and learn more about it.

The Cristofori piano looked and sounded quite different from the modern one we know. He decided that instead of the strings being plucked, as with the harpsichord, it would create more variety in dynamics if the strings were struck with hammers. Watch this video recorded at the Royal Academy of Music museum of pianos. It gives an in-depth look at the inside of an early piano and you can hear the difference in instruments as they were developed.

The original instrument Cristofori invented had been named the pianoforte (or in Italian: clavicembalo col piano e forte, meaning harpsichord that can play normally and more strongly). The word piano became more widespread only in 1732 when the name pianoforte was shortened. Although there was interest in the piano, it took almost 50 years to really catch on, but once it did, there was no stopping it.

“There’s nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.”
– Johann Sebastian Bach

Another version of this instrument worth mentioning is Emánuel Moór Pianoforte 👉 The main difference between this version and classical versions of a piano is the fact it has double keyboards 2️⃣ The inventor of this interesting instrument was Emánuel Moór (1863 – 1931), a Hungarian composer and pianist 🎹 It was made with two keyboards, one above the other 🎼 Usually, the lower one had the regular 88 keys, and the upper one was slightly smaller, containing just 76 keys 🎶 Playing it was also very unusual 🎵 Namely, when a key on the upper was pressed, the mechanism within the instrument would play the matching key on the lower keyboard, just an octave higher.

Did you know that some of the biggest concert grand pianos in the world can weigh up to 990 pounds 🤔 That’s insanely heavy and often takes a skilled piano moving team to transport an instrument of that length and density 👉 Most pianos that we have in our homes weigh much less than that though.

A conservatory-style or a baby grand piano can weigh between 622 – 690 pounds 🎹 Upright pianos weigh even less, often in the range of 300 to 500 pounds 😉 There’s a lot that factors into how much a piano weighs. This includes things such as the thickness of the instrument casing and the type of wood.

Other factors such as the cast iron plate, metal strings, piano legs, lid, hammers, piano keys, and even the soundboard can all be significant contributors to the instrument’s weight.

“Life is like a piano. What you get out of it depends on how you play it.”–Tom Lehrer

The number of keys can head in the other direction, as well 🎹 Piano manufacturer Schoenhut specializes in producing toy pianos with 44 or 49 keys 🎼 This version of piano is very popular with aspiring pianists who want to enjoy all the perks of having this instrument at home, but don’t have enough space for the larger versions.

Have you ever heard that phrase “tickle the ivories”?

Pianos used to have ivory keys before they were banned in the 1950s in the USA while Europe followed shortly after in the 1980s 👉 It’s impossible to find a new piano with ivory keys these days, but a simple web search will yield plenty of vintage instruments.

Ivory keys have a unique touch and grip that made them quite popular in the 1940s 😎 They were porous, so they always felt cool to the touch. The entire key wasn’t made of ivory but rather the thin keytop layer 🎹 There were some downsides to ivory keys though.

As they became dirty they would turn a nasty yellow color, far from their beautiful white shine. Professionals would need to use a cleaning or bleaching method like this one to keep them looking nice. Ivory keys were also notorious for cracking and getting chipped easily.

These days, pianos are made with plastic keytops or synthetic ivory. These keys have a different touch, but hold up much better.

“The piano is able to communicate the subtlest universal truths by means of wood, metal and vibrating air.” — Kenneth Miller, American Biologist

In the late 18th century piano production began to spread throughout Europe 🎹 Every piano-making country had their own signature design. The pianos from England had a heavier mechanism and louder volume while the ones from Austria had a lighter mechanism and softer sound 🎼 Viennese pianos were famous for their wooden frame, for having two strings per note, and hammers covered with leather. It is quite interesting that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart preferred to compose for Viennese pianos that had a softer tone than the modern ones.

No matter how nice a piano may look or sound, the fact is they will depreciate with time 🎹 Much like a vehicle, a piano holds a certain value until it’s purchased 🎼 The unique thing with pianos it that the brand of instrument and current market all play a part in their depreciation.

Some pianos can, in fact, hold their value depending on those factors. The value of an old piano can also be maintained or increased by rebuilding it 😉 Pianos are unique in that you can keep the frame, repair it and add new parts to the inside so that it essentially becomes a brand new instrument. Rebuilt pianos can bring close to the same value of a new instrument because it will function the same.

“The important thing is to feel your music, really feel it and believe it.” — Ray Charles

On the 4th of July 🇺🇸 may we remember our brave heroes who fought for our nation’s independence and those veterans who protected our freedom in all the other wars on this important holiday 🎆 Happy Independence Day!

Most grand pianos have over 200 strings 😎 usually in the range of 230. This is the case whether it’s a full-size concert grand or baby grand. The amount of strings is not the same for every single key on the instrument, however. For example, the bass notes on a piano require fewer strings than the middle or treble ranges.

230 may seem like a ton of strings for an instrument 🎹 but once you understand how piano strings work with the hammers and notes, it makes complete sense.

The really low bass notes starting with A and up the first octave have just one string 🎼 As the pitch reaches the Bass F to middle C region the piano keys will use two strings and then increases to three strings by the time you reach the highest notes.

Piano makers build more strings into the higher notes to help with sound quality, volume, and to make the notes audible. The hammers hit in different locations of the string compared to where they strike for lower notes.

Reading through a music history book often turns up some interesting words 🎵 One of those words is fortepiano (often written as pianoforte) 🎹 This was actually the original name of the piano as we know it today 🎶 The name literally meant what it said.

It referred to the ability for the instrument to play both loud (forte) and soft (piano) 😉 At the time this was a breakthrough for keyboard instruments. Pianofortes used stops and levers to control the dynamics and sustain the pitches along with the hammer mechanism.

