The Pianoforte Its Origin Progress And Construction To Which Is Added A Selection Of Interesting Specimens Of Music

Author : Edward F. Rimbault
Publisher : CreateSpace
ISBN 13 : 9781495991080
Total Pages : 438 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (91 download)

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Download or read book The Pianoforte written by Edward F. Rimbault and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2014-02-17 with total page 438 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Pianoforte, Its Origin, Progress, And Construction; With Some Account of Instruments of the Same Class which Preceded It; Viz. The Clavichord, The Virginal, The Spinet, The Harpsichord, Etc. To Which Is Added a Selection of Interesting Specimens of Music Composed for Keyed-Stringed Instruments, By Blitheman, Byrd, Bull, Frescobaldi, Dumont, Chambonnières, Lully, Purcell, Moffat, Couperin, Kuhnau, Scarlatti, Seb. Bach, Mattheson, Handel, C. P. Emanuel Bach, Etc. * * * * * An excerpt from the beginning of the PREFACE: Amongst the entire range of musical instruments, there is not one, in our day, that possesses so many claims to notice as the Pianoforte-the "household orchestra" of the people. Although it was the birth only of the last century, there have existed, for hundreds of years, instruments which, under different appellations, resembled the Pianoforte in the more important features of construction. Those instruments are but little known to the artist; scarcely, if at all, to the public. But the spirit of enquiry which marks the present age demands some explanation of those musical fabrics upon which so many of our eminent musicians exercised their mechanical skill, and for which they composed strains which are listened to with pleasure, even in these days of improvement. The history of the Pianoforte has never been attempted on any scale at all commensurate with its interest or importance. Brief, unsatisfactory, and incorrect notices are indeed to be found; but these have only served to lead the enquirer into a net of inaccurate data, or a maze of wild conjecture. Nevertheless, some articles are to be found which must, to a certain extent, be exempt from the general stigma; and amongst them the following, all of which have been used in the course of the following pages. M. Fétis's Sketch of the History of the Pianoforte and of Pianists, originally printed in the Revue Musicale, and afterwards partly translated (the translation was left unfinished) in The Harmonicon for 1830-1, a valuable periodical, edited by the late Mr. W. Ayrton. The late Professor Fischhof's Versuch einer Geshichte des Clavierbaues. Vienna. 1853. Thalberg's Remarks on Pianofortes, printed in the Jury Report of the Great Exhibition of 1851. Mr. W. Pole's Musical Instruments in the Great Industrial Exhibition of 1851. Printed for private circulation. I may also enumerate the valuable Tours in France, Italy, Germany, &c. by Dr. Burney; together with his articles in Rees's Cyclopedia. I have derived much curious and minute information from these sources, which cannot be too highly commended for their intelligence, learning, and accuracy. I accord this praise to Burney, because it is the fashion of the present age to speak slightingly of his labours. The task of writing the history of the Pianoforte was one of no small difficulty; the materials being widely scattered, and, in some cases, almost inaccessible. The amount of miscellaneous reading, too, required was almost enough to deter the most ardent explorer after hidden treasure from pursuing his labour; and when I present the following pages to the public, it is not without some misgiving that the result will be found to be far, very far short of what might have been expected. But, perhaps, if my work cannot be received as a complete history of the subject of which it treats, it may be regarded as a diligent collection of facts and opinions, illustrating the origin, progress, and construction of that delightful instrument the Pianoforte. The materials are divided into three parts; I. The History of the Pianoforte. II. The Construction of the Pianoforte. III. The early Composers for Instruments of the Pianoforte Class.