BOOK 1: THE PIANO HANDBOOK In this book McCombie explains how Bartolomeo Cristofori changed a Harpsichord in to a piano

BOOK 1: THE PIANO HANDBOOK

In this book McCombie explains how Bartolomeo Cristofori changed a

Harpsichord in to a piano over three hundred years ago. McCombie goes

on describing how when Cristofori was angry and frustrated he banged

on the keys of the Harpsichord. Cristofori found that they didn’t

respond with satisfactory crashing chords. By the year 1700 Cristofori

changed the Harpsichord so that he could use two strings for each note

and a set of leather covered hammers to strike them. He then developed

a key mechanism to control the force of the hammers.

McCombie uses a lot of illustrations to describe the mechanisms within

a Harpsichord and a piano. In the next chapter talks about buying a

piano. He suggests that the majority of music teachers have little or

no experience in judging pianos. McCombie says that a tuning

technician is the best-equipped person to talk to about buying a

piano. He also recommends that buying by name is no longer a good idea

as some well known makers have been taken over by other manufacturers.

I think that this is articulately written and is aimed at people that

have very little knowledge on the piano. Although this book has no

information on playing the piano, I think it would be of great value

to someone that wanted to start playing. I think this book is of value

to my work because it explains the history of the piano in great

detail.

BOOK 2: HISTORY OF THE PIANO

In this book Closson talks about the Clavichord which is the earliest

form of stringed keyboard instruments. He then goes on to talk about

the Dulcimer which is also known as Dolce Melo in Italy, Backbrett in

Germany, and Ty...

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McCombie, Ian, The Piano Handbook, (Great Britain, 1980)

Closson, Ernest, History Of The Piano, (London, Elek Books Ltd, 1947)

Mach, Elyse, Great Pianist Speak For Themselves, (Great Britain,

Robson Books, 1981)

Wainwright, David, The Piano Makers, (London, Hutchinson & Co Ltd,

1975)

Scholtt, Howard, Encyclopaedia Of The Piano, (New York & London,

Garland Publishing Inc, 1996)

Hollis, Helen, The Piano, (Great Britain, Biddles Ltd, 1975)

Gill, Dominic, The Book Of The Piano, (London, Phaidon Ltd, 1981)

Crombie, David, Piano, (UK, Balafon, 1995)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Prod. Klavierwerke, Perf. Andras Schiff,

London, The Decca Record Company Ltd, 1992

The Piano Music of John Field, Prod. Lucena, Gef and David Wilkings,

Perf. Lorna Fulford Finchcocks, Gouldhurst, Kent, 1990