Who invented the piano?
Bartolommeo Cristofori, (1655-1731) an Italian instrument maker, is generally credited with inventing the first keyboard stringed instrument in which metal wires were struck with hammers to produce musical tones. The distinguishing feature was the hammer. By percussively striking the music wire, the pianist can vary the force or volume of tone produced, allowing an infinite range of expression in the music. The full name of the piano is Pianoforte, and refers to the instrument's ability to play both loud and soft tones. In the almost 300 years since Cristofori's innovation, thousands of others have made significant contributions to the development of the piano as we know it today. The basic design of the modern piano has changed relatively little in the last 120 years.
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