The Piano-Forte: Its History Traced to the Great Exhibition of 1851 - Harding, Rosamond E. M. 1898-1982 (Cambridge Cambridge University Press, 2014)
Originally published in 1933, this book provides a detailed history of the piano-forte from its invention in Italy in the eighteenth century until the presentation of the first European cast-iron frame for a piano at the 1851 Great Exhibition. Harding also analyses the role of the piano as a replacement for a chamber orchestra and its history as a domestic instrument. The text is richly illustrated with images of pianos produced by a variety of makers over time, as well as with images of piano machinery taken from patent registrations. This thoroughly-researched book will be of value to anyone with an interest in one of the most ubiquitous instruments in the Western world and the history of its development.
Originally published in 1933
Keywords: 18th Century (1701-1800); 19th Century (1801-1900); Organology; Piano