The history of the piano dates back to the Middle Ages when the first string instruments, hammered dulcimers, started to be played in Europe 🎹 However, people wanted something different: a string instrument with a keyboard 🎼 There were a lot of attempts to achieve this, and as a result, the clavichord – with strings struck by tangents – and the harpsichord – with strings plucked by raven quills – were developed and became very popular 👉 Even though all of the innovations were impressive, it still wasn’t enough 🎵 The harpsichord didn’t have the control over the dynamics – how loud or soft the performer could play 🎶 And the clavichord sounded too delicate and would often be overpowered by the sound of other instruments.

“Sometimes I can only groan, and suffer, and pour out my despair at the piano.” – Frederic Chopin

Whenever you see a digital piano 🎹 it’s not uncommon to find one that has 61 keys or less 🤔 Even with acoustic pianos, some older models have fewer keys than the standard 88 keys 🎼 While it’s common knowledge that some pianos have less than 88 keys, it’s not widely discussed that some of them have more.

Piano maker Bosendorfer is one of the world’s best piano brands that produce grand pianos with extra keys 👉 They, for example, have pianos that have 92 keys added to the bass area of the keyboard 🎵 Then there is Stuart and Sons who produce pianos with 102 and 108 key pianos.

Our piano lessons are some of the most innovative in the Rockwall area 🎹 Students graduating from our program have gone on to some of the best music schools in the country.

“One of my biggest thrills for me still is sitting down with a guitar or a piano and just out of nowhere trying to make a song happen.” – Paul McCartney

Children of all ages express themselves through music 🎹 Even young infants sway, bounce, or move their hands in response to music 👶 Many preschoolers make up songs and, with no self-consciousness, sing to themselves as they play 🤸‍♀️ Children in elementary school learn to sing together as a group and possibly learn to play a musical instrument 🎼 Older children dance to the music of their favorite bands, and use music to form friendships and share feelings 🎶 Try these activities and games with your children to experience the pleasure and learning that music brings 👉 https://www.brighthorizons.com/.../music-and-children...

Our program emphasizes the basic skills of literate musicianship appropriate for the age 🎹 level and ability of each student.

🎶 30, 45 & 60 minutes in length
🎶 1 lesson per week
🎶 Music theory training
🎶 Competitive opportunities
🎶 And more!

“I believe in using the entire piano as a single instrument capable of expressing every possible musical idea.” -Oscar Peterson

Private Piano Lessons 💥 Our program emphasizes the basic skills of literate musicianship appropriate for the age, level and ability of each student.

☑️ 30, 45 & 60 minutes in length
☑️ 1 lesson per week
☑️ Music theory training
☑️ Competitive opportunities

And more!

We move back to more familiar ground after a gander into Stravinsky’s musical springtime offering with one of Beethoven’s ever-charming violin sonatas 🌸 The fifth (1801) is quintessentially Beethovenian in its technical virtuosity and elegant simplicity 🎹 The flowery, soaring lyricism, contrasted with, at times, a buzzing, spritely piano accompaniment, certainly earns this beautifully crafted sonata its nickname.

Check out the spring time piece https://youtu.be/PGFs7n6n3-8

A work probably best described as classical marmite 🌸 but love it or hate it, Stravinsky’s ballet Le Sacre Du Printemps / The Rite Of Spring is a twisted homage to spring. Set in pagan Russia, the score is based almost entirely on fragments of no more than nine traditional Russian folk songs 🎹 The music is heavily dissonant and rhythmically aggressive, creating a soundworld that evokes the rustic whilst impinging on primitivism 🎵 Stravinsky’s score is almost as provocative as Vaslav Nijinsky’s original choreography.

Check out the spring time piece https://youtu.be/5UJOaGIhG7A

A grand brass fanfare announces the beginning of spring in Schumann’s first symphony 🌸 This jubilant, celebratory opening is said to be inspired by these lines from Adolf Böttger:

O wende, wende deinen Lauf –
Im Thale blüht der Frühling auf!

O turn, O turn and change your course –
In the valley spring blooms forth!

A buoyant, busy first movement ensues, followed by an uplifting, lyrical second, lilting, dance-like third, before an animated, triumphant finale.

Check out the spring time piece https://youtu.be/YwSGmYB0_f0

Delius’ tone poem On Hearing The First Cuckoo In Spring is a beautiful example of nature manifested in musical form and one of the best pieces of classical music for spring 🌸 It begins with a lilting, chirping theme in the strings, imitating perfectly the call of a cuckoo, before building organically into a gentle cacophony of tweeting birds 🎹 Delius also weaves a traditional Norwegian folk song into the earthy fabric of the piece, giving it an easy, pastoral feel.

Check out the spring time piece https://youtu.be/3xHIhcstxUM

Rachel Grimes 🌸 Every Morning Birds from The Book of Leaves

Although not specifically about Spring time, this piano miniature by contemporary American composer Rachel Grimes definitely has a flavour of that season with its opening passage of actual birdsong and tracery of treble notes 🎹 interspersed with decorative motifs which suggest the chirruping of birds.

Check out the spring time piece https://youtu.be/TJUL4EvPfG8

Schubert (arr. Liszt) 🌸 Die Forelle (The Trout)

Schubert’s ‘Trout’ Quintet is definitely springlike in its carefree melodies and joyful atmosphere 🎹 and this transcription for solo piano by Franz Liszt 🎵 with its rippling accompaniments and optimistic character 🎵 is a virtuosic evocation of the new season.

Check out the spring time piece https://youtu.be/WpnWJOU-P-k